Daily GK Updates - 24th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. World's first 3D Sanskrit film screened at IFFI: The world’s first 3D Sanskrit film 'Anurakthi’ has been screened at International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Panaji in Goa.The story of the movie tells the story of 'Vasudha', a Punjabi danseuse who comes to Kerala to learn Koodiyattam dance from a practitioner called Paramesharwan Chakkiar. The film is directed by Asokan PK.

2. Exclusive 'Rural Livelihood' scheme for Northeast: The “North East Rural Livelihood Project” is launched by the Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region Dr Jitendra Singh. The objective of the scheme is to assist over 10,000 Self Help Groups (SHGs) and benefit about three lakh poor households.The scheme is supported by the World Bank and will primarily benefit the tribal and the lower socioeconomic groups, including women, in the North-Eastern Region (NER).

3. First Indian mission to study the Sun: ISRO  plans to launch ‘Aditya-L1’, the first Indian mission to study the Sun, by the year 2019 – 2020. The Aditya-1 mission was conceived as a 400kg class satellite carrying one payload, the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) and was planned to launch in an 800 km low earth orbit.

4. Hill Area Development Committee formed in Bangla: The Bangla government set up a four-member Hill Area Development Committee that will oversee work in the Hills. The Hill Area Development Committee will be headed by Mann Ghising, president of Gorkha National Liberation Front.

5. PMMS Kendra Scheme approved: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved ‘Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra’ scheme for a period 2017-18 to 2019-20. The scheme is part of Umbrella Scheme “Mission for Protection and Empowerment for Women” of the Union Ministry of Women and Child Development. It aims at empowering rural women through community participation.

OTHER UPDATES

SPORTS

1. Basel will become the first city to jointly host the Badminton and Para-Badminton World Championships in 2019: Basel (Switzerland), will become the first city to jointly host the Badminton and Para Badminton World Championships after it was awarded the 2019 edition of the Para event. The Badminton World Federation (BWF) confirmed that the two tournaments will be staged simultaneously for the first time.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. SBI launches 'YONO' App: Arun Jaitley  launched SBI's unified integrated app ‘YONO’ (You Only Need One). ‘YONO’ is the first digital banking platform which offers customised products to the customer. With the help of this app, any customer can open their bank accounts with SBI in a few minutes, transfer funds, and utilize various other services.

2. Muh Pe Taala campaign launched by Axis Bank: Axis Bank in association with Mumbai Police has launched its latest campaign #MuhPeTaala to promote safe banking. The aim of this campaign is to raise awareness about how to keep oneself safe from falling prey to fraudulent calls asking information such as pin code, CVV, OTP etc. It cautions the viewers that no bank will ever ask for any of these details.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Samsung partners with UP govt: Samsung India announced a partnership with Uttar Pradesh State Government for ‘Smart Healthcare Programme’. Under this programme, Samsung India will set-up 20 new smart healthcare centres across Uttar Pradesh to offer affordable and quality healthcare.

2. IKEA opens its first store in India at Hyderabad: The Swedish furnishing retailer IKEA has opened its first store a ‘Hej (Hello) Home’ in Hyderabad. The store will provide some awareness of Ikea products and solutions to its customers. The store will open for business in the next year 2018.

Daily GK Updates - 23rd November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Union Government initiates ‘Safe City’ Plan for women in 8 metropolitan cities: Home Ministry announced that under the Safe City plan, a robust emergency response system, as well as a police, verified public transport system will come into place. This safe city plan, which was reviewed by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba,  will be implemented in implemented in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Lucknow and Hyderabad.

2. 5th Global Conference on Cyberspace inaugurated by Prime Minister: Prime Minister, Narendra Modi inaugurated the 5th edition of Global Conference on Cyber Space (GCCS) in Delhi. ‘Cyber4All: A Secure and Inclusive Cyberspace for Sustainable Development’ is the theme of the two-day conference. The inception of GCCS took place in 2011 in London. The second meet was held in Budapest in 2012, third in Seoul in 2013 and the fourth in The Hague, Netherlands in 2015.

3. Shubhangi Swaroop to become the first woman pilot in the Indian Navy: Indian Navy has inducted Shubhangi Swaroop as its first woman pilot. She hails from Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh.

4.  'UMANG’ App launched by the Prime Minister: Narendra Modi launched an all in one 'UMANG' app at the Global Conference on Cyber Space, as an initiative to promote Digital India Program. UMANG stands for Unified Mobile Application for New-age Governance and can be downloaded by the people to avail various Government services. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and National e-Governance Division (NeGD) have together developed this app. The app provides 162 services from 33 state and central government departments and four states. 

5. Union Cabinet grants approval to set up the 15th Finance Commission: The 15th Finance Commission will look into the distribution of tax proceeds among centre, states and local bodies post GST. The commission will be set up for a period of 5 years It is noteworthy that the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, headed by former RBI Governor YV Reddy, will be valid till the year 2020.

6. Cabinet approves membership for EBRD: Union Cabinet has approved India’s Membership for European Bank for Reconstruction & Development. Membership of EBRD would enhance India’s international profile & promote its economic interests and contribute to an improved investment climate in the country.

7. Income Tax Act replacement, panel set up: Govt. has formed a task force to draft a new direct tax law to replace existing Income Tax Act, which has been in force since 1961. Arbind Modi, Member of CBDT will steer a 6 member panel on the issue. Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian will be a permanent special invitee on the panel.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Latin America named the most violent region in the world for Women: UN Women and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in a report presented in Panama found Latin America and the Caribbean as the most violent region in the world for women. Central America and Mexico were named as particularly dangerous places in the report.

2. Emmerson Mnangagwa will be sworn-in as the new President of Zimbabwe: Emmerson Mnangagwa, the former Vice President, will be sworn in as the President of the Zimbabwe on November 24, 2017 after the resignation of Robert Mugabe following a military intervention. The ruling ZANU-PF party has nominated him to fill the vacancy left by Mr Robert Mugabe.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Hike, Airtel Payments Bank tie-up: Messaging app Hike has tied up with Airtel Payments Bank to power its mobile wallet product. Through this partnership, Airtel Payments Bank gets access to over 100 million users on Hike and will begin powering the Hike Wallet product. People using Hike will get access to Airtel Payments Bank’s product line including merchant and utility payments and KYC infrastructure.

2. Sunil Mittal’s family pledges Rs.7000 cr to charity: Airtel Chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal has pledged 10% of his wealth to support activities of the group’s philanthropic arm, Bharti Foundation. The foundation will set up Satya Bharti University to offer free education to underprivileged youth.

Daily GK Updates - 22nd November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Modi Govt. 3rd most trusted in the world: Indian government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ranked as the third most trusted government in the world as per Government at a Glance 2017. It was published by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. As per the report, nearly 74 percent of Indians have expressed confidence in their national government. The list is topped by Switzerland and followed by Indonesia.

2. RSS chief, Yogi Adityanath to attend ‘Dharma Sansad’: RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will attend a three-day ‘Dharma Sansad’ beginning November 24 that will be organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to discuss the Ram Temple issue.It is being organised at the time when talks of resolving the Ram Temple dispute outside court has gathered momentum. Art of Living Foundation chief Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is trying to resolve the dispute by mediating between different parties.

3. Brahmos completes cruise missile triad: In a major boost to the strike capability of Indian Air Force, the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile — “Brahmos” created history when it was successfully test-fired from a Sukhoi-30 MKI combat jet against a target in the Bay of Bengal.With this, Brahmos completes the cruise missile triad, it can be launched from land, sea and air. The supersonic cruise missile has already been successfully launched from sea and land.

4. Rashtrapati Bhavan will now be open to public for four days a week: The Rashtrapati Bhavan will now be open for public viewing for four days a week — Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday — from tomorrow, according to an official statement on Wednesday. Registration charge for the visit is Rs 50 per head, it said. Children below the age of eight years will be exempt from these charges. People can visit on these four days anytime between 9 am and 4 pm, except on gazetted holidays.

5. Parab Fest takes off in Koraput, Odisha: ‘Parab-2017’, the annual cultural festival of Odisha’s Koraput district, showcasing the tribal art and culture, started. Parab 2017 started from the shrine of goddess Sankulai Devi of B Singhpur under Borigumma block, with a tribal dance. The objective of this festival is to protect  & promote the region’s rich cultural heritage. A 5-day Pallishree Mela will be organised on 21 December 2017

6. Ira Joshi appointed as the new DG of Doordarshan News: Ira Joshi was appointed as the Director General of Doordarshan News following the retirement of Veena Jain.

Earlier, Ira Joshi was the Press Information Bureau (PIB) director general. PIB Director General Ghanshyam Goel has been made the new Director General of Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP), replacing Esther Kar.

7. Parliament Winter Session likely to be held from December 15 till January 5: The Winter Session of Parliament is likely to be held from December 15 till January 5, sources told The Indian Express. A decision in this regard was reportedly taken during Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg. Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Union Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters that dates of the session will not clash with the assembly elections in Gujarat.

8. FOGSI launches ‘Manyata’ movement: Federation of Obstetric and Gynecological Societies of India (FOGSI) launched ‘Manyata’, a nationwide movement emphasising the need for quality care for mothers during and immediately after childbirth. FOGSI has launched ‘Manyata’ in partnership with MSD for Mothers, MacArthur Foundation and Jhpiego. The movement was flagged off by Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Robert Mugabe resigns as the President of Zimbabwe: Robert Mugabe has resigned as President of Zimbabwe with immediate effect after 37 years in power, ushering a new era for a country as uncertain as it is hopeful. The man who ruled with an autocrat’s grip for so many years finally caved to popular and political pressure hours after parliament launched proceedings to impeach him.

2. Nepal-India border to be sealed for 72 hours ahead of polls: Nepal will shut its border crossings with India from Friday for 72 hours ahead of the first phase of parliamentary and provincial assembly elections on November 26 for security reasons. Nepal is holding provincial and parliamentary elections in two phases on November 26 and December 7. The elections are seen as the final step in Nepal's transition to a federal democracy following a decade-long civil war till 2006 that claimed more than 16,000 lives.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. India becomes second largest fish producing country in the world: Combining the production of all types of fisheries, the total fish production has reached 11.41mn tones, with this India has become the second largest fish producing country in the world. China is the largest fish producer country in the world. The scheme ‘Blue Revolution’ has been launched for the integrated development of fisheries sector in the country.

2. Samsung partners with Uttar Pradesh government to set up 20 healthcare centres: Samsung India, a subsidiary of the South Korea-based electronics major, on Wednesday said it has partnered with the Uttar Pradesh government to set-up 20 new smart healthcare centres across the state to provide healthcare equipments, reports news agency PTI. The smart healthcare programme aims to offer affordable and quality healthcare to patients from the economically and socially weaker sections of society. Since 2015, Samsung has collaborated with 18 government hospitals across the country for the programme.

3. ”Infrastructure” status to Logistics sector: The government has given infrastructure status to logistics sector, covering cold chain and warehousing facilities. It is done in a move to attract more funding at competitive rates for these segments.

4. Mastercard, Mswipe tie-up: swipe, a domestic maker of Point of Sale (PoS) terminals, has partnered MasterCard to digitise merchant acquisition and can now enable a shopkeeper anywhere in India to acquire a card swipe machine. Mswipe will enable a merchant to complete the ‘know-your-customer’ (KYC) requirement using a mobile application that will scan documents.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Andhra Bank launches scheme to push Entrepreneurship: Andhra Bank has launched scheme for self help groups (SHG) to encourage entrepreneurship. The scheme ‘Pattabhi Sitaramayya’ has been introduced to commemorate the birth anniversary of its founder Bhograju Pattabhi Sitaramayya, and the silver jubilee of the SHG-Bank linkage programme in the country.

Daily GK Updates - 21st November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. World Fisheries Day observed today:  The World Fisheries day is being celebrated throughout the world by the fisher-folk communities to highlight the importance of maintaining the world's fisheries. The Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh inaugurated the World Fisheries Day celebrations in New Delhi. The theme of 2017 is “2022 Ka Hai Sapna … Kisan Ki Aay Ho Dugna - Sankalp Se Siddhi”.

2. Manipur Sangai Festival in Imphal: President Ram Nath Kovind has inaugurated the Manipur Sangai Festival at Palace Compound in Imphal, Manipur. A two-day North-East Development Summit was also opened by the President as a part of the festival. As many as 175 delegates including official representatives of foreign countries and multi-national corporate firms are also attending the Summit.

3. Nabaneeta Dev Sen Won the 2017 Big Little Book Award: Popular Bengali writer Nabaneeta Dev Sen has been has been declared winner of the 2017 Big Little Book Award in the “Author in Bengali Language” category for her contribution to the children’s literature. The Big Little Book Award, a first-of-its-kind initiative in India, seeks to recognise and honour authors and illustrators who have contributed to children’s literature that are global in appeal and contextual in nature. The award has been instituted under ‘Parag’ initiative of Tata Trusts to promote children’s literature.­

4. India has been ranked 51st globally in  the 2017 IMD World Talent Ranking: India has been ranked 51st globally in terms of ability to attract, develop and retain talent while Switzerland topped the list compiled by leading global business school IMD. The annual IMD World Talent Ranking covered 63 countries and assessed the methods the countries adopted to attract and retain talent. The rankings are based on a country’s performance in three main categories – investment and development, appeal, and readiness – and India was ranked 62nd, 43rd and 29th on these terms. Globally, Europe continues to dominate the rankings, with Switzerland, Denmark, and Belgium being the most competitive countries. Austria, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Germany, Sweden and Luxembourg made up the top 10.

5.  India-Myanmar joint Army exercise begins in Meghalaya: The week-long Army warfare exercise by India & Myanmar has begun at the Joint Warfare Centre at Umroi near Shillong in Meghalaya. The exercise aims to train the officers of Myanmar Army in various United Nations Peacekeeping roles and tasks. The exercise code-named India-Myanmar Bilateral Army Exercise (IMBAX) is aimed at building and promoting closer relations with armies of the neighbouring countries. This is the first military exercise between India and Myanmar.

6. Journalist Manik Banerjee Gets Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) Award: Veteran journalist Manik Banerjee, who is also an acclaimed mountaineer was presented with the ‘Life Time Achievement Award’ by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF). Banerjee was presented the award in recognition of his achievements in mountaineering over a period of four decades. She has made an invaluable contribution in promotion of mountaineering and allied adventure activities.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Sarajevo Haggadah manuscript in UNESCO’s Memory of the World: Sarajevo Haggadah, the 14th- century richly illuminated Hebrew manuscript, has been included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. Sarajevo Haggadah has been kept at the National Museum of Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1894. In Hebrew, Haggadah means a handwritten story (on parchment). It is read by family members on the occasion of the Jewish feast of Passover.

2. World Television Day observed on 21st November: In December 1996 the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 November as World Television Day. It commemorates the date on which the first World Television Forum was held in 1996.

The UN acknowledges that television can be used to educate many people about the world, its issues and real stories that happen on the planet.

3. Beyonce is the highest-paid woman in music industry: American singer Beyonce has been named the highest-paid woman in music in 2017 by the Forbes. Her earnings, mainly from album ‘Lemonade’ and Formation World Tour, have been estimated to be $105 million. Adele, with earnings of $69 million came second while Taylor Swift, with earnings of $44 million, was ranked third on the list.

4. NASA tests Supersonic Parachute for Mars 2020 mission: National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency (NASA) has successfully tested a supersonic landing parachute that will be deployed in its Mars rover mission set to launch in 2020.The mission will rely on a special parachute to slow the spacecraft down as it enters the Martian atmosphere at over 5.4 kilometers per second. The Mars 2020 mission will seek signs of ancient Martian life by investigating evidence in place and by caching drilled samples of Martian rocks for potential future return to Earth.This is the first of several tests in support of NASA’s Mars 2020 mission.

                             

5. Anuk Arudpragasam bags 2017 DSC Prize: Sri Lankan author Anuk Arudpragasam’s “The Story of a Brief Marriage” has bagged the $25,000 DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2017. Bangladesh Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith presented the award to Arudpragasam. “The Story of a Brief Marriage” is a touching tale of a young man trapped on the frontlines between the Sri Lankan Army and the Tamil Tigers.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. RBI sets rupee reference rate at 65.0386 against US dollar: The Reserve Bank of India today fixed the reference rate of the rupee at 65.0386 against the US dollar and 76.3878 for the euro. The corresponding rates were 65.0565 and 76.3633.

2. Hyderabad Airport installs waste recycling machines: Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA), Hyderabad has become the first airport in the country to commence installing waste recycling machines as a pilot project. The machines have been installed to crush plastic PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles, steel/aluminium cans and plastic bags in an eco-friendly way.

SPORTS:

 1. Shardul Vihan grabs four gold in sensational show at Shotgun Nationals: 14-year old Shardul Vihan of Uttar Pradesh produced a sensational performance as he won four gold on a single day in the 61st National Shooting Championship.Shardul won gold in the senior and junior men’s double trap individual and team events to completely dominate the day at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range.

2. Vijender Singh to take on British boxer Rocky Fielding in 2018: Vijender Singh is scheduled to fight British boxer Rocky Fielding for the British and Commonwealth Super middleweight title. A press release said that Fielding has been ordered to defend his title against Vijender come March 30, 2018. Fielding had won the title on September 30 with a win over David Brophy in Liverpool.

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.