Daily GK Updates - 27th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. NK Singh appointed chairman of 15th Finance Commission: The government on announced that former Revenue Secretary NK Singh will be the chairman of the 15th Finance Commission (FC) that will recommend distribution of taxes between the Centre and the states. Other members of the Commission are former Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das, former Chief Economic Adviser Ashok Lahiri, Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chand and Georgetown University Adjunct Professor Anoop Singh.

2. National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) caps the prices of 51 medicines: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority has capped the prices of 51 essential formulations, including those used for the treatment of cancer, pain, heart conditions and skin problems. The prices have been slashed in the range of 6 to 53 per cent.

3. Maharashtra leads in consumption of electricity: Maharashtra was the single largest consumer of electricity in India with a demand for 75,169 million units (MU) during April to September This was an increase of 8.6 per cent over the demand for 69,216 MU in the year ago period. Among the larger states, Uttar Pradesh showed a growth of 15.37 per cent year-on-year to 65,284 MU. Rajasthan and Telangana too showed good growth of 54.8 per cent and 15.34 per cent, respectively.

4. Nayantara Sahgal gets Lifetime Achievement Award at Times Lit: Nayantara Sahgal was presented a Lifetime Achievement Award at Times Lit Fest 2017. The writer of the immensely popular novel Rich Like Us, is the winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1986. “When The Moon Shines By Day” is her latest book.

5. Justice Satrughana Pujahari sworn in as Judge of Madras HC: Justice Satrughana Pujahari was sworn in today as a Judge of the Madras High Court by Chief Justice Indira Banerjee. The judge had been transferred from the High Court of Orissa to the Madras High Court by a notification dated November 14, 2017.A short ceremony was held on the occasion of his appointment, which was graced by the presence of all sitting judges of the Court and members of the Madras Bar.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Golden Temple becomes “the most visited place of the world”: The Golden Temple has been awarded the ‘most visited place of the world’ by ‘World Book of Records’, a London-based organisation that catalogues and verifies world records. General Secretary of India chapter, Surbhi Kaul, and President of Punjab chapter, Randeep Singh Kohli, gave this award to SGPC chief secretary Roop Singh and other senior officials. Golden Temple is located in Amritsar and officially Golden Temple is called as Gurudwara Harminder Sahib.

2. SAM: World’s first AI politician: Scientists have developed the world’s first artificial intelligence (AI) politician, that can answer a person’s queries regarding local issues such as policies around housing, education etc. The virtual politician, called SAM, was created by Nick Gerritsen, a entrepreneur in New Zealand.

3. Miss Universe winners 2017: South Africa’s Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters has won Miss Universe 2017 crown. The 66th annual Miss Universe pageant had 92 contestants vying for the crown, which is the largest number since Miss Universe 2011 and 2012 when 82 contestants fought for the title. Miss Colombia Laura Gonzalez was adjudged the first runner up while Miss Jamaica Davina Bennett became the second runner-up.

4. India, Finland join hands to boost mutual ties in IT, renewable energy: India and Finland joined hands to boost mutual ties in the areas of trade and investment, renewable energy and science and technology. Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj and Finnish counterpart held talks in New Delhi to discuss upon strengthening mutual relations. he discussions between the two Ministers focused on building cooperation in the areas of trade and investment, vocational education, science and technology, renewable energy, culture and tourism.

5. The air forces of South Korea & United States will hold a joint drill: The air forces of the United States and South Korea are scheduled to hold a regular joint drill early next month, deploying six F-22 Raptor stealth fighters in the exercise. The drill called “Vigilant Ace” will be held from Dec. 4-8. it will be the biggest number of F-22 fighter jets to participate in a single drill to date.

6. Memorial to honour Indian soldiers at Cambrai in France: On December 2, a unique Indian Armed Forces Memorial will be inaugurated at Villiers Guislain, right at the spot where the Indian cavalry had resisted a German counterattack in 1917 at Cambrai.The Indian Tricolour will be hoisted and French children will sing Jana Gana Mana. Cambrai was the world’s first “all-arms” battle where infantry, artillery, cavalry, tanks and aircraft participated.

                                           OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ ECONOMY:

1. Google collaborates with Pluralsight and Udacity: To create a pool of highly skilled tech workers, Google in association with education websites Pluralsight and Udacity announced a new scholarship programme to help 130,000 mobile and web developers and students across India.  Google is sponsoring 100,000 scholarships on the Pluralsight technology learning platform and 30,000 scholarships on Udacity to help developers gain access to advanced learning curriculum and further their employability in emerging technologies such as mobile and web development, machine learning, artificial intelligence and cloud platforms

SPORTS:

1. India defeat Sri Lanka by innings and 239 runs:  India defeated Sri Lanka by an innings and 239 runs to win the second cricket Test at Nagpur.The visitors were bowled out for 166 runs in 49.3 overs in their second innings on the fourth day.With this win, India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

2. India clinches 10 medals at Para-Badminton World Championships: India clinched 10 medals (including two Gold) at the Para-Badminton World Championships at Ulsan in South Korea.Parul Parmar bagged both the Gold medal in the Women's Singles Standing Lower (SL3) Final and also the title clash of Women's Doubles (SL 3-4) section.Two Silver medals by Tarun Dhillon in Men's Singles (SL-4) andManoj Sarkar in SL-3 section.India won six Bronze medals.

3. Bottas wins Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2017: Valtteri Bottas survived several laps of high-speed pressure from his Mercedes team-mate and world champion Lewis Hamilton to claim a memorable victory. It was Bottas’ third career victory, all of them recorded since he joined Mercedes to partner the 32-year-old Hamilton in January. The 2017 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was held at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

OBITUARIES:

1. Rajasthani Maand folk singer Mangi Bai Arya passes away: Rajasthani 'Maand' folk singer Mangi Bai Arya passed away following an heart attack. She had contributed significantly in taking 'Maand' to the national and international levels. 

Daily GK Updates - 26th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. National Milk Day observed: The National Milk Day (NMD) has been observed on 26th November across India to mark the birth anniversary of the Father of the White Revolution, Dr. Verghese Kurien. The idea of observing National Milk Day was first mooted by Indian Dairy Association (IDA) in 2014 on the lines of World Milk Day that is observed on 1st June every year under the aegis of UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

2. Constitution Day (National Law Day) celebrated: The Constitution Day in India is celebrated every year on 26th of November. It was on this date in 1949 that the members of the Constituent Assembly adopted (accepted) the Constitution of India. Hence it is celebrated as the Constitution Day or the National Law Day every year. It came into force on 26th January, 1950.

3. Assam to celebrate ‘Lachit Divas’: Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said the Assam government would celebrate ‘Lachit Divas’ at various state capitals in India from next year. ‘Lachit Divas’ is celebrated to promote the ideals of Lachit Borphukan – the legendary general of Assam’s history. Sarbananda Sonowal took part in the Lachit Divas celebration at the statue of Lachit Borphukan at Brahmaputra riverfront.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Soumya Swaminathan to take charge as WHO Deputy DG in December: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) chief Dr. Soumya Swaminathan is set to assume the charge of Deputy Director-General of the WHO in Geneva next month this year.Early last month, her appointment as the Deputy Director-General for Programmes, announced by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It is the second-highest position in the WHO.

2. UK drone users will have to undergo safety tests under new law: People flying a drone in the UK will have to register and undergo safety awareness tests as part of a planned new legislation on their usage amidst growing reports of near-misses with civilian aircraft. Police will also be given new powers to crackdown on illegal use of the unmanned aerial vehicles.

OTHER UPDATES

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Axis Bank launches blockchain-based International Payment Service: Axis Bank has launched an instant international payment services using Ripple’s enterprise blockchain technology solution for retail and corporate customers.The bank is offering the facility only to its retail customers in the country to receive payments from the UAE-based Rak Bank and for its corporate customers to receive payments from Standard Chartered, Singapore.

SPORTS:

1. Ravichandran Ashwin breaks Lillee's record: Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has become the fastest bowler to reach the milestone of 300 Test wickets in his 54th match. Earlier, Australian fast bowling legend Lillee had reached the milestone in 56 Test matches way back in 1981.Ashwin is only the fifth Indian bowler to complete a career 300-wickets in Test cricket behind Anil Kumble. Kapil Dev (434), Harbhajan Singh (417) and Zaheer Khan (311).

2. Gopi wins Asian Marathon Championship Gold: Gopi Thonakal created history by becoming the first Indian man to clinch the gold medal in the Asian Marathon Championships (16th edition) in Dongguan, China. He completed the distance in 2 hours, 15 minutes and 48 seconds, finishing ahead of Petrov Andrey (Uzbekistan) who clocked 2:15:51 hours. The bronze medal went to T.Byambajav(Mongolia), who clocked 2:16:14 hours. Thus, Gopi has become the first Indian man to win the title after the formation of separate Asian Marathon championships.

3. Messi wins European Golden Shoe award: Lionel Messi received his fourth Golden Shoe award for leading all of Europe’s leagues in scoring last season, in Barcelona. It is the fourth time Lionel Messi has received the Golden Shoe Award, drawing him even with Cristiano Ronaldo as the award record-holders.

Daily GK Updates - 25th November, 2017

­NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Home Ministry conducts Multi-State Mega Mock Tsunami Exercise 2017: The Ministry of Home Affairs conducts a multi-State mega mock exercise on tsunami preparedness. The Ministry with the help of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services will conduct the exercise simultaneously in 31 coastal districts across four States (West Bengal, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu) and Union Territory (UT) Puducherry along with the entire East Coast.

2. President Kovind inaugurates International Gita Mahotsav at Kurukshetra: President Shri Ram Nath Kovind has inaugurated the International Gita Mahotsav at Kurukshetra in Haryana. The Mahotsav have various events including Gita Yagya, Gita path, an international seminar on Shri Mad Bhagwad Gita Sant Sammelan etc. Mauritius is participating in Mahotsav as partner country and Uttar Pradesh as partner state.

3. Indian Railways installs Asia’s largest interlocking system: Indian Railways has installed Asia’s largest Solid State Interlocking system in Kharagpur, which will enable station masters to set 800 different routes for trains in a matter of minutes. nterlocking is a railway signal apparatus that prevents conflicting movements of trains. The cutting-edge technology replaces the pre-1989 route relay system that only allowed operators to set 423 routes.

4. Bamboo not to be a ‘Tree’ anymore: President Ram Nath Kovind has promulgated an ordinance under Article 123 of Constitute to amend Indian Forest Act, 1927 to encourage bamboo plantation. The amendment to Section 2(7) of Indian Forest Act, 1927 will encourage bamboo plantation by farmers, which will contribute to doubling farmers’ income by 2022. India is the 2nd largest producer of bamboo after China.

5. DANX-2017 concluded: The Defence of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Exercise was conducted under the aegis of Andaman & Nicobar Command from 20-24 November. The main objective of the exercise was to practice & validate procedures and drills of all the Command forces aimed at defending Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The exercise is critical against the increased Chinese footprint in Indian Ocean Region.

6. New species of Gecko found: A new species of gecko was found in the Eastern Ghats in northern Andhra Pradesh. Named after eminent herpetologist Sushil Kumar Dutta from Odisha, Hemidactylus Sushilduttai or Dutta’s Mahendragiri gecko is the 32nd species of house geckos in India.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (IDEVAW): The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (IDEVAW) is observed every year on November 25 is to raise public awareness on issues of violence against women and girls, including how men and boys can play a more active role in eliminating this violence. The theme of the campaign for 2017 is “Leave no one behind: end violence against women and girls.” This theme reinforces the UNiTE Campaign’s commitment to a world free from violence for all women and girls around the world.

2. 2018 as International Year of Millets: India has sent a proposal to the United Nations for declaring the year 2018 as ‘International Year of Millets’. The proposal, if agreed, will raise awareness about millets among consumers, policymakers, industry and R&D sector. Millet is a common term to categorize small-seeded grasses that are often termed nutri-cereals or dryland-cereals.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. FDI up 17 pc to USD 25.35 bn during April-Sept this fiscal: Foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country increased by 17% to USD 25.35 billion during April-September fiscal.  The bulk of the FDI came in from Singapore, Mauritius, the Netherlands, and Japan.

2. Jindal Global University ranked highest: O.P. Jindal Global University (JGU) has been ranked among the Top 10 Private education Institutions in India in ‘QS University Rankings: BRICS 2018’. JGU became the YOUNGEST Indian University and also the FIRST and ONLY private university in Haryana to have been ranked in an international ranking.

3. Tamilnadu has the highest number of women entrepreneurs: As per a report by ‘Sheatwork’, a knowledge hub for women entrepreneurs, among all Indian States, Tamil Nadu has the highest number of women entrepreneurs followed by Kerala & West Bengal. Nearly 80% of women entrepreneurs in India are self-financing their businesses. Maximum number of women entrepreneurs have set up their businesses in education sector.

4. Film ‘Newton’ wins award: Actor Rajkummar Rao was adjudged the best actor at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards for his performance in Newton, which also won the best screenplay award. Newton was produced by Drishyam Films and directed by Amit V. Masurkar.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. RBI relaxes 26% debt-equity conversion: The Reserve Bank has issued a notification which relaxed norms capping asset reconstruction companies shareholdings at 26% in the borrower firm under reconstruction. However, this relaxation is subject to the condition that the net-owned funds are maintained at Rs 100 crore on an ongoing basis. RBI has asked the boards of ARCs to frame a policy for converting debt into equity.

SPORTS:

1. Ritu Phogat clinches silver medal in Under-23 Senior World Wrestling Championship: Ritu Phogat has clinched the silver medal in Under-23 Senior World Wrestling Championship at Poland. She lost against wrestler Demirhan in the gold medal bout of women's 48-kilogram category.

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.