Daily GK Updates - 1st December, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. BSF celebrates 52nd formation day today: The Border Security Force is celebrating its 52nd formation day on 1st December 2017. India's Border Security Force was formed on December 1 in 1965 after the Indo-Pak and India-China wars. With 186 battalions and over 2.4 lakh military personnel, the BSF is the largest border security unit in the world. KF Rustamji, from the Indian Police Service, was the first Director General of BSF while Krishan Kumar Sharma is the present Director General of BSF.

2. Armed Forces Week to be observed from 1-7 Dec - Defence Minister: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched the Armed Forces Week from 1st – 7th December 2017. The objective is to encourage citizens to make financial contributions to the families of war heroes and to pay respects to the brave sons and daughters of our nation. The Armed Forces Flag Day is observed annually in India on December 7 since 1949.

3. Hornbill festival begins in Nagaland: The 18th Hornbill festival begins in Nagaland. The festival is celebrated from 1-10 December every year in Nagaland. It is also called the 'Festival of Festivals'. The first festival was held in 2000. The festival is celebrated at Naga Heritage Village, Kisama.

4. ‘Jai Kisaan’ app launched: Goa CM Manohar Parrikar launched the Jai Kisaan App, a farmer engagement app containing features to fulfill the needs of the farmer community in India. It is a one-stop solution for agricultural information and cultivation. Its services include soil testing and customized information wherein farmers will have access to fertilizer recommendations on the basis of crop and target yields.

5. Indo-UK military exercise 'Ajeya Warrior- 2017' begins in Bikaner:  A combined military exercise ‘Ajeya Warrior- 2017’ between India and the UK begins in Rajasthan.

The exercise is being held in the Mahajan Field Firing Range near Bikaner of Rajasthan. The first exercise of this series was held in Belgium in 2013 and the second manoeuvres were held in the UK in 2015. The objective of this exercise is to increase mutual cooperation and coordination between the two countries.

6. Indian Army, Rajasthan Government sign MoU: Indian Army has signed a memorandum of understanding with Rajasthan State Government to improve infrastructure for their posts near the Indo-Pak border. As per the terms of the MoU, Indian Army will be able to use an airstrip in Lalgarh-Jatan area in Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan for 10 years. Rajasthan State Government has sanctioned funds for this airstrip.

7. One Rupee note turns 100: The one rupee note celebrates a century on 30th November 2017. The first one-rupee note was introduced on November 30, 1917, with the photo of King George V. In 1926, the RBI discontinued issuance of one-rupee note but it got reintroduced in 1940. In 1994 again the note get discontinued which got back reintroduced in 2015. The One Rupee note is issued by Ministry of Finance and it bears the signatures of Finance Secretary.

8. Cyclone Ockhi strikes in the Tamil Nadu & Kerala: The cyclone Ockhi strikes in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu and some parts of Kerala state. Indian Meteorological Department issued a cyclone warning for south Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep islands.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. World AIDS day observed today: On 1st December, World AIDS Day is celebrated every year. The theme of 2017 AIDS Day is – ‘Right to health’. The main objective of AIDS day is to raise the public awareness about the disease. It is a pandemic disease caused due to the infection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

2. North Korea tests “Hwasong-15” ICBM: North Korea has claimed that “Hwasong-15” is a new type of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) that can strike anywhere on the US mainland. Hwasong series represents the most successful and formidable part of its ballistic missile arsenal. The missile was reported to have flown for 50 minutes on a very high trajectory, reaching 2,796 miles(4,500km) above the earth.

3. Sibi George appointed as the Ambassador to the Holy See (See of Rome): Sibi George was appointed the next Ambassador of India to the Holy See. Sibi George is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) Officer of 1993 batch. He is presently Ambassador of India to Switzerland. He has been concurrently appointed the next Ambassador of India to the Holy See, with residence in Berne.

4. Dia Mirza appointed as Goodwill Ambassador for India: Actor-activist Dia Mirza has been appointed UN (United Nations) Environment’s Goodwill Ambassador for India. She has been recognised by the United Nations for her contribution to environment conservation. She will work with the UN to further spread the message on priority areas including clean air, clean seas, wildlife protection and climate change.

OTHER UPDATES

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Co-operatives not to use word ‘Bank’: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has asked co-operative societies not use the word ‘Bank’ in their names as it violates the Banking Regulation Act. RBI has specified that using ‘bank’ in the name of cooperative societies violates Section 7 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. As per the statement of RBI, such societies have not been issued any licence under the Banking Regulation Act.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Global Entrepreneurship Summit concludes: Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) 2017 was held in Hyderabad from 28th – 30th November 2017. GES 2017 was hosted by NITI Aayog in partnership with Government of the United States of America. It is the annual entrepreneurship gathering which serves as meeting point for emerging entrepreneurs and investors from around the world. Theme of GES 2017 was “Women First, Prosperity for All”.

SPORTS:

1. France wins its 10th Davis Cup (in tennis): France won its 10th Davis Cup title when France’s Lucas Pouille beat Belgium’s Steve Darcis by 6-3 6-1 6-0 to give France a 3-2 victory in the final against Belgium. This is France’s first title since they beat Australia in 2001 before three defeats in the final in 2002, 2010 and 2014. 

Daily GK Updates - 30th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Global Centre for Security and Counter-Terrorism to be set up in Jaipur: Central Government has sanctioned Rs 275 crore for establishing a Global Centre for Security and Counter-Terrorism in Jaipur, Rajasthan.  Announcement in this regard was made by Rajasthan Home Minister, Gulab Chand Kataria on November 28, 2017. Central Government will allocate Rs. 165 crore and Rajasthan State Government will bear Rs 110 crore for setting-up this centre.

2. Snehlata appointed as Secretary General of the Lok Sabha: Snehlata Shrivastava, a 1982-batch retired IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, has been appointed as the first woman Secretary General of the Lok Sabha. Her appointment to this post was made by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. She will replace Anoop Mishra, who is retiring on November 30, 2017.

3. SAUBHAGYA Scheme launched in Manipur: The Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA) was launched in Manipur by Union Minister of State (IC) for Power and New & Renewable Energy, Shri R.K. Singh and Shri N. Biren Singh, CM of Manipur. A total of approximately 1.75 lakh households are proposed to be included under the Scheme. This is such a scheme where the poorest of the poor can afford electricity in their homes.

4. 48th edition of IFFI concludes at Goa: International Film Festival of India concluded with the world premiere of Indo-Argentinian co-production “Thinking of Him”, directed by Pablo Cesar. Robin Campillo’s French film 120 Beats Per Minute, won the prestigious Golden Peacock award for best film at the controversy-ridden 48th International Film Festival of India. The film’s actor Nahuel Perez Biscayart won the Silver Peacock in the best actor male category. The legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan was honoured with the Indian film personality of the year Award at the glittering closing ceremony.

5. Chhattisgarh government bans firecrackers: The Chhattisgarh Government has imposed a ban on the bursting of firecrackers in six of its cities, including the state capital Raipur, ahead of the wedding season from December 1st to January 31st, 2018. According to the statement issued by the State Environment Conservation Board, the decision has been taken to control the pollution, which increases during winters due to the direction of wind.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Victoria legalises Euthanasia: Victoria became the first Australian state to legalize assisted dying or euthanasia. Lawmakers voted to allow terminally ill patients the right to request a lethal drug to end their lives from June 2019.

2. Distinguished Indologist award for Hiroshi Marui: President Kovind conferred the 3rd Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Distinguished Indologist Award on Professor Hiroshi Marui of Japan at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Marui has spent over 40 years working on Indian philosophy and Buddhist Studies. He is President of Japanese Association of Indian and Buddhist Studies and has made significant contribution to Indology in Japan.

3. India donates 500 tonnes of rice to Lesotho: India donated 500 metric tonnes of rice to the Kingdom of Lesotho (in Southern Africa), which is facing acute food shortage due to famine. High Commissioner of India to South Africa and Lesotho, Ruchira Kamboj handed over the donation to the government of Lesotho.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Karnataka Bank ties up with BCG Group for KBL Vikaas project: Karnataka Bank Ltd has partnered with the Boston Consulting Group (India) Pvt Ltd for its transformation initiatives and the transformation project ‘KBL Vikaas’. It is aimed at total transformation of the bank by re-positioning it as a relevant and significant bank by focusing on technology and by keeping intact its core values and identity.

2. USIBC announces program for women entrepreneurs: U.S.-India Business Council (USIBC) announced a collaborative initiative titled “Women for Women Innovators, Social Leaders & Entrepreneurs”. This announcement was made during USIBC’s road to Global Entrepreneurship Summit event, “Creating the Foundations of Innovation” in Hyderabad. It will offer leadership, mentoring, and development opportunities for women entrepreneurs and innovators.

SPORTS:

1. Odisha CM unveils logo & mascot of Hockey World Cup 2018: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik has unveiled Logo and mascot of Hockey World Cup 2018 at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. As many as 16 countries, including hosts India, will participate in the 14th edition of the Hockey World Cup. CM Patnaik also launched the countdown timer for the international event scheduled to be held in Bhubaneswar late next year.

2. Mirabai Chanu wins gold medal at World Weightlifting Championship: Mirabai Chanu has become the first Indian in over two decades to claim a gold medal at the World Weightlifting Championship in Anaheim, USA. She lifted 85kg in snatch and 109kg in clean and jerk to total an impressive 194kg in the women's 48kg.

Daily GK Updates - 29th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Shaktikanta Das named India’s G20 Sherpa: Former economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das has been appointed India’s G20 Sherpa for the Development Track of the grouping. The Department of Economic Affairs will provide necessary support to the Sherpa. A Sherpa is a personal representative of the leader of a member country at an international Summit meeting such as the G8/G20 or the Nuclear Security Summit. Finance Track is managed by the Economic Affairs Secretary (Ministry of Finance), as India’s Deputy to G-20 and the Development Track is coordinated by the Sherpa.

2. Pradeep Singh Kharolam - the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Air India: Pradeep Singh Kharola, a 1985 batch IAS officer of Karnataka cadre, has been appointed as the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Air India. He will succeed Rajiv Bansal, who has been serving as the interim CMD for a little over 3 months. Currently, Mr. Kharola is the Managing Director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd.

3. Union ministry has launched India Hypertension Management Initiative (IHMI): The India Hypertension Management Initiative (IHMI) has been launched by Preeti Sudan (Secretary of Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW)) and Dr. Soumya Swaminathan (Director of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)) in New Delhi on November 28, 2017. The purpose of IHMI is to reduce disability and death related to Cardio-Vascular Disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in India. The initiative seeks to improve control of high blood pressure (hypertension), cut salt consumption and eliminate artificial trans-fats regarded as leading risk factors for CVD.

4. Badri Narain Sharma appointed the Chairman of the newly constituted National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA): Badri Narain Sharma, the 1985 batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, has been appointed the chairman of the newly constituted National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA) under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime. Prior to this appointment, Sharma was an Additional Secretary in the Department of Revenue. The NAA has been set up for a two-year period and is mandated to ensure that the benefits of input credit and the reduction in tax rates effected by the GST Council are passed on to the consumers.    

5. India’s first rooftop solar carport: Tata Power Solar Systems has commissioned India’s first rooftop solar carport at 70000 sq. meter Unity One Mall, in Rohini, Delhi.

Tata Power Solar Systems is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Power Company. Solar carports are overhead canopies (mounted with solar panel) built to cover parking areas. This solar carport will make the mall self-sufficient in terms of energy requirement.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1.  Aung San Suu Kyi stripped of Freedom of Oxford award: Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been stripped of the Freedom of Oxford award over her "inaction" in handling the raging Rohingya refugee crisis.Oxford City Council in London voted unanimously to permanently remove the honor given to her in 1997.The Rohingya Muslims have fled to the neighboring country following a military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine state, creating one of the world's most dire refugee crisis.

2. India & Greece sign Air Services Agreement: India and Greece have signed Air Services Agreement and MoU on Cooperation in the field of New and Renewable Energy in New Delhi.The pacts were inked after talks between Sushma Swaraj (External Affairs Minister) and visiting Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece Nikos Kotzias.The two leaders have also re-affirmed commitment to further expand cooperation in mutually beneficial spheres.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Amazon India launches 'Saheli Store' for Women Entrepreneurs: E-commerce website Amazon India has launched a new programme “Amazon Saheli” to empowering and enabling women entrepreneurs across the country to sell their products on its marketplace. ‘Amazon India’ has collaborated with organizations that work with towards encouraging women entrepreneurship, including Self-employed Women's Association and Impulse Social Enterprise.

2. Air India Express gets CAT-III-B: Air India Express (AIE), the wholly-owned subsidiary of Air India, has secured the Category III-B certification. By gaining this certification, Air India Express flights can now land and takeoff in low visibility conditions even up to an RVR (runway visual range) as low as up to 50 meters. This certification is mandatory to operate during fog season which sets in Northern India.

SPORTS:

1. 7th world military games to be held at Wuhan in China: The 7th international military games will be held in Wuhan city in the central China's Hubei Province. The Military World Games is a multi-sport event for military sportspeople, organized by the International Military Sports Council (CISM).It contains 329 competitions in 27 categories, expected to attract around 8,000 participants from more than 100 countries and regions. The slogan is of the games is "Military glory, world peace".

2. Pankaj Advani wins World Snooker Championship: Ace Indian cueist Pankaj Advani secured his 18th World Championship title with 8-2 win over Amir Sarkhosh (Iran) at Al-Arabi Sports Club, Doha, Qatar.The best-of-15 frame final witnessed Amir pocketing the first frame rather comfortably. Earlier, Advani had won his 17th world title at the same venue when he won the IBSF World Billiards Championship defeating Mike Russell of England.

Daily GK Updates - 28th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Hyderabad Metro Rail: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first phase of the 30 km-long (24 stations)  Hyderabad Metro Rail from Miyapur to Nagole. The Hyderabad Metro Rail Project will cover a total distance of 72 kilometers across three corridors. Its second and final phase is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

2. International Ambedkar Conclave: President Ramnath Kovind inaugurated the International Ambedkar Conclave. It was organised by the Forum of SC and ST Legislators and Parliamentarians.

3. NGT directs all states to submit Coastal Zone Management Plan before 30th April 2018: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) headed by Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, directed all states and Union territories (UT) to submit a Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) to the Union Ministry of Environment & Forests before 30th April next year. They will be liable for an exemplary cost of Rs 5 lakh (if they fail to submit a plan), which will be recovered from the salary of the concerned defaulting officers. The Coastal zone management involves managing of coastal areas to balance environmental, economic and human health-related activities.

4. Odisha launches Fish Pond Yojana: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the ‘Fish Pond Yojana’. Aim of this scheme is to boost fish production in Odisha. The scheme has been launched with a budgetary provision of Rs 96 crore. Under the scheme, additional 2200 hectare of freshwater aquaculture farming will be created, for which farmers will be given 50% financial assistance from state government.

5. IMMSAREX-17 begins: Indian Ocean Naval Symposium Multilateral Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise-2017 started in Bay of Bengal on November 27, 2017. The exercise was inaugurated by Bangladesh President Md Abdul Hamid near Inani Beach at Cox’s Bazar. Objective for conducting this exercise is to increase regional cooperation between IONS member states. First edition of IONS was held in 2008 in New Delhi.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Miss South Africa is crowned Miss Universe 2017: Miss South Africa Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters has been crowned Miss Universe 2017 at Planet Hollywood casino-resort on the Las Vegas Strip.Nel-Peters beat out first runner-up Laura González (Miss Colombia) and second runner-up Davina Bennett (Miss Jamaica) for the crown.Nearly 100 women from across the globe travel to compete in the 66th Miss Universe competition.

2. PM Modi inaugurates Global Entrepreneurship Summit: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the eighth edition of Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad. This will be the first Global Entrepreneurship Summit in which over 52.5% of the participants are women and theme is ‘Women First, Prosperity for All’.

3. Britain appoints Karen Pierce as its new Ambassador to UN: Britain has appointed Karen Pierce as its new Ambassador to the UN. He replaced incumbent Matthew Rycroft. This is for the first time in 70 years that Britain would have no judge in the 15-member panel of the ICJ.

4. 7th IMG to be held in China: The 7th international military games will be held in Wuhan city in the central China‘s Hubei Province. The International Military Sports Council (CISM)’s Military World Games is a top sports event for military personnel.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Asian Development Bank to provide a 150 million USD loan to Nepal: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide a 150 million USD loan to Nepal to improve its urban infrastructure.The agreement for investment will cover eight municipalities located in southern Terai and far west of Nepal.The project will be completed within five years and is expected to enhance urban infrastructure in the Terai region.

2. Aegon appoints Vineet Arora as MD & CEO: Aegon Life Insurance has appointed Vineet Arora as the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, effective from January 2018. Vineet Arora will replace K S Gopalakrishnan who had left the company on November 17, 2017.

3. Ruskin Bond gets Lifetime Achievement Award: The Chandigarh Literary Society awarded children’s author Ruskin Bond its first Lifetime Achievement Award, at the Chandigarh Lit Fest ‘Literati-2017’ at the Lake Club, in Chandigarh. The Lifetime Achievement Award given to Ruskin Bond consisted of a citation and Rs 2 lakh cash.

Ruskin Bond’s first novel was “Room on the Roof” at 17 years.

4. Ishaan Khatter wins Best Actor award: Actor Ishaan Khattar has won the Best Actor award for his debut film ‘Beyond The Clouds’ at the International Bosphorus Film Festival in Turkey. Beyond The Clouds’ has been directed by Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi.

SPORTS:

1. Srikanth, Sindhu win awards at the Indian Sports Honours: Ace shuttler Kidambi Srikanth bagged the Sportsman of the Year award at the inaugural edition of Indian Sports Honours held in Mumbai. Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu was the Sportswoman of the Year award in the individual sports category. Ravichandran Ashwin was awarded Sportsman of the Year award while women's cricket team skipper Mithali Raj was awarded Sportswoman of the Year award in the Team Sport category. The Indian Women's Cricket Team (runners-up in the ICC Women's World Cup) were named as the Team of the Year. Tennis player Sania Mirza was awarded the Inspirational Honour by the jury. Country's first Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra was honored with the Transformational Contribution to Sports award.

2. Bajrang Punia & Vinod Kumar win silver medals at U-23 Worlds Wrestling: Asian champion Bajrang Punia and Vinod Kumar settled for silver medals at the Under-23 World Wrestling Championship in Poland.Bajrang lost the 65kg final 6-17 to Russian grappler Kuular while Vinod lost 1-3 to American Richard Lewis.Earlier, Ritu Phogat had won a silver medal in the women's 48kg final.India finished with three medals at the event.

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.