Daily GK Updates - 8th December, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. President Kovind  presents Presidential Colours to Submarine Arm of Navy: President Shri Ram Nath Kovind awarded the Presidential Colour to the Submarine Arm of the Indian Navy at the Command headquarters in Vishakhapatnam. The award of Presidents Colour is the highest honour which can be bestowed upon any military unit. Earlier, President has inaugurated the Naval Maritime Aircraft Museum in Vishakhapatnam, featuring the maritime patrol aircraft Tupolev-142M. It was on this day in 1967 that the Naval Ensign and the National Flag were hoisted on the first Indian Naval Submarine, Kalvari.

2. NGT holds Sri Sri's AOL Foundation responsible for damage to Yamuna floodplains: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar has held the Art of Living (AOL) Foundation of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar responsible for the damage caused to the Yamuna floodplains due to the holding of the World Cultural Festival organized by it in March 2016. According to the NGT, AoL is responsible for the damage caused to the Yamuna floodplains in terms of the report submitted by the expert committee.The amount of five crore rupees which was submitted by it earlier will be used for the restoration of the floodplains.

3. Health Minister J.P. Nadda directs CM's to implement Clinical Establishments Act: The Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda has directed all the Chief Ministers to adopt and implement the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010 so that malpractice in private hospitals can be curbed. The effective implementation of the Act would deter clinical establishments from indulging in unethical practices and ensuring that they discharge their duties responsibly towards the patients. The Act has been enacted by the Central government to provide for registration and regulation of all clinical establishments in the country with a view to prescribing the minimum standards of facilities and services provided by them.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. The new Ambassador of India to Turkmenistan: Azar A.H.Khan has been appointed as the new Ambassador of India to Turkmenistan. Presently, he is Consul General in the Consulate General of India. He is expected to take up his assignment shortly.

2. USA country has officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel: United States has officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. With this, the United States will be the first country to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which is claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians. At present, Jerusalem is the seat of the modern Israeli government.

3. 7th International Ground Water Conference (IGWC-2017) on ground water Vision 2030: The 7th International Ground Water Conference (IGWC-2017) will be hosted by India in New Delhi with a theme of “Ground water Vision 2030- Water Security, Challenges and Climate Change Adaptation” from December 11 to 13, 2017. The conference has been organized by the National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee and Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) under the aegis of Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. EPFO opens new facility for over 4.5 crore members: The Retirement fund body Employees' Provident Fund Organisation(EPFO) has opened a new facility to allow consolidation or merger of their multiple PF accounts (4.5 crore members) with the current Universal Account Number(UAN).Now, the subscribers of the EPFO can merge as many as 10 previous accounts with their UAN at one go.The EPFO has made it easy with this facility with an objective of having one employee, one EPF account.Earlier, The EPFO has already issued a direction to its over 120 offices earlier this week to use this service and ensure multiple accounts are consolidated as early as possible.

2. RBI rationalizes charges on debit card transactions: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has come out with differentiated merchant discount rates (MDR) for debit card transactions, prescribing separate caps for small and large traders to promote digital payments. MDR charges for small merchants with an annual turnover of up to 20 lakh rupees has been fixed at 0.4% with a cap of 200 rupees per transaction by debit cards through Point of Sale (PoS) machines or online transactions.MDR charges would be 0.9% with a cap of 1,000 rupees per transaction with an annual turnover of a merchant is over 20 lakh rupees. For accepting payments via QR (quick response) code based transactions, the charge will be 0.3% subject to a cap of 200 rupees per transaction. The directions will come into effect from 1st January.

SPORTS:

1. Cristiano Ronaldo wins fifth Ballon d'Or award: The Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has won the Ballon d'Or for a fifth time to move level with rival Lionel Messi at a ceremony in Paris.The award caps a year in which Ronaldo has won LaLiga, the Champions League and the Spanish Super Cup with Real Madrid, as well as helping Portugal qualify for the 2018 World Cup.Ronaldo previously won the award in 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2016.

Daily GK Updates - 7th December, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Armed Forces Flag Day observed today: The Armed Forces Flag Day is observed every year on 07thDecember.The day observed since 1949, has become a tradition to remember the sacrifices and commemorate the honour to the soldiers, airmen and sailors.Flag Day is an opportunity for every Indian citizen to contribute most generously to the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund.

2. BR Ambedkar International Centre inaugurated in New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the BR Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi on December 7, 2017 to encourage research and original thinking among the youth. The purpose of the centre is to promote the thoughts and teachings of Dr Ambedkar. It will be an important place for research on social and economic issues. The prime minister also unveiled two statues of the Dalit icon at the centre in Janpath.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. ISA become Treaty-based International Intergovernmental organization: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) has become the treaty-based international intergovernmental organization one month after Guinea became the 15th country to ratify it.Till now, 46 countries have signed and 19 ratified Framework Agreement of International Solar Alliance (ISA).It is the first treaty-based international government organisation to be based in India.Its secretariat is located on the campus of National Institute of Solar Energy (NISE), Gwalpahari, Gurgaon, Haryana.

2. Taj Mahal named second-best UNESCO world heritage site: According to a survey, the Taj Mahal of Agra, India is the second-best UNESCO world heritage site in the world. The survey was conducted by the world’s largest travel portal TripAdvisor which lists the UNESCO Cultural and Natural heritage sites which are rated by travellers around the globe. Angkor Wat of Cambodia named as the Best UNESCO World Heritage Site. Taj Mahal is followed by Great Wall, China; Machu Picchu, Peru; Iguazu Falls, Argentina/Brazil; Sassi of Materia, Italy; Auschwitz, Poland; Old City of Jerusalem, Israel; Historic areas of Istanbul, Turkey; and Historic Krakow, Poland.

3. Venezuela Airlines banned from European Union skies: The Airline of Venezuela Avior has been barred from European Union skies after a committee determined it no longer meets international safety standards. The European Commission announced that Avior had been added to a list of international airlines prohibited from flying within the union because the European Aviation Safety Agency detected unaddressed safety deficiencies. Avior operates flights within Venezuela, throughout Latin America and to Miami, Florida.

4. Australia passes Marriage Equality Law: Australia’s parliament has legislated for marriage equality, passing a bill almost unanimously to allow two people, regardless of sex, to marry. Australia, which changed the law in 2004 to say that marriage is only between a man and a woman, now becomes the 25th country to recognise same-sex marriage. Four members of the House of Representatives voted against the bill and some abstained.

5. Godrej Aero gets new contract for BrahMos Missile airframes: Godrej Aerospace has won the deal from BrahMos Aerospace Pvt. Ltd. (BAPL) for supply of additional 100 units airframe fuel management systems for BrahMos Air-Launched Cruise Missile. Godrej Aerospace had recently completed the supply of its 100thairframe for the missile. Since 2000, it has been associated with BrahMos. It is a unit of Godrej & Boyce Mfg. Co. Ltd

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. RBI retains GDP growth projection at 6.7% for FY'18: In its Fifth Bi-monthly Monetary Policy Statement, 2017- 18 the Reserve Bank retained economic growth projection for 2017-18 at 6.7 percent. Also, the central bank has retained the projection of real GVA growth for 2017-18 of the October resolution at 6.7 percent. The central bank raised the inflation forecast for the remainder of the current financial year to 4.3-4.7 percent. The 6-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), headed by Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel, kept the repo rate unchanged at 6 percent and reverse repo at 5.75 percent.

SPORTS:

1. Gurdeep creates three national records in IWF C'ships: Lifter Gurdeep Singh has created three new senior national records in +105 Kilogram weight category in IWF World Weightlifting Championships at Anaheim in USA.He created national records in snatch, clean and jerk, and the total lift.He finished at 13th rank with a total lift of 388kg (172 + 216).He advanced his own earlier national record of 171kg by one kilogramme.In the total lift also, he advanced the earlier national record of 384kg.

2. Sushil Kumar quits as National Sports Observer for wrestling: The double Olympic medallist Sushil Kumar has resigned from the post of a National Sports Observer for wrestling. He was among the 12 national observers appointed by the then Sports Minister Vijay Goel in March.Earlier, Boxing Champion Mary Kom had resigned as the national observer for boxing after Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said that active sportspersons will not be considered for this position.

Daily GK Updates - 6th December, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Akash missile successfully tested: The Akash missile was successfully tested with indigenous radio frequency seeker from a test range in Odisha. The state-of-the-art indigenous missile targeting an UAV 'Banshee', was fired from the launch complex-III of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur. Akash is Surface to Air Missile (SAM) with a range of 25 km and carries a 55- kg fragmentation warhead that is triggered by proximity fuse. This was the first supersonic surface-to-air missile (SAM) with indigenous seeker that has been test fired.

2. India’s first state to endorse Centre’s stand on triple talaq: Uttar Pradesh has become the first State to endorse the Central government’s draft bill that makes instant triple talaq a cognisable and non-bailable offence. The draft law, which provides for three-year imprisonment and a fine to a man trying to divorce his wife by uttering “talaq” three times, got the State government’s approval.

3. MP passes bill awarding death for rape: Madhya Pradesh assembly has unanimously passed a bill that will see rapists of girls 12 years or below being hanged till death. The development comes after the NCRB report revealed that MP recorded the highest number of rape cases in the country. The bill also proposes punishment for disrobing, stalking or sex on the pretext of marriage. The jail term increases for 2nd or subsequent offences.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. 3rd DRC-NITI Aayog Dialogue held in China: The 3rd edition of the Dialogue between the NITI Aayog and the Development Research Council of China was held in Beijing, China.The meeting was co-chaired by Vice Chairman NITI Aayog, Dr. Rajiv Kumar, and Mr Li Wei, President (Minister), DRC.The meeting provides an important platform for both sides to discuss key macroeconomic issues impacting both countries and areas of mutual interest. The 2nd Dialogue was held in New Delhi in November 2016. The next 4th NITI Aayog - DRC Dialogue will be held in India in 2018.

2. ISA to be a legal entity: International Solar Alliance which aims at increasing solar energy deployment in member countries, will become a treaty-based international intergovernmental organization. ISA is an Indian initiative jointly launched by PM Modi & President of France on 30 Nov 2015 in Paris, on sidelines of COP-21.

3. US to recognise Jerusalem as capital: President Donald Trump will recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital despite intense Arab, Muslim and European opposition. In recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, US becomes the first country to do so since the foundation of the state in 1948. Israel has always regarded Jerusalem as its capital city, while the Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Akshay Kumar to promote agri-schemes: Akshay Kumar will promote govt’s flagship agriculture schemes like soil health card & crop insurance. Union Agriculture Ministry has roped in the actor for television advertisements to intensify the publicity of the agri-schemes. Besides soil health card scheme, he will promote Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana & others.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. RBI keeps key interest rate unchanged in 5th Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy statement: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced its Fifth Bi-Monthly Monetary Policy statement for 2017-18 today.The monetary policy committee of Reserve Bank of India kept interest rates (Repo Rate) unchanged at 6 percent.The reverse repo rate under the LAF remains at 5.75 percent, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at 6.25 percent.The next bi-monthly monetary policy statement will be released on 07 February 2018.

SPORTS:

1. IOC bans Russia from 2018 Winter Olympics Games: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has banned Russia from the 2018 Winter Olympics Games. The decision was announced by the IOC president Thomas Bach and his board members on the findings and recommendations of a 17-month investigation on the state-sponsored doping at the 2014 Games hosted by Russia in Sochi. The 2018 Winter Olympics Games will be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

2. India wins South Asian badminton title: India has won the first-ever South Asian Regional Badminton Team Championship by defeating Nepal in the finals. Nepal started off well, winning the 1st game 21-19. However, Indians came back stronger & won the next 2 games 21-14, 21-11. Indian team, which came into the Final without losing a single match, continued their good run with Aryaman Tandon drawing 1st blood in boys’ singles competition.

Daily GK Updates - 5th December, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Shamli district of UP included in NCR region: The Shamli district of Uttar Pradesh has been included in the National Capital Region (NCR).The decision was taken by the 37th meeting of the National Capital Region Planning Board. Now there are total 23 districts which come under the National Capital Region.

2.  6th International Tourism Mart 2017 begins in Assam: The 6th International Tourism Mart 2017 begins in Guwahati, Assam.The three- day program has been organized by Ministry of Tourism in association with all North Eastern states.The International Tourism Mart is inaugurated by the Jagdish Mukhi, Governor of Assam.The main objective of the mart is to highlight the tourism potential of the region in the domestic and international markets. 

3.  India & Germany sign Umbrella Agreement: India and Germany signed an agreement on the Government to Government Umbrella Agreement concerning the Financial Cooperation in 2016 (II) under the Indo-German Development Cooperation. The agreement was signed to formalize an amount up to Euro 200 million for the Financial Cooperation in form of loan for the project ‘Climate Friendly Urban Mobility III’ and Euro 11 million Accompanying measures in form of a grant for four projects.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. US withdraws from UN Migrant & Refugee pact: The United States has withdrawn itself from a United Nations Migrant & Refugee pact to improve the handling of migrant and refugee situations. In August 2017, the United States pulled out of the Paris-based culture and education body.

2. World Soil Day: World Soil Day is celebrated annually on 5th of December at Food & Agriculture Organization of the UN headquarters in Rome, the regional offices and through national and local events. It aims to communicate messages on the importance of soil quality for food security, healthy ecosystems and human well-being. The Theme for this year Soil Day is ‘Caring for Planet starts from the Ground’.

3. Syrian boy wins ‘Children’s Peace Prize’: Mohamad Al Jounde from Syria has been awarded the International Children’s Peace Prize for his efforts to ensure rights of Syrian refugee children. Al Jounde set up a school together with his family in a Lebanese refugee camp that currently provides 200 children with education. He received the prize from Malala Yousafzai, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her work for children’s rights.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Google Maps introduces ‘Motorcycle Mode’: Google has launched a new feature to its Maps application specially, for Indian users called, the Motorcycle Mode. The feature will allow two-wheeler drivers the shortest or the most convenient route for their journey will also show the routes and ETA which are suited best for the bikers. The app will also share details about road blockage or parking trouble near the destination.

2. ADB lends $583mn for RPower’s project: Asian Development Bank has approved debt financing & partial risk guarantee of $583mn to develop Reliance Power’s 750MW power plant & LNG terminal project in Bangladesh. Energy from the power plant will be sold into country’s electricity grid under a long-term power purchase agreement & will significantly improve energy infrastructure in Bangladesh. The total project cost is $1bn (approx).

3. Fitch lowers India’s GDP growth rate to 6.7% for 2017-18: International rating agency Fitch has lowered the India’s GDP growth projection for 2017-18 to 6.7 percent from its earlier forecast of 6.9 percent.It also reduces the GDP growth forecast for 2018-19 fiscal year to 7.3percent from 7.4 percent.

4. Google invests in Dunzo: In its first direct investment in an Indian startup, Google has invested Rs 65 cr in Dunzo, a hyper local concierge & delivery firm. The investment is part of Google’s Next Billion Users push & will see the company lead a $10-12 mn round. Dunzo offers services where customers can use its app to ask for errands such as fetching medicines or buying a cake, for a fee.

5. Book on Indian cinema released by AB: Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan has launched a book based on Indian cinema in Mumbai. The book, titled ‘Bollywood: The Films! The Songs! The Stars!’ is Co-authored by S.M.M. Ausaja, Karan Bali, Rajesh Devraj and Tanul Thakur. It is a coffee table book, which provides historical insights & behind-the-scene exclusives of the most iconic movies made in the history of Indian film industry.

6. Paytm rolls out FASTag across India: Paytm Payments Bank is rolling out Paytm FASTag across the India, with the govt mandating the use of FASTag on every new vehicle sold from Dec 1. The FASTags allow vehicles to pass through 380 toll plazas across India covering 55,000 km without having to stop. Each Paytm FASTtag is linked to a registered Paytm account to facilitate instant automatic deduction of toll charges.

Daily GK Updates - 4th December, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. India’s largest floating Solar Power Plant opened in Kerala: India’s largest floating Solar Power plant was inaugurated by the State Power Minister, MM Mani, in Kerala. The plant is built at Banasura Sagar dam Kerala. The total budget for the project is Rs. 9.25 crore. The solar power plant is built by the Thiruvananthapuram-based Ad Tech Systems.

2.  World Telugu Conference (WTC-2017) to be held: The World Telugu Conference (WTC) will be held at Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium in Hyderabad, Telangana from December 15 with focus on how the Telugu language is preserved, protected, enriched in the Telangana region. The conference will provide the data related to Telugu Conferences (Telugu Maha Sabhalu) and eminent Telugu Personalities across the Globe. President Ram Nath Kovind will be the chief guest of the 5-day event and the Telangana Sahitya Akademi will be the nodal agency for the conference.

3. Navy Day observed: The Indian Navy day is observed every year on 4th December. The Navy Day is observed every year to celebrate achievements and role of the naval force in the country. The Indian Navy is commanded by the President of India as Commander-in-Chief. It is the marine branch of the Indian Armed Forces. Sunil Lamba is the current Chief of the Naval Staff.

4. Tendu leaf bonus festival inaugurated: The Tendu leaf bonus festival kicked off in Chhattisgarh, and Chief Minister Raman Singh distributed bonus to the tendu leaf collectors of Bastar and Bijapur. The 10-day festival began from the Bijapur district. In addition to increasing the tendu leaves collection rate from Rs 1800 to Rs 2500 per sack, Mr Singh also announced a bonus to the collectors.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Iran President opens the first phase of Chabahar port: Iran President Hassan Rouhani  inaugurated the first phase of the Chabahar port project which is known as the Shahid Beheshti port. With the inauguration of the port, it had opened a new strategic transit route between Iran, India and Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan. The Shahid Beheshti Port of Chabahar is now the only and largest port in Iran on the Indian Ocean and will significantly help in regional development with the rest of world countries.

2. Venezuela to launch cryptocurrency ‘Petro’: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro announced the launch of the “petro” backed by oil reserves to shore up a collapsed economy. “Venezuela will create a cryptocurrency,” backed by oil, gas, gold and diamond reserves, Maduro said. He also said that it would help Venezuela “advance in issues of monetary sovereignty, to make financial transactions and overcome the financial blockade.”

3. First International Conference on AYUSH & Wellness sector begins in New Delhi: The first International Exhibition and Conference on AYUSH and Wellness sector- AROGYA 2017 began in New Delhi today. The theme of the conference is ‘Enhancing the global potential of AYUSH’. AYUSH is the acronym of - Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy’.           

OTHER UPDATES

SPORTS:

1.  Deepika Kumari wins bronze medal Archery World Cup: Deepika Kumari of India has won the bronze medal at the Indoor Archery World Cup which was concluded in Bangkok. Korean Kim Surin defeated Deepika Kumari by 6-5.

OBITUARIES:

1. Shashi Kapoor passes away: Veteran actor Shashi Kapoor passed away at the age of 79 after suffering from prolonged illness. Kapoor, who started his career as a child actor in his father plays, was well-known for his roles in films like Deewar, Satyam Shivam Sundaram, amongst others. He was honoured with a Padma Bhushan for his contributions to art & cinema in 2011. He also received a Dadasaheb Phalke award in 2015.

Daily GK Updates - 3rd December, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. India gets Certificate of Commendation by CITES: India was awarded the certificate of commendation for its effort to combat illegal wildlife trade by Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora. The award was given to Wildlife Crime Control Bureau for its efforts in conducting and coordinating species-specific wildlife enforcement operation, codenamed ‘Operation Save Kurma’. CITES was signed in 1973.

2. Shared Value Summit (SVS-2017) held in New Delhi: The summit was organised by Shared Value Initiative India, Institute for Competitiveness (India), and SoulAce & India Council on Competitiveness in association with BusinessLine. The theme of the summit was “Equity and Empowerment”. The purpose of the summit is to encourage businesses to adopt the practice of shared value by imbibing the spirit of inclusivity in their business models. The summit aims to provide a platform to identify and address the barriers that exist to equality and empowerment in the Indian society.

3. The world’s first IT Campus for differently-abled persons: The Telangana State Government will set up the world’s first IT Campus for differently-abled persons. On the occasion of the World Disability Day (WDD), the state Government has signed an agreement with Vindhya E-Infomedia Private Limited to set up the Information and Technology (IT) campus to focus on creating employment opportunities for persons with disabilities on December 3, 2017. The proposed campus will be set up near the Hyderabad international airport.

4. 33 years of Bhopal Gas Tragedy: The tragedy that struck the Bhopal city three decades ago occurred on the intervening night of December 2 and 3, 1984. Even after 33 years, the victims of Bhopal gas tragedy are still complaining of not being provided with proper medical facilities, better living conditions and employment. Also, the toxic waste lying in the defunct Union Carbide is yet to be disposed off.

5. ‘Bandhan Tod’ app for school girl: Patna-based Gender Alliance, an initiative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), had launched the Android-based app named ‘Bandhan Tod’. It is to sensitize people across the state against dowry, child marriage, domestic violence and gender inequality.

5. D K Sarraf appointed as PNGRB Chairman: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of D K Sarraf, as the new Chairman of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board.

6. Mission SAMPARK launched: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the National Strategic Plan 2017-24 aimed at eradicating HIV/AIDS by 2030.

Mission SAMPARK was also launched to trace those who are left to Follow Up and are to be brought under Antiretroviral therapy services. The National Strategic Plan 2017-24 will pave a roadmap not only for achieving the target of 90:90:90 Strategy.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. ‘Populism’ Named Word of the Year: The word ‘populism’ has been announced as Cambridge Dictionary’s Word of the Year 2017. The dictionary defined populism as “political ideas and activities that are intended to get the support of ordinary people by giving them what they want”. It said searches for ‘populism’ rose when Pope Francis made statements warning against its rising tide.

2.  New President of Republic of Kenya: Uhuru Kenyatta has been sworn-in for a second and final five-year term for the post of President of Republic of Kenya, a month after winning a bitterly disputed election rerun marked by delays and boycott. Kenyatta won 98% of the votes cast in October’s poll, which was boycotted by the main opposition leader, Raila Odinga, who alleged the poll wouldn’t be free and fair.

3. International Day for the Abolition of Slavery: The United Nations’ International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is annually held on December 2 to raise awareness of the atrocities of modern slavery. The focus of this day is on eradicating contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation etc. It was first celebrated in 1986.

4. The International Day of Persons with Disabilities: The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed every year on December 3 to promote the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. The 2017 theme is “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient society for all”.

5. Jenny Kim crowned as Miss Supranational 2017: 24-year-old model and Miss Korea Jenny Kim has bagged the title of Miss Supranational 2017 at the gala event, which was held in Poland’s Spa Resort of Krynica- Zdroj. Miss Columbia Tica Martinez and Romania’s Bianca Tirsin were adjudged First Runner’s Up and the second runner-up in the event, respectively.

OTHER UPDATES

SPORTS:

1. Mary Kom resigns as the National Observer for Indian Boxing: M C Mary Komhas resigned as the national observer for Indian boxing after Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore made it clear that active sportspersons will not be considered for the position. Mary Kom was among 12 national observers appointed in March 2017.

Daily GK Updates - 2nd December, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Surya Prakash re-appointed as Chairman of Prasar Bharati: A. Surya Prakash has been re-appointed as the Chairman of Prasar Bharati Board. President Ram Nath Kovind approved the appointment on the recommendation of the Selection Committee. Prasar Bharati was established by a 1990 Act of Parliament, as an autonomous body. It is India's largest public broadcasting agency. It comprises of Doordarshan television and All India Radio.

2. The 31st edition of the Konark festival begins in Odisha: The festival is held every year from 1st December to 5th December. The objective of the festival is to promote the diverse Indian dance heritage as well as the popularity of Konark Temple and Odisha as a tourist destination. The festival was first stated in 1986 which is organized in the state jointly by Odisha Tourism and Odissi Research Centre.

3. ‘Two’, the first novel in English by Gulzar released: Veteran lyricist Gulzar has come out with his novel ‘Two’ which is a debut novel in English. The novel revolves around the area of Punjab which became Pakistan after Partition. The novel was originally written in “Urdu’ later it translated into the English form.

4. National Nutrition Mission approved by Union Cabinet: The Union Cabinet has approved the setting of National Nutrition Mission (NNM) with an outlay of 9046.17 crore rupees for three years. It will be rolled out in three phases from 2017-18 to 2019-20.The function of NNM is to monitor various schemes contributing towards addressing malnutrition. More than 10 crore people will be benefitted by this programme. All the States and districts will be covered in a phased manner i.e. 315 districts in 2017-18, 235 districts in 2018-19 and remaining districts in 2019-20. It is the apex body for the said purpose under Ministry of Women and Child Development.

5. West Bengal to setup Green University: A bill named ‘West Bengal Green University Bill 2017’ has been passed in West Bengal to set up an environmental studies university at Hooghly district. State Education Minister tabled the Bill in Assembly & West Bengal becomes the first state to have a university dedicated to environmental studies.

6. Coast Guard conducts “Clean Sea-2017”: Indian Coast Guard conducted regional level Marine Oil Pollution Response Exercise titled ‘Clean Sea – 2017’ at sea off Port Blair, Andaman Nicobar Islands. The objective of this exercise was to ascertain preparedness of the ICG in responding to a major oil spill. ICG has been entrusted with the responsibility to protect the marine environment in the maritime zones of India.

7. NCRB releases Crime in India 2016 Statistics: Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh released ‘Crime in India – 2016’ published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The number of Murder cases across India decreased by 5.2% from 2015-16.Cases under ‘Crime Against Women’ in the year 2016 (338954) increased marginally compared to 2015 (329243).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. India re-elected to International Maritime Organisation Council: India has been re-elected to the Council of the International Maritime Organisation. India secured the second-highest 144 number of votes from member countries, after Germany’s 146 votes. YK Sinha, India’s ambassador to the UK, represented India at the assembly in London. India joined the International Maritime Organisation Council as a member in 1959. IMO is headquartered in London.

2. US Senate passes biggest tax overhaul in nearly 40 years: The US Senate voted 51-49 in favour of passing a bill which proposes the country’s biggest overhaul. These measures would cut the corporate tax rate to 20 percent from 35 percent -- though the Senate version would set that lower rate in 2019. The tax cut is expected to add more than  $1.4 trillion deficit over 10 years to the US national debt.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Infosys appoints Salil Parekh as CEO and MD: Mr. Parekh will join Infosys from Capgemini where he was a member of the Group Executive Board. He has a Masters degree from Cornells University and a Bachelors degree from IIT Bombay. Salil takes over as CEO of Infosys at a time when the company has seen some of its most tumultuous times.

2. Air India to be sold as an integrated airline: Air India’s domestic and international operations will be sold together and some of its subsidiaries could also be up for bidding as part of the main airline. Air India has a total debt of Rs. 48,877 crores at the end of March 2017, of which about Rs. 17,360 crores was aircraft loans and Rs. 31,517 crores as working capital loans. The airlines is also struggling to find a ‘fit’ buyer.

3. Google introduces ‘Datally’ app: Google launched Datally App to understand, control and save users mobile data themselves. Datally App will enable users to track their data usage in real time, and get personalized recommendations on saving data along with notifications of nearby available public Wi-Fi spots. 3 things of Datally helps users:  Understand your data, Control your data and save your data.

OBITUARIES:

1. Sreerupa Mukherjee, former woman cricketer passes away: Former woman cricketer of India & Coach Sreerupa Mukherjee passed away in Kolkata. She was 65 years old. She had played two One Day Internationals for India against New Zealand. She was also the cricket manager of the Indian women’s team during three World Cups — 1993, 1997 and 2000.