Daily GK Updates - 5th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Silver Jubilee of Losar festival celebrated: Buddhist Community of Itanagar celebrated the silver jubilee of the Losar Festival. The festival was full of cultural presentations from across the state, including the colourful Bhutanese and the Gorkha Cultural programs. For the locals, Losar gives them a good harvesting year ahead. For the Buddhist community, the festival is termed as the ‘New Year’ according to their Buddhist calendar.

2. KHUSHI Scheme launched by Odisha: The Odisha government launched KHUSHI scheme to provide free sanitary napkins to school girls across the state.  The scheme will be implemented by the health and family welfare department of the state at a cost of 70 crores per year. Under the scheme, the state will provide free sanitary napkins to 17 lakh girls studying in Classes 6 to 12 in government and government-aided schools. The announcement was made by the CM of Odisha Naveen Patnaik.

3. Smiriti Irani inaugurates the FICCI Frame: Information and Broadcasting Minister Smiriti Irani inaugurated 2018 edition of FICCI Frame in Mumbai. This year a maiden edition of Content Market has been added with over 70 buyers for a curated slate of new Indian Films. The event will have more than 35 knowledge sessions by experts besides having over 200 high profile speakers from across the world.

4. Conrad Sangma to be the next CM of Meghalaya: National People’s Party (NPP) President Conrad Sangma will be the new chief minister of Meghalaya. NPP came out as the second largest party with 19 seats in the recently held elections which threw a hung verdict. He will replace congress leader Mukul Sangma.

5. “Arogya Karnataka” Scheme launched: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah unveiled a healthcare scheme named 'Arogya Karnataka' (Healthy Karnataka) aimed at benefitting about 1.43 crore households in the state. It will provide quality primary, secondary and tertiary treatment to both below-poverty-line (BPL) and above-poverty-line (APL) families in the state. Through the scheme, all households will get free treatment at government hospitals while for households, the state will bear about 30% of the treatment cost.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. The Shape of Water wins the Best Picture Award at Oscars: The Shape of Water has won the Oscar for best picture at the 90th Academy Awards. The Shape of Water is American fantasy drama film directed by Guillermo del Toro and written by del Toro and Vanessa Taylor. Set in Baltimore in 1962, the plot follows a mute custodian at a high-security government laboratory who falls in love with a captured humanoid-amphibian creature.

2. Merkel secures fourth term in power as the Chancellor of Germany: Angela Merkel has secured her 4th term in power after Social Democratic party agreed to form another “grand coalition” govt. with conservative Christian Democratic Union. The decision ends almost 6 months of political uncertainty in Germany, the longest time the country has been without a govt in its post-war history. The deal will form her third grand coalition during her time as the Chancellor.

3. India is the 12th largest holder of US securities: India’s exposure to US government securities rose sharply to a high of $144.7 billion at the end of 2017. In 2017, China was the largest holder of US government securities with holdings to the tune of $1.18 trillion, followed by Japan at $1.06 trillion.

4. Hindu woman elected to Pakistan’s senate: Krishna Kumari Kohli from Pakistan’s Sindh province has become the first ever Hindu Dalit woman Senator. She is a member of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari-led Pakistan People’s Party. Her election represents a major milestone for women & minority rights in Pakistan. She has actively participated & worked for the rights of downtrodden people of marginalised communities living in Thar and other areas.

5. Oscar Complete List of Winners: The 90th Annual Academy Awards (also known as Oscar Awards) were held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, the USA. The Shape Of Water won the top prize - Best Picture. Jimmy Kimmel hosted the ceremony for the second year in a row. He has become the first host since Billy Crystal to do it again.

1.    Best Picture    The Shape Of Water 2.    Best Director    Guillermo del Toro, The Shape Of Water 3.    Best Actress    Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 4.    Best Actor    Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour 5.    Best Supporting Actress   -Allison Janney, I, Tonya 6.    Best Supporting Actor    Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 7.    Best Original Screenplay    Get Out 8.    Best Adapted Screenplay    Call Me By Your Name 9.    Best Animated Feature Film    Coco 10.    Best Foreign Language Film    A Fantastic Woman, Chile 11.    Best Original Score    The Shape Of Water 12.    Best Original Song    Remember Me, Coco 13.    Best Documentary Feature    Icarus 14.    Best Documentary Short    Heaven Is A Traffic Jam On The 405 15.    Best Live Action Short    The Silent Child 16.    Best Animation Short    Dear Basketball 17.    Best Sound Editing    Dunkirk 18.    Best Sound Mixing    Dunkirk 19.    Best Production Design    The Shape Of Water 20.    Best Cinematography    Blade Runner 21.    Best Makeup And Hair    Darkest Hour 22.    Best Costume Design   Phantom Thread 23.    Best Film Editing    Dunkirk 24.    Best Visual Effects    Blade Runner

OTHER UPDATES

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. Bandicoot robot developed to eradicate manual scavenging: The Bandicoot Robot, developed by a start-up in Kerala, GenRobotics, is a semi-automatic robotic system for manhole and sewer line cleaning. Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), a start-up incubator under the Kerala government, funded the project proposed by GenRobotics to find a solution for manual scavenging. Kerala will become the first state in India to be manual scavenging-free.

2. NASA to launch TESS for the discovery of planets: Launching in April on a two-year primary mission, the observatory could ultimately discover 20,000 planets. Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will operate as a kind of exoplanet surveillance camera, making its journey around Earth every 13.7 days. The target area for the TESS mission doesn’t exceed 300 light-years distant from Earth.

DEFENCE:

1. DefExpo to be organized: DefExpo 2018 will, for the first time, project India’s Defence manufacturing capabilities to the world. DefExpo 2018 will brand India as a defence exporter of several defence systems and components for all three Services – Army, Navy and Air Force. The DefExpo is being held on sea-shore, along the East Coast road enroute Chennai to Mahabalipuram.

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. RBI tightens PSL norms for banks: RBI has tightened priority sector lending norms for foreign banks by directing them to create sub-targets so that they lend a portion of their loans to small & marginal farmers as well as MSMEs. Move is directed at foreign banks with over 20 branches & will come into force from next financial year. PSL norms mandate foreign banks to lend 40% of their total loan book to the priority sector.

SPORTS:

1. Viswanathan Anand won Rapid event: Viswanathan Anand won the rapid event at the 11th Tal Memorial chess in Moscow. Anand finished with six points out of a possible nine, scoring four wins and four draws. Anand defeated Ian Nepomniachtchi, Alexander Grischuk and Daniil Dubov of Russia and Hikaru Nakamura of United States en route to his final score.

2. Dhoni becomes brand ambassador of Dream 11: Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has become a brand ambassador of gaming platform Dream11. Dhoni will be the new face of the gaming platform’s multi-channel marketing campaigns and brand engagement activities.

Currently the gaming platform has an user base of 2 crore sports fans playing “fantasy cricket, football, kabaddi and NBA.

Daily GK Updates - 4th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Odisha Govt Launches ‘Ama Gaon, Ama Vikas’ Programme: The Odisha government has launched a programme Ama Gaon, Ama Vikas (our village, our development) to reach out to the people in rural areas and involve themselves in the developmental activities. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik flagged off mobile video vans for ‘Ama Gaon Ama Vikas’ programme that will move across the State to highlight various welfare schemes at villages in the state.

2. BJP won Tripura for the first time: The BJP defeated the CPI(M) in Tripura to form the state government for the first-ever time after winning 35 seats. The CPI(M), which ruled the state for 25 years, reportedly won 16 seats in the 60-member Assembly with 43% vote share. BJP-ally Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) won 8 seats after fielding candidates in 9 constituencies.

3. BJP,NDPP claim stake to form govt. in Nagaland: The BJP and NDPP met Nagaland Governor PB Acharya to stake claim to form the state govt. The NDPP-BJP has secured a simple majority of 32 out of 60 seats.

4. Hung Assembly in Meghalaya, Congress the single largest party: Meghalaya faces a hung state Assembly after no party won the required 31 seats to form the government in the 60-member Assembly. The Congress, which has ruled the state for 10 years, won the maximum of 21 seats, followed by the National People’s Party which won 19 seats. The BJP secured two seats in the state Assembly.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha Wins Lifetime Achievement Award in UK: Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha has been honoured with a lifetime achievement award for his contribution to the fields of arts and politics at a ceremony in the UK’s Parliament complex. The annual ‘Political and Public Life Awards’ presented by Britain’s Asian Voice weekly newspaper recognises individuals who have made a significant impact on public life or made a difference in their local communities.

2. World Wildlife Day 2018 celebrated: On 20 December 2013, at its 68th session, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 3 March – the day of signature of the CITES as UN World Wildlife Day. This day was proclaimed to celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants. The theme for World Wildlife Day 2018 is ‘Big Cats’.

OTHER UPDATES

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. NASA finds water on Saturn-mass planet: Using NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, astronomers have found evidence of water in the atmosphere of a Saturn-mass exoplanet some 700 light-years away.The planet, WASP-39b, has three times as much water as Saturn does, which suggests it developed far away from its host star, where it was bombarded by a lot of icy material, said NASA.

DEFENCE:

1. ICG C-162: Bharati Defence delivers interceptor boat to Coast Guard: Bharati Defence and Infrastructure Ltd (BDIL) delivered high-speed interceptor boat ICG C-162 to Indian Coast Guard (ICG) at BDIL jetty in Mangaluru, Karnataka. It is fifth interceptor boat delivered by BDIL’s Mangaluru shipyard to ICG. The sixth boat will be delivered after three-and-a-half months of the delivery of the fifth boat. The vessel will be based at Kochi, Kerala and will be used for patrolling purposes.

SPORTS:

1. Rizvi sets world record in his first-ever World Cup: Indian shooter, Shahzar Rizvi clinched the gold medal with a world record score in a memorable maiden ISSF World Cup appearance, while Jitu Rai grabbed bronze in the same event. He shot a world record 242.3 in the 10m air pistol event’s final to beat reigning Olympic champion Christian Reitz of Germany, 239.7, to win the top prize. Mehuli Ghosh added another medal to India’s tally as she shot world junior record score to win bronze in the women’s 10m air rifle event.

2. India wins IBSF Snooker Team World Cup: The Indian Snooker team has lifted the first edition of IBSF Snooker Team World Cup title and won the prize money of $15,000. The Indian duo of Pankaj Advani and Manan Chandra defeated Pakistan (Muhammad Asif, Babar Masih) in the best-of-five final played in Doha.

Daily GK Updates - 3rd March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. World’s largest solar park, Shakti Sthala, inaugurated: The Karnataka government inaugurated the first phase of a 2,000 megawatts (MW) solar park in the drought-prone district, Tumkur. The first phase of the Rs. 16,500 crore park called “Shakti Sthala” will generate 600MW, while the balance 1,400MW is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2018. The solar project is the largest in the world and is spread over 13,000 acres and five villages. It is part of the “Karnataka Solar Policy 2014-2021” which aims to decrease dependence on traditional power sources and move to environmentally friendly ones to meet the growing power needs of the state.

2. UDAY Scheme in Lakshwadeep: Lakshadweep has joined hands with the UDAY scheme which is meant for the revival of debt-stressed power distribution companies (discoms) in the country. The Memorandum of Understanding was signed in this regard with the UT’s Electricity Department. The Union Territory will have an overall benefit of around Rs 8 crore that would provide ways of cheaper funds, reduction in AT&C losses, and intervention in energy efficiency. Initiating mandatory distribution transformer metering, consumer indexing, consumer indexing and GIS mapping of losses and various other requirements will help eliminate the gap between cost of supply of power and realization.

3. Indian companies to participate in the Rooppur Project: Indian companies can now participate in the construction and installation works in the “non-critical” category of the Rooppur nuclear power plant in Bangladesh, according to the Russian atomic energy agency ROSATOM.  The Rooppur project is the first initiative under an Indo-Russian deal to undertake atomic energy projects in third-world countries. This will also be the first time that the Indian companies will be able to participate in a nuclear power project abroad. India, Bangladesh, and Russia signed an agreement in this regard in Moscow, Russia.

4. International Yoga festival at Parmth Niketan: Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu arrived at Parmath Niketan in Rishikesh to attend the International Yoga Festival. The festival is being attended by National and International participants.  Naidu said India has become the spiritual leader in the world. The purpose of the festival is to make the people aware about Yoga and its benefits.

5. No transaction fees on rail tickets booked with debit card: The Indian Railways has announced that Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) charges won’t be levied on passengers for booking railway tickets through debit cards.

These transactions include those made at the railway ticketing counters as well as through IRCTC ticketing website.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Armen Sarkisian-new President of Armenia: He will succeed Serzh Sarkisian. Armen Sarkisian was the ambassador to the United Kingdom. He will assume presidential duties after his predecessor steps down in April 2018. The political shift comes after President Sarkisian, in 2015 initiated, controversial constitutional amendments to turn the impoverished Moscow-allied country into a parliamentary republic with a powerful Prime Minister.

OTHER UPDATES

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. NASA launches advanced weather satellite GOES-S: NASA launched another of the world’s most advanced weather satellites, this time to safeguard the western US. The GOES-S satellite marched towards the orbit aboard an Atlas V rocket. GOES-S is the second satellite in an approx. $11 billion effort that’s already revolutionising forecasting with astonishingly fast, crisp images of hurricanes, wildfires, floods, mudslides and other natural calamities.

DEFENCE:

1. Paschim Lehar, a naval exercise, concludes: Paschim Lehar, a three-week tri-service maritime exercise off India’s western coast, in which several ships, submarines and fighter aircraft participated, has concluded. The objective of the exercise, which commenced on February 12, was to build interoperability. Over 40 naval assets including the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, participated in it.

2. INSV Tarini reaches Cape Town: An all-women crew leading the INSV Tarini docked at a port in Cape Town in South Africa, in the last phase of its maiden voyage to circumnavigate the globe. This is the first-ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew. The vessel is skippered by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi.

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. RBI lifts per-borrower loan cap for MSMEs: RBI has decided to do away with the per borrower loan limits to Micro/ Small and Medium Enterprises for classification under priority sector lending (PSL). In view of the increasing importance of the services sector and to encourage banks to lend more to this sector, the step was taken. So far, loans to Micro/ Small and Medium Enterprises up to ₹5 crore and ₹10 crore, respectively, were classified as PSL.

2. ICICI and PNB hike rate: The Punjab National Bank (PNB) and the ICICI Bank have hiked the MCLR rates. ICICI Bank raised the one-year MCLR from 8.2% to 8.3%. The PNB, also increased one-year MCLR to 8.3% from 8.15%.

SPORTS:

1. Navjot Kaur wins Gold for India at Asian Wrestling Championship: Navjot Kaur clinched the first gold medal for India in the Asian Wrestling championship in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. She defeated Imai Miyu of Japan in the final of women’s 65 kg freestyle. With 1 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze medal, India was at the second spot in the medals tally. Vinesh Phogat and Pinki of Indian Railways claimed silver medals while Sakshi Malik won a bronze in the 62-kilogram category. China is leading the table with 4 gold and 1 bronze medal while Japan was at the third place with 1 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze medals.

2. Venkatesh Prasad quits as BCCI Junior National Selection Committee Chairman: Former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad submitted his resignation from the post of chairman of the junior national selection committee.

Prasad cited personal reasons for stepping down. He has worked as the head of the committee for 30 months.

3. Sultan Azlan Shah Cup begins: The 27th Sultan Azlan Shah Cup Hockey tournament began in the Malaysian city of Ipoh. Six nations – India, hosts Malaysia, defending champions England, Australia, Argentina and Ireland – are taking part in the tournament. India, currently the world number six, will take on world number two Argentina in their opening round-robin match.

Daily GK Updates - 2nd March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. NFRA establishment approved: Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA). NFRA will act as an independent regulator for the auditing profession which was one of the key changes brought in by the Companies Act 2013. The Cabinet also gave nod to the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill – 2018 to deal with those escaping overseas to avoid getting caught.

2. Rs. 2900 Crores under Nirbhaya fund approved for women safety: Women and Child Development Ministry has approved projects worth over Rs 2,900 crores under the Nirbhaya fund for eight major cities to make them safer for women. These cities are Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Lucknow.

3. Cabinet Approves Anti-Trafficking Bill Draft: The Union Cabinet okayed the draft Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill. National Investigation Agency (NIA) will be the nodal authority for probing cases of human trafficking. It also proposes a punishment of life imprisonment for repeat offenders.

4. Vinay Kumar appointed as ambassador to Afghanistan: Senior diplomat Vinay Kumar has been appointed as India’s ambassador to Afghanistan, succeeding incumbent Manpreet Vohra. Mr. Kumar, a 1992 batch Indian Foreign Service officer, is currently serving as Joint Secretary in the headquarters of the External Affairs Ministry here.

5. CMFRI launches e-com portal and a mobile app for fishermen: Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has come up with a solution to help fishermen fetch better price for their catch without depending on middlemen. The institute has developed a multi-vendor e-commerce website and mobile app to help fish farmers and fishermen sell their catch directly to customers online. The website, www.marinefishsales.com, and mobile app, marinefishsales, were developed under National Innovation under Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project of the CMFRI.

6. Hetero Healthcare launches HIV treatment drug in India: Hetero Healthcare Ltd. said it had launched generic anti-retroviral fixed-dose combination of ‘Emtricitabine & Tenofovir Alafenamide in India. The medication is indicated in combination with other anti-retroviral agents for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age & older. The product will be marketed and distributed under the brand name ‘TAFERO-EM’.

7. Phirangipuram to be the third all-women rail station in the country: An all-women railway station is launched at Phirangipuram, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. The railway station on the Guntur-Narsaraopet line would be handed over to an all-women crew. It will be third-of-its-kind railway station in the country after Jaipur’s Gandhi Nagar and Mumbai’s Matunga.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. President of Vietnam on a three day visit: President of Vietnam, Tran Dai Quang arrived in India on a three-day visit.  Mr. Quang will first visit Bodh Gaya before coming to New Delhi. He will meet President Ram Nath Kovind tomorrow and also hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan will also call on the visiting dignitary.  The Vietnamese President will also have an interaction with prominent Indian businessmen. The visit aims to further deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

2. Office of Missing Persons launched in Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka has appointed commissioners to a special panel tasked with investigating war-era disappearances. The Office of Missing Persons was officially launched by President Maithripala Sirisena. The country’s Parliament agreed two years ago to the first steps toward reconciling its war-era past tracing about 20,000 people who went missing during 37 years of fighting.

3. India welcomes Afghanistan’s peace offer: India welcomed Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani’s outreach to the Taliban at the Second Kabul Conference. Afghan government’s called to armed groups to cease violence and join national peace and reconciliation process that would protect the rights of all Afghans.

OTHER UPDATES

DEFENCE:

1. Anti-Tank Guided Missile Nag tested successfully: The Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) Nag was successfully flight-tested in desert conditions against two tank targets at different ranges and timings. As the developmental trials of the missile have been completed, it is now ready for induction in the Army. It is the third-generation fire-and-forget ATGM developed by the DRDO.

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. SBI hikes lending rate: The State Bank raised its lending rates by 20 basis points to 8.15%, with immediate effect, setting the tone for the industry to follow suit. This is likely to make home and car loans costlier. This is the first lending revision by the bank since April 2016 and comes a day after it massively raised the retail and bulk deposit rates.

2. IndusInd Bank And Ripple tie-up: IndusInd Bank announced its partnership with Ripple to facilitate payments into and out of India. With this affiliation, RippleNet can now provide instant access in emerging markets such as India, Brazil and China.

SPORTS:

1. Vinesh wins Silver at Asian Wrestling Championship: India's star wrestler Vinesh Phogat has settled for Silver Medal in the 50kg Freestyle competition at the Asian Wrestling Championship in Kyrgyzstan.  In the final of the event at Bishkek lost to China's Chun Lei. Another Indian, Sangeeta claimed Bronze in the 59kg division.  Along with these two medals, India's medal tally has reached four in the ongoing championships.

2. IOC restores Russia’s Olympic membership: The International Olympic Committee has restored Russia’s Olympic membership, following its suspension from the Winter Olympics at Pyeongchang in South Korea. Russia was banned from February’s Games by the IOC over state-sponsored doping. Before closing ceremony of Winter Olympics, the IOC had stated that the ban would be lifted, as long as there were no more anti-doping violations.

Daily GK Updates - 1st March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. India’s first Aviation Multi Skill Development Centre to be inaugurated: Union Minister of Civil Aviation P Ashok Gajapathi Raju inaugurated the country’s first Aviation Multi Skill Development Centre at Chandigarh Airport’s old terminal. The centre, which is a CSR initiative of Airports Authority of India (AAI), will initially train 2,360 students free of cost in three years.

2. Cabinet approves the Action Plan for CSS: The Union Cabinet approved the proposal of Ministry of Commerce and Industry to give focused attention to 12 identified Champion Services Sectors (CSS) for promoting their development and realizing their potential. 12 identified CSS are The Information Technology & Information Technology Enabled Services (IT & ITeS), Medical Value Travel, Transport and Logistics Services, Tourism and Hospitals. The respective Ministries/Departments will finalize Action Plans and implementation timelines along with monitoring mechanism to monitor implementation of Scheme. It will enhance the competitiveness of country’s service sectors through implementation of focused and monitored Action Plans.

3. Haryana to give death penalty to rapists: Haryana government gave its nod to a proposal to bring in a legislation that would have a provision awarding death penalty to those guilty of raping girls aged 12 years or less. Existing criminal laws related to sexual offences will be made more stringent.

4. First Mega Food Park inaugurated in Mahrashtra: The first Mega Food Park in the state of Maharashtra Satara Mega Food Park Private Limited at Village Degaon, District Satara was inaugurated by Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister of Food Processing Industries. This is the 10th Mega Food Park being operationalized in the country and the 8th operationalized during the tenure of the present government. Satara Mega Food Park has been set up in 64 acres of land at a cost of Rs. 139.30 crore.

5. India back as the world’s fastest-growing major economy: India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth surged to 7.2% in the December quarter of 2017-18, restoring its status as the world’s fastest-growing major economy. The economy grew at 6.7% in Gross Value Added (GVA) terms. The GDP growth rebounded from 6.5% in the previous quarter, reportedly indicating that the economy has moved past disruptions due to demonetisation and GST rollout. China remains a major competitor of India.

6. Chilka is the home to world’s largest number of Irrawaddy Dolphins: The Chilka lake in Odisha has emerged as the single largest habitat of Irrawaddy dolphins in the world with the spotting of 155 dolphins. The finding is based on the preliminary report of the first ever ‘Annual Monitoring’ of the lake.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Taliban to be recognized as a political group: Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani offered to recognise Taliban as a legitimate political group in order to end the over 16 year long war. He also proposed a ceasefire and the release of Taliban-linked prisoners along with fresh elections and a constitutional review.

OTHER UPDATES

DEFENCE:

1. India’s first defence ‘Quad’ to be made in the South: The Defence Ministry has started the process to set up the country’s first defence industrial corridor to promote industries manufacturing weapons and military equipment. Quad or quadrilateral corridor will connect Chennai, Hosur, Coimbatore, Salem and Tiruchirappalli.

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. New plant species named after Abdul Kalam: Scientists from the Botanical Survey of India have identified a new plant species from two protected National Parks in West Bengal. Named Drypetes kalamii, it is a small shrub found to be shorter version of its close relative Drypetes ellisii. The plant is named after former President Abdul Kalam.

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. SBI hikes deposit rates: After announcing a hike in the MCLR based lending rate, SBI raised the retail and bulk deposits rates for various maturities by up to 0.75% with immediate effect. This is the third pricing revision in past four months by the bank. For retail deposits, below ₹1 crore, rates have been increased by up to 0.50%, while for deposits maturing in one year to less than two years, the pricing has been raised by 0.15% to 6.40% from 6.25% earlier.

2. PNB appoints AK Pradhan as Chief Risk Officer: Hit by nearly Rs 12,700 cr fraud, PNB appointed its General Manager A K Pradhan as the Group Chief Risk Officer. PNB said that the amount of fraud in the Nirav Modi case can go up to Rs 12,700 crores as against the earlier estimate of Rs. 11,400 crores.

3. Catholic Syrian Bank ties up with Celebrus Capital: The Catholic Syrian Bank Ltd (CSB) has tied up with Celebrus Capital Ltd (Celebrus), to offer CSB’s customers online trading and demat services. With this partnership, CSB’s customers will be able to open a Celebrus trading account free of cost and also enjoy preferred rates on brokerage charges/AMC fees on the demat account.

4. Corporation Bank reports fraud of Rs. 6.77 crores in Jharkhand: The CBI has booked an auto dealer in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand for allegedly siphoning off the loan amount and causing a loss of Rs. 6.77 crore to Corporation Bank. The agency has booked Ramnandi Estate and its directors along with the bank’s valuer, Sanjay Kumar. Corporation Bank alleged that Kumar filed enhanced valuation reports based on which the loan was sanctioned.

BUSINESS/ ECONOMY:

1. Aircel files for bankruptcy: India’s sixth-largest telecom operator Aircel filed for bankruptcy at the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) claiming that it has a debt of ₹15,500 crore. This comes after the Ananda Krishnan-owned Malaysian parent Maxis Communications refused to infuse more funds into Aircel.

SPORTS:

1. Blue-checked and pink-checked mascots chosen for Olympics 2020: The mascots for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics selected by elementary school kids were unveiled. The Olympics mascot is a blue-checked, doe-eyed character with pointy ears and “special powers”, while the Paralympics mascot sports pink checks and can “talk with stones and the wind”. A total of 6.5 million children cast their vote to select the mascots. It is noteworthy that Summer Olympics will start from July 29, 2020.

OBITUARIES:

1. Kanchi saint Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi passes away: Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal, the senior seer of Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt situated in Tamil Nadu, passed away. The junior pontiff, Sri Sankara Vijayendra Saraswathi will be the 70th Jagadguru of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. Sri Jayendra Saraswathi came to wield enormous say in matters affecting the Hindu religion in the country, including the Ayodhya issue.

Daily GK Updates - 28th February, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. National Science Day- 28th February: National Science Day (NSD) is celebrated every year on 28 February. The theme of NSD-2018 is “Science and Technology for a Sustainable Future”. NSD is celebrated to commemorate the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’, which led to Sir C.V. Raman winning the Noble Prize. The theme has been chosen for the purpose of raising public appreciation of the scientific issues involved.

2. Indian Railways to install sanitary pad dispensers: The Railway Ministry said it aims to install sanitary pad dispensers and incinerators at about 200 stations by International Women’s Day on March 8. The move is aimed to benefit Railway employees and passengers from financially weaker sections. The dispensers have already been installed at railway stations in New Delhi and Bhopal.

3. CSIR inks MoU with IORA-RCSTT for medicinal plants: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has signed a MoU with the Indian Ocean Rim Association’s Regional Center for Science and Technology Transfer. The MoU is for designating Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Lucknow as the coordinating centre on medicinal plants. The IORA Centre will establish a database on the important medicinal plants.

4. GOBAR Dhan Yojana to be launched: The Union Government is going to roll out Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Dhan (GOBAR-DHAN) scheme. It was first announced by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley during his 2018-19 budget speech. The scheme focuses on managing and converting cattle dung and solid waste in farms to the use composition. It will also help in keeping the village clean while increasing income of farmers and cattle herders.

5. India 2018 book released: Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani released 'India 2018' (English Version) and 'Bharat 2018' (Hindi Version). The books are published by the Publications Division. The book available in both print and online versions. It is an exhaustive publication dealing with all aspects of the country's development. With its latest edition, the book has entered into its 62nd year of publication.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Moon to get its first mobile phone network: The moon will get its first 4G mobile network next year to allow lunar exploration vehicles to stream high-definition data back to a base station. Vodafone Germany, Nokia, and carmaker Audi said that they were working in collaboration with Berlin-based space exploration scientists. The project is a part of the first privately-funded mission to the Moon.

OTHER UPDATES

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. Fastest distance measurements using LIDAR: Germany and France-based researchers have recorded 100 million distance values per second, demonstrating the fastest distance measurement so far. The team studied a bullet travelling at 540 kmph with micrometre accuracy using laser-based LIDAR (light detection and ranging). This technology could be used in autonomous navigation and 3D cameras.

2. Jupiter’s icy moon Europa may host life-Researchers: Jupiter’s moon Europa may host life in an ocean of liquid water under its 10-km-thicker ice crust, suggested Brazilian researchers. The team based their claims on a bacterium that survives deep underwater without sunlight in environments similar to Europa. The bacterium in 2.8-km-deep South African mines was found to synthesise its energy from rock sulphates, formed via ionising radiation.

BUSINESS/ ECONOMY:

1. Amazon buys video doorbell startup Ring: E-commerce giant Amazon has agreed to buy US-based video doorbell startup Ring, the companies confirmed. According to reports, the deal could be worth more than $1 billion, making it one of the most expensive acquisitions in Amazon’s history. Founded in 2012, the startup makes video doorbells and security cameras that connect to users’ phones or computers.

SPORTS:

1. Davis Cup to convert into ‘WC of Tennis’: The Davis Cup, in existence since 1900, may be converted into a ‘World Cup of Tennis’ from next year. The new format will feature 18 teams playing a week-long event at one venue, instead of the existing 16 teams playing across four different months. A 25-year, $3 billion partnership with investment group Kosmos is in place for the new event.

2. Karnataka beats Saurashtra to win Vijay Hazare Trophy: Karnataka defeated Saurashtra by 41 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy final on Tuesday to win the tournament for the third time. Batting first, Karnataka put up a total of 253/10 and Saurashtra were bowled out for 212 in 46.3 overs.

3. Cricket Team India and South Africa donate  Rs. 5.5 lakh to Cape Town Water Crisis aid: Team India captain Virat Kohli and his Proteas counterpart Faf du Plessis have donated ₹5.5 lakh to the Cape Town Water Crisis on behalf of both the teams for drought relief efforts in Cape Town. This comes days after Cape Town pushed back ‘Day Zero’ to July 9, the day the city is expected to run out of water.

4. Federer becomes the most decorated Laureus Award winner: Tennis legend Roger Federer became the most decorated winner in the history of Laureus World Sports Awards after he won twin honors at the 18th edition of the awards ceremony in Monaco. It was his sixth award. American tennis great Serena Williams won the Sportswoman of the Year Award. She is now the most decorated female Laureus Award winner with five Laureus statuettes.

Daily GK Updates - 27th February, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. India ranks 47th on Inclusive Internet Index: In a report ‘Inclusive Internet Index’ published by Facebook and EIU, India ranked 47th out of 86 countries when it comes to inclusive Internet and connectivity for all. Sweden stood at first place, followed by Singapore and the US. According to the index, the Internet is empowering, especially to citizens in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

2. Uma Bharti launches second project of Swajal Yojana: Union Minister of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Uma Bharti launched the Swajal pilot project at Village Bhikampura in Rajasthan. Besides ensuring the availability of clean drinking water to every household around the year, the project would also generate employment. Swajal is a community-owned drinking water programme for sustained drinking water supply. Under the scheme, 90% of the project cost will be taken care by the Government and the remaining 10% of the project cost will be contributed by the community.

3. RISE scheme update: The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) will get the largest chunk of loans on offer under Revitalising Infrastructure and Systems in Education (RISE). This shifts funding mechanism to CFIs in higher education from grant assistance to loans to assure more funds, greater accountability. RISE scheme was announced in Union Budget 2017-18. It aims to lend low-cost funds to government higher educational institutions.

4. Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein arrives in India: King of Jordan Abdullah-II bin Al-Hussein has arrived in India on a 3 day visit. This will be his second visit to India after his visit along with Queen Rania in 2006. The two sides are expected to sign a number of memorandums of understanding and agreements in diverse areas of bilateral cooperation. India is Jordan’s fourth largest trading partner with bilateral trade worth $1.35 billion.

5. JP Nadda rolls out free viral load tests for HIV: Health minister JP Nadda has launched the free Viral Load Tests, which measure the quantity of virus in the body. The move is likely to benefit 12 lakh people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in the country. The test is of immense importance to monitor the effectiveness of treatment of patients taking lifelong anti-retroviral therapy.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. New Deputy PM of Australia: Michael McCormack elected new Deputy Prime Minister of Australia. He has replaced former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce. The leader of the National Party automatically becomes deputy prime minister under the terms of the coalition agreement with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s Liberal party.

2. Saudi military leaders replaced: Saudi King Salman has sacked his military chief and a number of other top commanders in a shakeup apparently aimed at overhauling its Defense Ministry. The changes were made on the recommendation of the minister of defense, who is the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

3. US to overtake Russia as top oil producer: According to International Energy Agency, U.S. will overtake Russia as the world’s biggest oil producer by 2019 at the latest. U.S. crude oil output rose above 10 million barrels per day late last year for the first time since 1970s, overtaking top oil exporter Saudi Arabia. US oil is also increasingly being exported, including to the world’s biggest and fastest growing markets in Asia.

4. Saudi Arabia allows women to join military: Saudi Arabia has for the first time opened applications for women to join its military. The women, however, will not be given combat roles but will work in security. To apply, women will need to fulfill 12 requirements besides obtaining their guardian’s approval. Decision to recruit female soldiers is one of many reforms enhancing women’s rights introduced in recent months by Saudi Arabia.

OTHER UPDATES

DEFENCE:

1. Uttarakhand to host 13th Surya Kiran Exercise: India and Nepal will hold the 13th edition of Surya Kiran joint military exercise in Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand in a couple of months. The military exercise will include training on jungle warfare, anti-terrorism combat as well as disaster response activities. The announcement came days after Army chief Bipin Rawat visited Nepal to attend a function to mark the Army Day.

BUSINESS/ ECONOMY:

1. Google brings Symptom Search feature to India: Google India has rolled out its feature called “Symptom Search” in India that lets users find quality health information on their smartphones. Google in collaboration with a team of doctors from Apollo Hospitals will add tailor-made information about commonly-searched symptoms in its Search. The project aims to provide quality healthcare information which can be accessed by a billion Indians

SPORTS:

1. Youngest captain in International Cricket: At 19 years of age, Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan is set to become the youngest captain in the history of international cricket. The World’s No.1 ODI and Twenty20 International bowler, Rashid will lead Afghanistan after regular skipper Asghar Stanikzai was diagnosed with appendicitis. Rashid is also the youngest player to be ranked No.1 in the ICC’s Player Rankings across formats.

2. Bangladesh appoints Courtney Walsh as coach: Bangladesh has named former West Indies cricketer Courtney Walsh as the interim coach for upcoming tri-nation Twenty20 series. Walsh, who has been Bangladesh’s bowling coach since 2016, takes over as interim coach from former Zimbabwean cricketer Richard Halsall. Position of Bangladesh’s head coach had been vacant since Oct, when Chandika Hathurusingha quit after three years at the helm.