Daily GK Updates - 14th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Finance Bill passed in Lok Sabha: With the passage of the Finance Bill and the Appropriation Bill, the budget exercise is complete in the lower house. A Finance Bill is presented in Parliament along with the Annual Financial Statement in lieu of fulfilling the requirement of Article 110 (1)(a) of the Constitution. The Finance Bill also contains other provisions related to the Budget can be classified as a Money Bill. It is noteworthy that a Money Bill can originate in Lok Sabha only.

2. Belagavi hoists India’s tallest flag: India’s tallest national flag was unfurled in Belagavi (also known as Belgaum) in Karnataka. The flag in Belgaum is much larger than the one at the India-Pakistan border at Attari in Punjab. The flag is reported to be 110 m high from the base plate to the top, with a size of 120×80 ft.

3. World Hindi Secretariat building opened in Mauritius: President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the World Hindi Secretariat building in Mauritius on his visit to the country.

He also launched the World Hindi Secretariat’s logo, an Early Digital Learning Programme and laid foundation stones of a social housing project and a large ENT hospital being built with Indian assistance.

4. Delhi Energy Dialogue 2018 starts: Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, will inaugurate the Delhi Energy Dialogue 2018, on March 14, organised by Ashden India Collective (AIC) in alliance with Climate Parliament. “Delhi Energy Dialogue” is an initiative to promote sustainable solutions for better lives. Established in 2010, AIC helps to increase access to energy for India’s rural poor.

5. India’s largest wind turbine generator S128 commissioned: Renewable solution provider Suzlon Group announced the installation and commissioning of its new product “S128” claiming it to be the largest wind turbine generator in India. The first prototype of S128 has been commissioned at the Sanganeri site in Tamil Nadu. This has the country’s largest single rotor blade measuring 63 metres and reduced levelised cost of energy.

6. Foreign law firms or foreign lawyers can’t practise in India: The Supreme Court ruled that foreign law firms or foreign lawyers cannot practise law in the country either on the litigation or non-litigation side. This means overseas lawyers or firms cannot open offices in the country, appear in courts or before any authority or render other legal services. But overseas lawyers can fly in, fly out for a temporary period to give advice.

7. IOC, Tata Motors flag off country’s first hydrogen-fuel bus: Indian Oil Corporation Ltd and Tata Motors have launched the trial demonstration of the country’s first hydrogen fuel cell bus. The project is being executed with financial support from the Department of Science and Industrial Research, Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry for New and Renewable Energy. The vehicle will be fuelled at the hydrogen dispensing facility at IndianOil.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Pi Day celebrated: Google has dedicated a doodle to mark 30 years of “Pi Day”, a day first recognised by physicist Larry Shaw in 1988 to honour the mathematical constant. Pi is used in every field of science as it’s used for calculations involving the volume and surface area of spheres. The first Pi Day was held at a San Francisco Science Museum in 1988.

2. Bidhya Devi Bhandari gets second term as Nepal President: Nepal’s incumbent President Bidhya Devi Bhandari has been elected for a second term, extending the tenure of the Himalayan country’s first female head of state for another five years. With this President Bhandari is the first President of federal Nepal. She is also the first Nepali woman to be elected as the country’s president twice.

3. Saudi Arabia approves Nuclear Power Program National Policy: Saudi Arabia’s cabinet approved the national policy of its atomic energy programme as the kingdom prepares to award contracts for its first nuclear power plants. The policy insists on limiting nuclear activities to peaceful purposes and for enhanced safety measures and safe disposal of nuclear waste.

OTHER UPDATES

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. Newton-Bhabha Fund for arsenic research: An India-UK Joint Team has won the Newton-Bhabha Fund for a project on Groundwater Arsenic Research in Ganga River Basin. The Department of Science and Technology has undertaken the project with the Natural Environment Research Council, UK, to find solutions to the water challenges faced in the arsenic-affected Ganga River. The project will begin from Bijnor and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh.

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. BHEL secures order from NPCIL: Bharat Heavy Electricals has secured a significant order worth Rs.736 Crore for supply of Steam Generators from Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL). The Steam Generators will be used for a 700 MWe Pressurised Heavy Water Reactor to be installed at Gorakhpur Haryana Anu Vidyut Pariyojna in Fatehabad district of Haryana. The Steam Generators will be manufactured at the Tiruchirappalli.

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. RBI discontinues LOUs/LOCs issuance: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has scrapped the issuance of Letters of Undertaking (LOUs) and Letters of Comfort (LOCs) for trade credit for imports with immediate effect. Banks will continue to issue guarantees and letter of credit for trade purposes which are the international norm. A letter of credit is secure because it has the details of the expiry date and the material purchase.

OBITUARIES:

1. Black Hole scientist ‘Stephen Hawking’ passes away: Stephen Hawking, the British Physicist and the black hole theorist have died on 14th March. Hawking’s redefined cosmology by proposing that black holes emit radiation and later evaporate. He is also the author of the best-selling book, “A Brief History of Time”.

Daily GK Updates - 13th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal formed: The Centre constituted a three-member Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal to adjudicate the dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh over sharing the river's water. Supreme Court Judge AM Khanwilkar will be the Chairman of the tribunal, with Justice Ravi Ranjan of the Patna High Court and Justice Indermeet Kaur Kochhar of the Delhi High Court being the other two members.  The apex court had sought to refer the dispute to a Tribunal for adjudication under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956.

2. Medal for Excellence in Police Investigation: The Government has approved to institute the “Union Home Minister’s Medal for Excellence in Police Investigation” to promote high professional standards of Investigation of Crime in the State/UT Police and Central Investigating Agencies. A total of 162 medals will be awarded every year. The names of awardees will be declared on 15th August every year.

3. Sitanshu Kar becomes the new PIB Chief: All India Radio’s News Services Division (NSD) director general Sitanshu Kar will be the next head of the Press Information Bureau (PIB). Kar, a senior Indian Information Service (IIS) officer, will take charge as PIB head on May 1. Doordarshan News DG, Ira Joshi will hold additional charge of DG of AIR’s NSD with immediate effect.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. A USD 100 m Line of Credit to Mauritius: India announced a new Line of Credit of USD 100 million for defense procurement by Mauritius as the two sides signed many agreements on the second day of President Ram Nath Kovind's visit. The agreements were signed after President Kovind held delegation-level talks with Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth and members of his Cabinet. 

2. Anti-Defection Bill approved in Maldives: The Maldives Parliament has approved the anti-defection bill with retrospective effect amidst the boycott by opposition MPs. According to the bill, MPs elected on political party tickets will lose their seat if they leave their party, get expelled, or switch parties.  The bill would take effect from 13th July 2017, meaning that the 12 MPs that switched to the Opposition last year would lose their seats. The bill was passed with 35 votes as opposition MPs continued to boycott the settings.

3. Vietnam’s Nguyen crowned “Miss International Queen”: Vietnam’s Nguyen Huong Giang has been crowned this year’s “Miss International Queen” in Thailand at one of the world’s top beauty pageants for transgender women. The winner fended off 26 competitors, from different parts of the world, to clinch the coveted crown. The popular contest has been running since 2004.

4. World Ocean Summit 2018 concluded in Mexico: World Ocean Summit was held recently in Mexico’s Riviera Maya. The summit is for business, government and environmental leaders to talk about the problems faced by the world’s seas and to come up with solutions to protect the planet’s vast ocean resources. World Ocean Summit’s vision is of an ocean with robust health and vital economy.

OTHER UPDATES

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. New planets found near our solar system: A new planet near the habitable zone around a bright cool star has been found. The scientists have confirmed the existence of 15 new planets – including one ‘Super-Earth’ that could harbour liquid water – orbiting small, cool stars near our solar system. These stars, known as red dwarfs, are of enormous interest for studies of planetary formation and evolution, the study states.

DEFENCE:

1. India tops list of arms and ammunition buyers: Arms import by India increased by 24% between 2008-2012 and 2013-2017 period as per data on international arms transfers released by International Peace Research Institute. India is followed by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, China, Austrailia, Algeria, Iraq, Pakistan and Indonesia as the world top importers. The largest arms suppliers to India are Russia (62%), US (15%) and Israel (11%).

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. ICICI Bank launches online overdraft facility for MSMEs: ICICI Bank has launched instant overdraft ‘InstaOD’ facility for MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) customers in a completely online and paperless manner. Customers can get overdraft facility up to Rs 15 lakh for a year anytime, anywhere using the bank’s Internet and mobile banking app. The new facility will enable a few lakh of pre-qualified current account customers of the bank to instantly avail of the facility without visiting a branch and submitting physical documents. ICICI Bank will also offer the facility for instant online sanction of the overdraft facility to MSME customers of other banks shortly.

2. SBI reduces non-maintenance charges in Savings Accounts: The country’s largest lender, SBI State Bank of India slashed charges for non-maintenance of Average Monthly Balance (AMB) in savings accounts by nearly 75 percent. The revised charges will be effective from April 01, 2018 and will benefit over 25 crore customers. The charges for non-maintenance of AMB for customers in Metro and Urban centers have been reduced from a maximum of Rs 50 per month to Rs 15 per month. Similarly, for Semi-Urban and Rural centers, the charges have been reduced from Rs 40 every month to Rs 12 and Rs 10 GST charges will be applicable over and above the rates specified above.

Daily GK Updates - 12th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Loktak Lake floating laboratory launched: Manipur forest and environment minister, Thounaojam Singh launched a floating research laboratory of Institute of Bio-Resources and Sustainable Development at Sendra. Keibul Lamjao National Park, the only floating park in the world, is located in the lake.  A water quality machine has been installed inside the boat to collect necessary data to check deteriorating eco-system of Loktak Lake.

2. India’s first Coastal Policing Academy: National Academy of Coastal Policing will be launched from a campus of Gujarat’s Fisheries Research Centre located in coastal Okha in the newly created Devbhoomi Dwarka district. The Country’s first national academy to train police forces in effectively safeguarding the Indian shoreline will start functioning from the next month. It will be created and run by a team of paramilitary forces.

3. UP’s largest Solar Power Plant inaugurated: PM Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron inaugurated Uttar Pradesh’s biggest solar power plant in Dadar Kalan village of Chhanvey block in Mirzapur. Approximately 1,18,600 solar panels have been set up in over 380 acres. The solar plant will generate 15.6 crore units of electricity annually, which is about 1.30 crore units per month.

4. Govt. pushes for e-vehicles: The Power Ministry has directed all central government departments and PSUs in the National Capital Region to switch to e-vehicles for local use. The move comes as the government plans to have 30% of the total vehicle fleet in the country running on batteries by 2030. Charging facilities for such vehicles are being installed at various locations, the ministry added.

5. Madhya Pradesh to map ‘happiness quotient’: Madhya Pradesh will carry out a study to find how happy people are. The ‘happiness quotient’ of people became a global talking point when Bhutan came out with a ‘happiness index’ and linked it to development, which is otherwise based on GDP numbers. The Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government had set up the ‘Anand Vibhag’, or the happiness department, in 2016.

6. The Delhi End TB Summit to be inaugurated tomorrow: The PM will inaugurate “The Delhi End TB Summit” on 13th March. The Summit will be co-hosted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, WHO South East Asia Regional Office and “Stop TB Partnership”. The Prime Minister will launch TB Free India Campaign on this occasion. TB free India Campaign will take the activities of National Strategic Plan for TB elimination forward in Mission mode.

7. ‘Palace on Wheels’ gets “Tourist Train of the Year” award: The luxury train ‘Palace on Wheels’ of Rajasthan, popular among foreign tourists, has bagged the ‘Tourist Train of the Year’ award of the Pacific Area Travel Writers’ Association. It was launched by the Indian Railways in association with Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation to promote tourism in Rajasthan. The Palace on Wheels was started on 26 January 1982.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Bangladesh to observe “Genocide Day” on March 25: Bangladesh will observe a one-minute ‘blackout’ on March 25 to mark ‘Genocide Day’, in memory of the three million people killed by Pakistani forces during the country’s Liberation War in 1971. The government will not suspend power supply, he said, but people will be asked to switch their lights off. Bangladesh started observing March 25 as ‘Genocide Day’ in 2017.

2. ‘Incredible India’ wins “Best Exhibitor Award” at ITB Berlin: India has won the “Best Exhibitor Award ” at ITB – Berlin. ‘ITB- Berlin World Tourist Meet’ was convened at Berlin, Germany from 7th March to 10th March 2018. More than 100 countries participated in the ITB- Berlin meet with their respective Tourism Ministers. India’s Incredible India (Ministry of Tourism) presented a short film named “Yogi of the Racetrack” in the meet.

OTHER UPDATES

DEFENCE:

1. Russia test-fires ‘Kinzhal-hypersonic missile’: Russia test-launched a hypersonic missile from a MIG-31 supersonic interceptor jet that took off from an airfield. The hypersonic missile has been described as “Kinzhal missile” – named after a type of dagger – as “an ideal weapon”. The Kinzhal is said to travel at 10 times the speed of sound and have a range of 2,000 km (1,200 miles).

SPORTS:

1. Matt Wallace wins Indian Open Golf: Matt Wallace from Britain won his second European Tour title at the Indian Open. He beat compatriot Andrew Johnston in the first hole of their play-off. Wallace attacked the first extra hole, the par-five 18th, and birdied to win the tournament after Johnston took a more conservative approach to finish on par.

Daily GK Updates - 11th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Union Government makes passport mandatory for bank loans of Rs. 50 crore and above: The government has made providing passport details mandatory for taking loans of 50 crore rupees and above to ensure a swift action in case of fraud and prevent fraudsters from fleeing the country. The Passport details will help banks to take timely action and inform the relevant authorities to prevent fraudsters from fleeing the country.  Last week, the Cabinet has approved the Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill to impound and sell assets of escapees with a view to quickly recover dues.  The proposed law will also apply to defaulters who have an outstanding of Rs 100 crore or more and have escaped from the country.  Several big defaulters like Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, Vijay Mallya and Jatin Mehta have fled the country putting the recovery mechanism in quandary.

2. GST e-way bill must from April 1: Goods and Services Tax Council has mandated the use of electronic way (e-way) bills from April to track inter-state movement of goods. From April 1, transporters of goods worth over Rs 50,000 will have to generate e-way bills. For intra-State movement, the e-way bill will be rolled out in a phased manner beginning April 15, and will cover all the States by June 1.

3. Telangana launches India’s first state-led incubator for women:The government of Telangana launched Women Entrepreneurship Hub (WE-Hub), India's first state-led incubator for women entrepreneurs. The incubator will help women entrepreneurs establish their own enterprises by providing services including seed funding, mentoring, and business guidance. Deepthi Ravula is heading the incubator as its Chief Executive Officer.

4. Amol Palekar receives ‘Godavari Gaurav’ award: Noted actor Amol Palekar has been honoured with the ‘Godavari Gaurav’ award. Palekar known for his performance in films like Gol Maal, Choti Si Baat, Chitchor among others, was presented with the award, which has been instituted by ‘Kusumagraj Prathishthan’. The award was given by noted Marathi writer Madhu Mangesh Karnik, who is the chairperson of the Prathishthan.

5. Delhi and Mumbai Airport win top awards: Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) and Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) have beaten 1,952 other airports from 176 countries to tie at number one for world’s best airports, as per Airports Council International (ACI) ASQ 2017 rankings. The Airport Service Quality Awards 2017 was announced by the Airports Council International (ACI), which conferred the ranking on the basis of a worldwide programme in which passengers were surveyed across airports for their feedback on 34 key performance indicators.

6. Wings India 2018 inaugurated: Telangana IT and Industries Minister K T Rama Rao inaugurated the biennial event on Civil Aviation and Aerospace titled 'Wings India 2018' at the Begumpet Airport. The four-day event was Jointly organized by the Civil Aviation Ministry, Airports Authority of India and the Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

7. Karnataka becomes second state to unveil its own State flag: The Karnataka government unveiled the State flag (nada dhwaja ) for the state. If approved by the Centre, Karnataka will be the second State to have a flag after Jammu and Kashmir. The yellow-white-red flag has the State emblem at the center. The proposal will be now sent to the Union Home Ministry for approval since a State has no powers to announce its own flag. 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Xi Jinping to become China’s leader-for-life: China’s President Xi Jinping is all set to become China’s leader-for-life as the country’s parliament prepares to amend Constitution to remove 2 term limit for the president. He is currently in his 2nd five-year term & due to retire in 2023 under the current 2 term system. Xi is regarded as the most powerful leader of China after Mao as he held the posts of head of CPC, military & Presidency.

2. ISA, AfDB, ADB, AIIB, NDB and GCF sign Joint Financial Partnership Declaration: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Green climate fund (GCF), and the New Development Bank (NDB) signed Joint Financial partnership Declarations in New Delhi. The International Energy Agency (IEA) also signed a Joint partnership Declaration with the ISA. The objective of the agreements is to deepen their cooperation in support of Renewable Energy. ISA is working for deployment of over 1000 GW of solar energy and mobilizing more than US$ 1000 billion into solar energy by the year 2030.

OTHER UPDATES

DEFENCE:

1. Multi-nation naval exercise ‘MILES-18’ held: The first-ever multi-nation naval exercise at sea, MILES-18, has begun at the Andaman sea. The exercise aims to hone search and rescue procedures, maritime interdiction operations, core operational skills and exercise a variety of maritime security scenarios. 11 naval ships of 8 countries and nine Indian ships will be participating in this three-day exercise.

2. Multilateral Air Force exercise ‘Samvedna’: A Multilateral Air Force exercise, ‘Samvedna’, will be held from March 12 to 17, 2018. The exercise is spearheaded by Indian Air Force and will be conducted by Southern Air Command. It is the first composite HADR Air exercise in the South Asian region. Air Forces of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, UAE and Myanmar have already committed resources and personnel for the exercise.

3. CISF to offer consultancy to 5-star hotels: CISF has decided to offer security consultancy to 5-star hotels so that they can be prepared to deal with 26/11 type terror attacks. Central paramilitary force which is celebrating its 49th raising day has already prepared a blueprint in this regard. It soon plans to write to hotels proposing to render services of its special unit and experts and provide specific consultancy on security issues.

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. Fastest growing IT services brand in 2018: Tata Consultancy Services has been named as the fastest growing IT services brand in the world in an assessment done by leading brand valuation firm, Brand Finance. According to the report, TCS has a total brand value of USD 10.391 billion. Over past 2 years, TCS has strengthened its portfolio of global brand sponsorships by forging new partnerships in UK, Sweden, India, Japan & Australia.

2. PayTM money receives approval of SEBI: Financial services platform Paytm announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Paytm Money, received approval of market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to become a registered investment advisor. The nod from Sebi will allow the company to roll out investment and wealth management products to consumers across the country.

SPORTS:

1. Australia lifted Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: World champions Australia has lifted the coveted Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey title by outplaying England 2-1 in the finals. Australia has now won the prestigious tournament for the 10th time. England had to settle with the silver medal while Argentina claimed the bronze medal. India finished a disappointed fifth in the six-nation tournament.

2. Akhil Sheoran won gold in shooting: Akhil Sheoran clinched the gold medal in men’s 50m rifle 3-position after he shot 455.6 in the final to pip Austria’s Bernhard Pickl in second place with 452. Sheoran, thus, became the fourth young Indian shooter to win a medal on ISSF World Cup debut. This was India’s fourth gold medal at this World Cup and they sit at the top of the medals with a total of nine medals.

Daily GK Updates - 10th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. National Legislators’ Conference inaugurated: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated National Legislators Conference on the theme ‘We For Development’ in New Delhi. The motive of the conference is to bring MPs and MLAs on a single platform where ideas and plans for development can be exchanged. The conference will hold discussions on how women help in the development work being done for the country where ideas on projects and plans can be debated. NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant will give a presentation on the first day and the plenary will be presided over by Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai. Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu will address the concluding session.

2. French President arrives in India: French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in India on 9th March for a four-day visit. An agreement on the Jaitapur nuclear power plant, which is being built with French assistance, is expected to be signed during the visit. The two sides will also sign an agreement on co-development of a full-fledged satellite constellation in the maritime domain.

3. First cyber police station of Haryana established: The first cyber police station of Haryana has been established in Gurugram where cyber offences related cases will be registered. The cyber police station was inaugurated by the chief executive officer of Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA)

4. Raju and Chowdhary resign: Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State for Science and Technology Y S Chowdary submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The ministers have resigned but will continue to be a part of NDA. PM Modi will control the Civil Aviation Ministry.

5. National e-Mobility Programme launched: The objective of the National e-Mobility Programme is to provide an impetus to the entire e-mobility ecosystem including vehicle manufacturers, charging infrastructure companies, fleet operators etc. The Programme will be implemented by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) which will procure electric cars. The electric cars will replace existing diesel and petrol vehicles.

6. Suresh Prabhu given the charge of Aviation Ministry: Commerce and Industries Minister Suresh Prabhu given additional charge of the Civil Aviation Ministry. The President, as advised by the Prime Minister, has directed that Suresh Prabhu shall be assigned the charge of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, in addition to his existing portfolio.

Suresh Prabhu was the former Minister of Railways.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Sanjeev Gupta appointed as UK Skills Ambassador: Indian-origin steel tycoon Sanjeev Gupta appointed by Britain's Prince Charles as an official ambassador for the Industrial Cadets programme designed to nurture manufacturing skills. Mr. Gupta was appointed to the flagship programme to give children and young people the direct structured experience of the industry while still at school or college. The Industrial Cadets annual awards ceremony was held in London. Mr. Gupta is an Executive Chairman of UK-based GFG Alliance.

2. ISA targets 1000 GW of solar energy: The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is working for the deployment of over 1,000 GW of solar energy and aims to mobilise more than USD 1,000 billion into solar energy project by 2030. The International Energy Agency (IEA) also signed a joint partnership declaration with the ISA. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) will sign a joint partnership declaration on 11th March 2018.

OTHER UPDATES

DEFENCE:

1. ‘Juniper Cobra’ Israel-US joint military drill held: US and Israeli had launched the so-called “Juniper Cobra 2018” military drill that simulates a missile attack on Israel. It is the largest combat exercise between Israel and the US. Since 2001, Israeli and US forces have conducted a total of eight Juniper Cobra joint combat exercises, including the most recent exercise in February 2016.

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. Airtel Payments Bank fined Rs. 5 crore by RBI: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a fine of Rs 5 crores on Airtel Payments Bank for flouting Know Your Customer (KYC) norms and operating guidelines.  Airtel Payments Bank had opened customer accounts without a clear/specific consent of the customers. Know your customer is the process of the banks identifying and verifying the identity of its account holders.

SPORTS:

1. Virat Kohli appointed as the Brand Ambassador for Uber India: Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli named cab-hailing startup Uber's first Brand Ambassador in India. Kohli will also be involved in a series of marketing and customer experience initiatives.

2. Anjum Moudgil wins silver:  Anjum Moudgil won her first International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) World Cup Silver medal in the Women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions (3P) event at the Guadalajara, Mexico. This was India’s eighth medal of the competition and the first silver after having won three Golds and four Bronze medals. India still leads the medals tally with eight medals while China is in second place.

3. Jharkhand teenager, Gora Ho, gets gold at Asia Cup: Gora Ho, a teenager from the tribal belt of Jharkhand, won gold partnering Akash and Gaurav Lambe in the team recurve event at the Asia Cup. The trio beat Mongolia’s Adiyasuren Baasankhuu, Otgonbold Baatarkhuyag and Gantugs Jantsan by 27-26 in a tiebreaker match. With this India finished with three gold and two bronze medals at the Asia Cup Archery Stage 1 meet in Bangkok.

Daily GK Updates - 9th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. President gives Nari Shakti Puraskar: On the occasion of International Women’s Day, President Ram Nath Kovind conferred Nari Shakti Puraskars to 30 eminent women and  9 distinguished Institutions in recognition of their service towards society and women’s empowerment. Women and Organisations from fields of science, sport, art, etc have been awarded. The awardees were finalised by the Ministry of Woman and Child Development.

2. Prakriti to be 1st ITBP Woman Combat Officer: Prakriti has been inducted as the first direct-entry combat officer in the border guarding force, ITBP. She has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and is right now based in an ITBP unit in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh. The ITBP is the last of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to induct women officers in combat roles after the government first allowed it to enroll them in 2016.

3. Women Transforming India Awards 2018: The nominations for the Women Transforming India Awards were opened during the launch of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) at NITI Aayog. The theme of the Awards for the year 2018 is ‘Women and Entrepreneurship’. NITI’s flagship event, which it has organised in partnership with United Nations, will also have the collaboration of DICE Districts.

4. Diu becomes the first UT to run 100% on solar power: Diu has become the first and only Union Territory to be fully solar energy efficient. Diu has made expeditious progress in the field of solar power generation as it has become the first UT in the country where more than 100% of the energy requirement is met by solar power. Diu generates a total of 13 megawatts of electricity from solar power generating facilities daily.

5. Passive euthanasia gets legal sanction: The Supreme Court of India allowed passive euthanasia after citing that persons have right to die with dignity. The SC also allowed an individual to draft a living will specifying that they not be put on life support if they slip into an incurable coma in the future. In a ‘living will’, a person can make a statement in advance that their life should not be prolonged by putting ventilator.

6. Government launches ‘SUVIDHA’: The government announced the launch of ‘Suvidha’, the 100% Oxo-biodegradable Sanitary Napkin, under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP). SUVIDHA napkins would be physically available at all Janaushadhi Kendras in the country by May 28, 2018 – World Menstrual Hygiene Day. It would ensure ‘Swachhta, Swasthya and Suvidha’ for the underprivileged Women of India.

7. ‘WINGS INDIA 2018’ Event: The four-day biennial event ‘WINGS INDIA 2018′, jointly organized by Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airport Authority of India and FICCI took off in Hyderabad. WINGS INDIA 2018 is a platform for interactions, forging alliances, investments and air connectivity between the States and the global aviation players & stakeholders. The theme of the event is ‘India-Global Aviation Hub’.

8. Mumbai gets 47th rank in wealth index and 16th amongst the costliest global cities: Mumbai ranks 47 on the “city wealth index” of 314 global cities in the Knight Frank Wealth Report 2018. The “city wealth index” is drawn from four major indicators — wealth, investments, lifestyle and future. Mumbai ranked 16th among the top 20 costliest global cities.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. EIB to invest in clean energy projects in India: European Investment Bank (EIB) will be signing a new loan for large and small clean energy projects all over India. The EIB is the world’s biggest financier of climate action and clean energy projects. In 2017 the EIB invested EUR 19.6bn in climate action projects. The EIB signed a partnership with the International Solar Alliance aimed at supporting the initiative.

2. Hinglish to be taught in UK: UK's Portsmouth College has offered to teach its students 'Hinglish', a mix of Hindi and English languages, becoming the country's first educational institution to do so. The course is being introduced partly due to India's growing economic importance and to prepare British students who may take up jobs in India or in Indian companies based in the UK.

OTHER UPDATES

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. Planctopirus hydrilla, new antibiotic, discovered by scientists: A novel species of a bacterium that produces antibiotic has been discovered by a professor at the University of Hyderabad (UoH) and his researchers. The newly discovered bacterium, Planctopirus hydrilla, may provide a solution to the problem of diseases becoming resistant to a majority of known drugs. The new bacteria would also clean up ammonia waste, a growing environmental concern.

SPORTS:

1. Dharun breaks national record in hurdles: Ayyasamy Dharun broke the men’s 400m hurdles national record and in the process grabbed a Commonwealth Games ticket on the concluding day of the 22nd Federation Cup National Senior Championships. Dharun erased Joseph G Abraham’s over 10-year-old earlier national record of 49.94 made in August 2007 in Osaka.

2. Commonwealth Point of Light award: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II recognised Srishti Bakshi from India as the 26th  Commonwealth Point of Light in honour of her exceptional service to empowering women in India. Srishti is the founder of the CrossBow Miles movement. Srishti leads workshops for women in rural communities on digital and financial literacy, leadership and health.

3. Virat Kohli named first Brand Ambassador for Uber India: Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli has been named cab-hailing startup Uber’s first Brand Ambassador in India. Kohli will also be involved in a series of marketing and customer experience initiatives.

4. ISSF World Cup 2018- Anjum Moudgil Wins Silver: Indian shooter Anjum Moudgil clinched a silver medal in the women’s 50m Rifle 3 Positions event at the ongoing ISSF World Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico. It was Anjum’s first World Cup medal. Former junior world champion China’s Ruijiao Pei won the Gold Medal in that event. India thus remained on top of the medals tally with eight medals, while China is in second with two gold, two silver, one bronze.

Daily GK Updates - 8th March, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Swachh Shakti 2018: The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, in association with the Government of Uttar Pradesh, is organizing a Women’s Convention – called Swachh Shakti 2018 on International Women’s Day on 8th March at Lucknow. Uttar Pradesh will be hosting Swachh Shakti 2018 as the largest State in the country. Swachh Shakti 2018 will provide momentum to the sanitation coverage in Uttar Pradesh.

2. PM Launches National Nutrition Mission and Pan India Expansion Of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: On the occasion of International Women’s Day, PM Narendra Modi launched the National Nutrition Mission (NNM) and Pan India Expansion of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) covering all 640 districts of the Country at a mega event held at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan. NNM has been set up with a three year budget of Rs.9046.17 crore commencing from 2017-18. The NNM is a comprehensive approach towards raising nutrition level in the country on a war footing. The Prime Minister also awarded ten districts for showing outstanding performance in the areas of effective community engagement, enforcement of PC&PNDT Act and enabling the education of the girl child.

3. Karnataka Government Unveils Official State Flag: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah accepted a nine-member committee’s design for the proposed official state flag. The committee was set up last year to examine the legal feasibility of an official state flag after demands by pro-Kannada activists. If the Centre approves the proposal, Karnataka will be the second state to have a separate flag, after Jammu and Kashmir.

4. Dearness Allowance for Central Govt employees hiked: The Cabinet approved a hike in Dearness Allowance to central government employees and Dearness Relief to pensioners from 5% to 7%, with effect from January 1, 2018. It represents an increase of 2%. The hike is expected to benefit 48.41 lakh central government employees and 61.17 lakh pensioners. The impact on the exchequer over the DA hike will be ₹6,077 crore per annum.

5. Udyam Sakhi Portal Launched For Women Entrepreneurs: On the occasion of International Women’s Day the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) launched a portal for women entrepreneurs of India: www.udyamsakhi.org. The portal was unveiled by the Minister of State (I/C) of MSME, Giriraj Singh, in a program in New Delhi. The portal is a network for nurturing entrepreneurship and creating business models for low cost products and services in order to empower women and make them self-reliant and self-sufficient.

6. Delhi Govt. to install Panic Alarm System in each state-run bus: On the International Women’s Day, the Delhi government has announced a project under which state-run buses would be installed with Panic Alarm Systems. Each bus will be equipped with 4 panic buttons that cover the entire length of the vehicle. A loud beeping alarm will be activated for 40 seconds on pressing the button.

7. ‘Vision For Future’ Event To Marks 70 Years Of Indo-Russia Ties Held In New Delhi: An event named ‘Vision for Future’ was held in New Delhi to commemorate 70 years of the Indo-Russia ties. The event sought to expose the youth to the dynamic opportunities of cooperation between the two countries. The program inaugurated at the Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra was organised by the Ministry of External Affairs (Eurasia Division) and the International Federation of Indo-Russian Youth Clubs.

8. Sanitary Pads for women at Rs. 2.50: The Central government launched biodegradable sanitary napkins under the name ‘Suvidha’, priced at ₹2.50 per pad, which will be available at Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) Kendras. The sanitary napkins will be available in a pack of four pads for Rs. 10 across over 3,200 PMBJP Kendras by May 28, 2018.  

9. enTTech 2018 inaugurated in Mumbai: India’s biggest Media & Entertainment Services Market – enTTech 2018 was inaugurated in Mumbai. The market, spread over two days (March 7 – 8, 2018) will see fast matchmaking between 100 international delegates and their Indian counterparts. The event was organized by SEPC in association with MEAI and TVAGA and supported by the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

10. LED Gram Light Training Programme launched: Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat launched a programme for women self-help groups at Thano. The 5-day programme named LED Gram Light Training programme will train 50 women from 10 SHGS in making LED bulbs, tubelights and chandeliers and help them stand on their own feet. It will boost the sale of local products and will also help in stoping sale of Chinese items of home decor.

11. Indian architect BV Doshi wins Pritzker: Balkrishna Doshi, the legendary Indian architect is being honoured with the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the Nobel equivalent for the field. He is the 45th Pritzker laureate and the first from India. The international prize, established by Chicago’s Pritzker family in 1979, bestows laureates with $100,000 along with a bronze medallion.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. International Women’s Day 2018 observed: International Women’s Day is dedicated to celebrating womanhood, their social, political, cultural, economic achievements and their significant contributions to society. The day also emphasises the importance of gender equality. Before the UN adopted it in 1977, the day was mostly celebrated in socialist and Communist countries. This year, the theme is #PressforProgress.

2. World ATM Congress 2018 Held in Spain: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) is participating in World ATM Congress (WATMC) 2018 being held in Spain. Now entering its sixth year, World ATM Congress is the world’s largest international air traffic management (ATM) exhibition and conference attracting thousands of delegates each year. The AAI is showcasing its achievements and initiatives, through a stall at the conference which was inaugurated by A.K. Dutta, Member (ANS), AAI.

OTHER UPDATES

BANKING / FINANCE:

1. RBI imposes penalty on SBI: The Reserve Bank of India has imposed a monetary fine of Rs 40 lakh on the country’s biggest lender the State Bank of India over counterfeit notes. After Inspection RBI found a violation of its instructions issued on the detection and impounding of counterfeit notes.

BUSINESS / ECONOMY:

1. Airtel acquires India leg of GBI cables: Telecom major Bharti Airtel acquired India leg of Gulf Bridge International submarine cable which will boost its data carrying capacity. Under the agreement, Airtel will acquire the ownership of the India leg of GBI’s India-Middle East-Europe submarine cable. This will also complement Airtel’s existing global network spanning 250,000 kms with presence in 50 countries.

2. Paytm now registered investment advisor: Financial services platform Paytm’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Paytm Money has received approval from market regulator SEBI to become a Registered Investment Advisor. The nod from the SEBI will allow the company to roll out investment and wealth management products to consumers across the country. The platform has planned to start with direct plan mutual funds investments with zero commission.

3. Indian startups raise funds via bitcoins: Initial coin offerings (ICOs) are emerging as a new way of raising funds for startups. An ICO is based on cryptocurrencies and is a mix of an initial public offer (IPO) and crowdfunding. Startups have managed to raise as much as $200 million in a single round of funding through ICOs. Instead of granting shares in the company, the issuer will create crypto-tokens to give out to investors.