Daily GK Updates - 23rd May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. New scheme introduced by IRCTC : Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation has introduced VIKALP scheme for passengers in wait-listing to provide berth in another train.Under the scheme, passengers from all classes & trains can select 5 trains, however, the scheme does not guarantee a confirmed berth. Passengers should be prepared as they can be shifted to another train leaving even 12 hours prior to the booked one.

2. A historic moment for Arunachal Pradesh : A 42 seater ATR Aircraft of Alliance air landed in Arunachal Pradesh carrying CM Pema Khandu and 24 other passengers.This is a history in making since this is the state’s first commercial flight.This new commercial flight would develop new prospects of economic development in this region.The flights will be operated thrice a week.

3. Pravin Agrawal appointed BHEL director : Power equipment maker Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited has appointed Pravin L Agrawal as the part-time official director on its board.An Indian Forest Service officer, Agrawal is presently joint secretary in the Department of Heavy Industry (DHI), Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.Established in 1964, BHEL is India’s largest power generation equipment manufacturer.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 3rd Mission Innovation Ministerial in Sweden : India will be participating in the 3^rd Mission Innovation Ministerial that will be held at Malmo-Sweden.Mission Innovation is a global platform of 23 countries & EU aimed at accelerating clean energy innovations through enhanced government funding, public-private sector partnership & enhanced global cooperation.India is the founding member of Mission Innovation & part of Steering Committee

2. 71st World Health Assembly held in Geneva : The 71^st Session of the WHO’s World Health Assembly will be held in Geneva, Switzerland from 21 to 26 May 2018.The WHA will be attended by delegations from all WHO Member States, the Indian Delegation will be led by Union Health Minister of India, J P Nadda.The theme chosen for World Health Assembly 2018 is “Health for All: Commit To Universal Health Coverage

3. Indonesia’s active volcano shows danger signs : Mount Merapi, Indonesia’s active volcano on Java island has shown dangers with small eruptions.The last eruption from this volcano killed more than 350 people in 2010.Any public activity including hiking within 3km of radius has been prohibited and villagers nearby have been asked to leave.

4. Olga Wins Man Booker International Prize : “Flights”, a philosophical rumination on modern-day travel by the Polish author Olga Tokarczuk, won the Man Booker International Prize for works of translated fiction.The Man Booker International Prize is awarded by the same organization that gives the Man Booker Prize for fiction.It is for a single work of fiction that has been translated into English and published in the United Kingdom.

5. IAF Chief Dhanoa began 4-day visit to Israel : Chief of Air Staff BS Dhanoa has begun a 4-day visit to Israel with an aim to enhance cooperation between air forces of the two countries.He will attend a conference themed ‘Air superiority as a bridge to regional stability’ which is being organized as part of 70th-anniversary celebrations of Israel Air Force.Air forces of both the countries have been enhancing cooperation over the years.

6. NYSE to have its first female leader : The New York Stock Exchange has appointed Chief Operating Officer Stacey Cunningham as its first female president.Cunningham will replace Tom Farley as the head of NYSE.Cunningham became NYSE’s chief operating officer in June 2015.NYSE’s move means two of the top three US stock exchange operators are led by women.

7. Malaysia gets its first Sikh minister : Gobind Singh Deo, an Indian-origin Sikh politician in Malaysia, has become a cabinet minister.He is the first member of the minority community in Malaysia’s history to be appointed as a minister.He has been given the communications and multimedia portfolio.He is among the two politicians of Indian descent that have been included in the Pakatan Harapan coalition’s Cabinet.

8.International Day for Biological Diversity : International Day for Biological Diversity is celebrated annually on May 22 to make people aware of the importance of biodiversity issues.This date commemorates the date of Adoption of the Agreed Text of the Convention on Biological Diversity at Nairobi on 22 May 1992.Theme chosen for International Day for Biological Diversity 2018 is “Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity”.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Finance Ministry ties with 40 entities : In order to extend loans under the Mudra scheme, Finance Ministry has tied up with 40 entities including Amul & Flipkart.These companies will identify people who need loans under Mudra Yojana, underwrite them and we will extend loans under the scheme.Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana was launched in 2015, for providing loans of up to Rs 10 lakh to non-corporate, non-farm small/micro enterprises.

2. BNPM to increase bank note paper production : The government’s Bank Note Paper Mill India (BNPM) has received green signal to increase the production of bank note paper at its Mysuru unit in Karnataka.The production of bank note paper has been increased from 12,000 tonnes per annum to 16,000 tonnes per annum.The raw material used for manufacturing of currency paper is 100% cotton sourced from neighbouring countries.

DEFENCE:

1. India became a major US defence partner : India’s status as a major defence partner of the US and strong US-India strategic partnership was affirmed by both nations at the Argentina Meet.Meeting on the sidelines of the G20 ministerial meeting in Buenos Aires, the 2 nations discussed the agenda for the forthcoming 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue.India and US also discussed opportunities to advance stability in Afghanistan.

Daily GK Updates - 22nd May. 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Bhosle to be conferred with Banga Bibhushan : Asha Bhosle will be conferred with the highest civilian award of West Bengal, the Banga Bibhushan, by the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.She has done playback singing for over a thousand Bollywood movies & has sung in over 20 Indian & foreign languages.Bengal government in 2011 instituted Banga Bibhushan award to recognize the services of eminent personalities from their respective fields.

2. First advisory centre for energy regulation : Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur has set up first of its kind Centre for Energy Regulation in the country to strengthen policy and regulatory limitations in energy and power sector.The centre has been set up with the assistance of the UK government.The centre would develop a regulatory database to enable stakeholders in taking more informed decisions.

3. National registry of crimes against women : National Crime Records Bureau is in the process of creating a national registry of crimes against women.The move comes against the backdrop of an around 3% increase in crimes against women and a 12% rise in incidents of rape in 2016 as compared to 2015.Majority of cases categorised as crimes against women were reported under “cruelty by husband or his relatives”.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 100% business ownership to foreign investors : United Arab Emirates Cabinet has approved a plan to allow foreign investors to own 100% of UAE-based businesses by end of 2018.At present, foreigners generally cannot own more than 49 percent of any UAE firm unless it is incorporated in a special “free zone”.The decision is part of a wider change to the system that would grant residency visas of up to 10 years to investors and specialists.

2. Venezuela’s Maduro won presidential vote : Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro won a new six-year term in what is being seen as a controversial vote.Country’s main opposition coalition, Democratic Unity Roundtable, had boycotted the election.The two most popular opposition leaders, Henrique Capriles and Leopoldo Lopez, were barred from running in the vote.Several democratic countries have rejected to recognize the vote.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. BoB launched MSME factory in Gurgaon : Bank of Baroda has launched its first integrated SME Loan Factory in Gurgaon to cater the needs of MSME segment in NCR.It will function as a One Stop Shop’ for MSME customers and will provide end to end solutions viz. acquisition, processing, disbursement & relationship management.BoB has also decided to centralize Government Sponsored Schemes loan processing at the district level.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1. Facts about the Nipah virus : According to WHO, the Nipah virus infection is a newly emerging zoonosis, that is, a disease transmitted from animals to humans.The virus belongs to a new genus termed Henipavirus (subfamily Paramyxovirinae).The symptoms of Nipah are similar to that of influenza: fever, muscle pain, and respiratory problems.The Nipah virus has so far lead to 3 deaths in Kerala.

2. Satellite to explore dark side of moon : China has launched a relay satellite “Queqiao” designed to establish a communication link between earth and a planned lunar probe that will explore the dark side of the moon.The launch is a key step for China to realize its goal of being the first country to send a probe to soft-land on & rove the far side of the moon.It will be the world’s 1^st communication satellite operating from moon.

DEFENCE:

1. Artificial Intelligence in defence forces : India has decided to include Artificial Intelligence in its defence forces with an aim to enhance the operational preparedness of the armed forces.A task force has been set up under the chairmanship of N. Chandrasekaran to finalise the specifics & framework of the project.Major countries like Russia, US & China are taking steps to ensure that their defence systems are fully empowered by AI.

2. India test-fired BrahMos supersonic cruise : India has successfully test-fired the Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from a test range along the Odisha coast.Trial was conducted to validate its “life extension” technologies developed for the first time in India by DRDO and team BrahMos.The successful test will result in huge savings of replacement cost of missiles held in the inventory of the Armed Forces.

SPORTS:

1. 1st international football tournament in Iraq : Iraq will host a West Asia Football Federation championship in Basra in November 2018, the first international tournament to be staged in the country since the 1990s.Iraq has not played competitive internationals on home turf since its 1990 invasion of Kuwait.In March 2018, FIFA decided to lift a 30-year-old ban from Iraq on hosting the international football.

2. Pawan Singh named RTS Jury chief : India’s former shooter & national coach Pawan Singh has been appointed as the Chairman of Result Timing Score Jury by the International Shooting Sports Federation for the ISSF World Cup in Munich.With this appointment, Singh became the first Indian to chair the RTS Jury at a senior World Cup.He would be responsible to resolve any score related issue and provide an accurate result on time.

3. Messi won European Golden Shoe : Barcelona striker Lionel Messi has won his 5^th European Golden Shoe after his team defeated Real Sociedad in their final La Liga match of the season.Messi won the award with 34 goals, for a total of 68 points during the 2017-18 season.Messi is the only player to have won the European Golden Shoe 5 times.4-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo finished 9^th after scoring 26 goals for Real Madrid.

4. Nadal won 8th Rome Masters 2018 : Rafael Nadal won the Rome Masters for the 8^th time after he defeated the defending champion Alexander Zverev 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 in the finals.The win is Nadal’s 78th ATP Tour title and takes him clear of John McEnroe into 4^th place in the list of most men’s titles won in the Open era.The victory means Nadal will reclaim the Number 1 ranking from Federer.

Daily GK Updates - 21st May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India to hold naval exercise with Vietnam : 3 Indian warships namely – INS Sahyadri, INS Shakti & INS Kamorta entered into Tien Sa Port, Vietnam on May 21.A professional interaction will be held between personnel of the two navies as well as official calls & interaction with dignitaries of the Vietnamese government.On completion of the harbour phase, warships from the two navies would conduct their 1^st joint naval exercise.

2. Chatra Parivahan Suraksha Yojana : Haryana government is going to launch Chatra Parivahan Suraksha Yojana for the safety of girls.Under this scheme, all the girl students will get free travel facility from their home to their educational institutions.The primary objective of this scheme is to ensure that the girls feel secure at public places, workplaces and while traveling.

3. CSC to reach 2.50 lakh gram panchayats : The network of Common Service Centres (CSCs) are set to be expanded to 2.50 lakh gram panchayats by the end of 2018.Common Service Centres (CSCs) provides electronic services in banking, insurance, passport seva, telemedicine and pensions to villages in India.The CSC model has adopted six villages in the country in the pilot phase.

4. Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency got award : Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency (TNeGA) has received an award for promoting ease of doing business.TNeGA developed an investor facilitation portal that provides single window clearance to industrial proposals in the state.The award was given in recognition of simplification of procedure and ease with whichclearances from various authorities can be procured by a business.

5. Exercise ‘Gandiv Vijay’ in Rajasthan : Thousands of soldiers with warfighting equipment of South Western Command’s Chetak corps are engaged in intensive training in Mahajan field firing ranges of Rajasthan under exercise ‘Gandiv Vijay’.The exercise, which began two months ago, will conclude on May 23.The exercise involves multi-mode mobilization from dispersed locations.

6. Aadhaar, PAN mandatory for broker license : The revenue department has made Aadhaar and PAN mandatory for persons seeking a customs broker license.Customs broker is a person licensed to act as an agent on behalf of importer/exporter for a transaction of business relating to entry or departure of conveyances or goods at any customs station.The license is issued by the Directorate General of Performance Management.

7. Anti Terrorism Day observed on May 21 : Anti Terrorism Day is observed every year throughout the country on May 21.The Day is observed to generate awareness in the country among all sections of people, about the danger of terrorism and violence and its effect on the people, society and the country as a whole.Anti-terrorism pledge is taken in all Government offices, public sector undertakings and other public institutions.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Paraguay officially moves embassy to Jerusalem : Paraguayan President Horacio Cartes has inaugurated his country’s Israel embassy in Jerusalem.Paraguay is now the third country to move its embassy to Jerusalem, following the United States and Guatemala.Israel considers the entire city of Jerusalem to be its capital, while the Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

2. Nepal to shut India’s field office : Nepal has decided to close Indian Embassy’s field office in Biratnagar in the near future as it has “outlived its purpose”.India was permitted to set up a temporary field office in 2008 to issue passes to vehicles for plying on Indian roads in the bordering regions after Koshi floods damaged a 17-km stretch of east-west highway.Nepali had also tried to remove the field office 6 years ago.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. India Sixth Wealthiest Country : India is the sixth wealthiest country in the world with a total wealth of US $8,230 billion.The US is the wealthiest country in the world with a total wealth of US $62,584 billion, according to the AfrAsia Bank Global Wealth Migration Review.Total wealth refers to the private wealth held by all the individuals living in each country. It includes all their assets less any liabilities.

DEFENCE:

1. CRPF raises ‘Bastariya Battalion’ : In a bid to enhance combat capabilities in Naxal-hit area of Bastar district in Chhattisgarh, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), for the first time, has decided to include local representation in a special unit.The special unit has been numbered as 241 and named as ‘Bastariya Battalion’.All the candidates have been selected from four highly Naxal infested district in Chhattisgarh.

2. INSV Tarini all set to return on May 21 : Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini is all set to complete its circumnavigation of the globe and return to Goa on May 21.INSV Tarini was set out for sail on September 10, 2017 from Goa.It is the first Indian all-women crew to circumnavigate the globe.The expedition titled ‘Navika Sagar Parikrama’, is aimed at promoting women empowerment..

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1. NASA’s hunting probe completed lunar flyby : NASA’s latest planet-hunting satellite has successfully completed a lunar flyby, passing about 8,000 kilometers from the Moon.It beamed back a test image revealing more than 200 thousand stars.

The flyby provided a gravity assist that helped the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) sail toward its final working orbit.TESS is NASA’s search for planets outside our solar system.

Daily GK Updates - 20th May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Anil Kumar Jha appointed CMD of Coal India Ltd : Anil Kumar Jha has been appointed as the Chairman-Cum-Managing director (CMD) of Coal India Limited.Anil Kumar is at present the CMD of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd.Anil Kumar will replace acting chairman Suresh Kumar, an IAS officer, who has been holding the post of additional secretary at the ministry of coal.CIL is a state-owned coal mining company headquartered in Kolkata.

2. Train connecting NE to the west coast began : The Northeast Frontier Railway has started operating one lease Parcel Cargo Express Train (PCET) on fortnightly basis, connecting Northeastern part of the country to the West Coast.The route of this Parcel Cargo Express Train is – New Guwahati in Assam to Kalyan in Maharashtra.The PCET has been started in line with the Government’s priority to provide connectivity to the Northeast region.

3. Free treatment for victims of road accident : Gujarat government has decided to take the financial responsibility of the accident cases within its state limits.The government will provide up to Rs. 50,000 in medical treatment for the first 48 hours for each individual who meets with a road accident in the state.The free treatment will entail the initial first aid, X-ray, treatment in ICU along with all the other emergency facilities.

4. Yeddyurappa resigns as Karnataka CM : The Karnataka government led by B.S. Yeddyurappa resigned before facing a crucial trust vote in the assembly.The floor test was to be conducted after Congress-JD (S) alliance claimed the right to form the government on the basis of the 117 seats it had.BJP with 104 seats, was eight short of the majority-mark of 111.

5. Kishanganga hydropower project inaugurated : PM Modi has dedicated 330 MW Kishanganga hydropower project in Jammu and Kashmir to the nation.Kishanganga hydropower project will provide 13% free power to J&K including 1% for local area development fund amounting to around Rs 133 crore per year.The project was delayed for several years as Pakistan dragged India to International Court of Arbitration, which ruled in India’s favour in 2013

6. International Museum Day : International Museum Day is held every year on or around 18 May, coordinated by the International Council of Museums.It aims to raise awareness of the fact that, Museums are an important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures & development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples.Theme chosen for 2018 is “Hyperconnected museums: New approaches, new publics”.

7. AYUSH to be adopted as a word : Commission for Scientific & Technical Terminology has decided to adopt the acronym “AYUSH” as a word, both in English & Hindi languages, for scientific and technical purposes.AYUSH became popular as the acronym for 5 traditional systems of medicine – Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.CSTT adopted the acronym as a word based on a proposal of the Ministry of AYUSH

8. Amit Khare appointed as new I&B secretary : Senior bureaucrat Amit Khare has been appointed as the new Secretary of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.Khare, a 1985-batch IAS officer, is at present serving in his cadre state Jharkhand.He had in June 1996 reportedly exposed the multi-crore fodder scam, involving the then Chief Minister of Bihar, Lalu Prasad.He will take over the charge from incumbent NK Sinha.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World’s first floating nuclear power station : Russia has unveiled the world’s first floating nuclear power station to meet its growing electricity needs.The ship holds two 35 megawatt nuclear reactors that can produce enough electricity to power a town of 200,000 residents.It will be primarily used to power oil rigs as Russia pushes further north into the Arctic to drill for oil and gas and needs electricity in far-flung locations.

2. Jagriti Yatra won charity award in UK : Jagriti Yatra, an Indian charity that organises train journeys to understand & build India of smaller towns & villages has won an award in London.It was among a series of worldwide charities and individuals recognised for their impact on their communities at the Asian Voice Charity Awards.It organises 15-day train journeys, covering 800 km for 400 change-makers across India every year.

3. Netherlands PM to visit India : Prime Minister of Netherlands Mark Rutte will visit India on May 24 & 25 with an aim to boost the economic and political cooperation between the 2 countries.It will be Rutte’s second visit to India since June 2015 but the first after being re-elected as Prime Minister in 2017.Netherlands is the 5^th largest investor in India with a cumulative investment of $23 billion from 2000 to Dec 2017.

4. UN to send War Crimes Investigators to Gaza : UN Human Rights Council has voted to send a team of international War Crimes Investigators to probe the deadly shootings of Gaza protesters by Israeli forces.The resolution was backed by 29 members while 2 members US and Australia voted against and 14 abstained.Israel has defended the killing of protesters, saying it was acting in self-defence to protect its borders and communities.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. World Bank extends $300 million credit : The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved a $220 million loan and an $80 million (Rs 544 crore) guarantee for the India Energy Efficiency Scale-Up Program.The Program will be implemented by the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL).This will help scale up the deployment of energy saving measures in residential and public sectors, strengthen EESL’s institutional capacity.

SPORTS:

1. Simona Halep retained top spot in WTA rankings : Romanian tennis star Simona Halep has retained her numero-uno spot in the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Rankings.Halep maintains a lead of 425 points over second-placed Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark.After the 2017 Wimbledon Championships, Simona Halep became the active player with the most consecutive weeks within the Top 10.Halep started her 2018 season by winning the Shenzhen Open.

2. Rajinder Singh named Hockey India president : Rajinder Singh has been named the president of Hockey India, following Mariamma Koshy’s resignation from the post.He is currently the Senior Vice President of Hockey India.Koshy was appointed as the President of Hockey India in November 2016 following Narinder Batras decision to step down after being elected as the President of International Hockey Federation.

Daily GK Updates - 19th May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India saw 211 tuberculosis cases per 1 Lakh : According to the ‘World Health Statistics 2018’ released by World Health Organisation (WHO), India saw an estimated 211 cases of tuberculosis (TB) per 1,00,000 people in 2016,Nepal and Bhutan recorded fewer number of TB cases per 1,00,000 population than India.India has pledged to eradicate tuberculosis by 2025, five years ahead of the global target set by WHO.

2. Swraj Paul wins lifetime achievement award : NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul has received a lifetime achievement award for his contributions towards promoting brand India in UK.The founder of Caparo Group of industries, Paul was recognised at a UK & Asia Business Awards ceremony, organised by World Consulting & Research Corporation.He has also served as the deputy speaker of the Lords & was appointed to the Privy Council in 2009.

3. Ramalingam appointed as Chief Justice : Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar was sworn-in as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Manipur.The acting Governor of Manipur Jagdish Mukhi administered the oath of office to Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar.Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar was appointed as Chief Justice of Manipur High Court by the President of India.

4. Lalit Kala Akademi gets new Chairman : Artist and sculptor Uttam Pacharne has been appointed as the chairman of the Lalit Kala Akademi.Currently, he is ​a member of the advisory committee, Kala Academy, Goa.He is the recipient of National Lalit Kala Award and Maharashtra Gaurav Puraska from Government of Maharashtra.The Lalit Kala Akademi or National Academy of Art is India’s national academy of fine arts.

5. Youngest woman to scale Mt. Everest : Shivangi Pathak from Haryana has become youngest women of the country to scale Mt Everest.16-year-old Shivangi climbed the Mt Everest to spread the message that women could overcome any obstacle to achieve their goals.In 2014, 13-year-old Malavath Poorna from India had climbed Mt Everest from Tibet side and became the youngest girl in the world to the summit at Everest.

6. SC approves draft Cauvery Management Scheme : The Supreme Court approved the Centre’s draft Cauvery Management Scheme for smooth distribution of water among four southern riparian states.The scheme would deal with the issue of water share of the four states in different circumstances like normal and deficient water years in the Cauvery river basin.The top court had modified the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) award of 2007.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. First South Asian to be elected in Oregon : Indian American Susheela Jayapal has been elected as a member of the Board of Commissioners of Multnomah County in Oregon, USA.With this Susheela becomes first South Asian to be elected in Oregon.

Susheela, a political newcomer, will represent North and Northeast Portland commissioner’s seat.

2. Workshop on countering online radicalisation : European Union and National Investigation Agency organised a workshop in New Delhi in which Indian & European experts discussed various aspects of online radicalisation.The officers from both sides deliberated upon the processes that lead to radicalisation and recruitment.This workshop is the clear reflection that the EU and India are joining hands in the fight against terrorism.

3. CIA’s first female director : US Senate has approved Veteran spy Gina Haspel as CIA’s first female director.She replaces former CIA chief Mike Pompeo who was recently made Secretary of State.Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian foreign intelligence service of US federal government that analyses national security information from around the world.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. MPC to meet for three days from June 4 : The Reserve Bank of India has advanced the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting by a day to June 4 and also increased the duration to three days.It is for the first time that the MPC will meet for three days.The six-member MPC, headed by the RBI Governor, sets the benchmark interest rate.MPC was set up by amending the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, through the Finance Act 2016.

2. India Post customises affordable life policies : India Post plays an important role in financial services, reaching out in the rural areas with its large and efficient network.Postal Life Insurance extended insurance cover to the rural population under the banner ‘Rural Postal Life Insurance’ (RPLI) in 1995.This scheme is primarily meant for people residing in rural areas, especially women and small and marginal farmers.

3. RBI slaps fine on South Indian Bank : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has slapped a penalty of ₹ 50 million on South Indian Bank Limited for non-compliance with the directions issued by it.The non-compliance pertains to Income Recognition and Asset Classification (IRAC) norms, Know Your Customer norms and treasury function.Further, the bank is also pulled up for deficiencies in its compliance function and compliance culture.

DEFENCE:

1. TN to build India’s next generation aircraft : The Aeronautical Development Agency has set the ball rolling for building the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft by extending an invitation to private players in Tamil Nadu (TN).It is the first time an indigenous military aircraft programme is seeing the involvement of private players.It is also the first time a defence plane development project is proposed to be executed outside Bengaluru.

SPORTS:

1. Himanta elected Vice-President of BAC : The President of Badminton Association of India (BAI), Himanta Biswa Sarma was elected as the Vice-President of Badminton Asia Confederation (BAC).The election took place during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the continental body in Bangkok, Thailand.Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma became president of the Badminton Association of India in April 2018.

Daily GK Updates - 18th May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Cabinet approved setting up of NIMHR at Bhopal : Union Cabinet has approved setting up of a National Institute of Mental Health Rehabilitation at Bhopal.The main objectives of NIMHR are to provide rehabilitation services to people with mental illness and advanced research in mental health rehabilitation.Cabinet approved setting up of NIMHR under the aegis of Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.

2. Digitisation of dying languages : Centre and State Governments are working along with start-ups to provide regional language-related products and services.Languages like Ol Chiki script of Santali which is also one of the 22 official languages of India and Gondi language are gaining popularity due to this measure.The not-for-profit organisation ‘Indic Project’ has developed open source tools for language digitisation.

3. Anindita got Jayadev Rashtriya Yuva Puraskar : US-based Kathak dancer Anindita Anaam was honoured with the prestigious ‘Shri Jayadev Rashtriya Yuva Pratibha Puraskar 2018’ for outstanding contribution to the field of art.The award was presented to the Kathak exponent during the ‘Jayadev International Dance Festival’.The festival is organised under the aegis of Odisha’s culture department and National Culture Mission

4. Yudhvir Malik got extra charge of NHAI chief : Yudhvir Singh Malik, the Secretary of Ministry of Road, Transport, and Highways, has been given additional charge of the post of NHAI chairman.Deepak Kumar, the chairman of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), was sent back to his cadre state Bihar before completion of his tenure.Kumar, a 1984 IAS officer of Bihar cadre, had taken over as the NHAI chief on June 28 last year.

5. Development of ‘Freight Village’ in Haryana : Cabinet approved the development of trunk infrastructure components for the integrated multi-modal logistics hub known as ‘Freight Village’.They will be built at Nangal Chaudhary in Haryana under the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Project.Freight villages are logistics centers, where the cargoes from different transport modes can be reloaded, compiled and prepared for transportation.

6. Approval for central university in Andhra : The Union Cabinet has approved the setting up of a central university in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh, Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar said.A provision of ₹450 crore has been approved for the first phase of establishing the university.Andhra Pradesh had been left with no central university following its division into two states in 2014

7. Uttarakhand Cabinet held meeting in a boat : The Uttarakhand Cabinet organised a meeting in a boat named Marina on the Tehri Reservoir.Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat was present for the cabinet meeting.Notably, a cabinet meeting was held outside the capital of the state for the first time ever.Famous Tehri Dam is located on the river Bhagirathi.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India to attend SCO Culture Ministers’ meet : The Minister of State for Culture Dr. Mahesh Sharma will be attending Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Cultural Ministers Meeting at Sanya in China.It is the first time that India would be attending the SCO Culture Ministers’ Meeting.The meeting will showcase India’s initiatives to actively pursue cultural cooperation with other countries including SCO countries.

2. BRO built a road from India’s border to China : The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has created history by establishing a road link to India’s border with China beyond Limeking and along the Tama Chung Chung-Taksing Axis recently.The road from Limeking now connects TCC to Taksing, covering a distance of approximately 80 kilometers.BRO develops and maintains road networks in India’s border areas. It comes under the Ministry of Defence.

3. Cyclone Sagar formed over Gulf of Aden : A cyclonic storm named Sagar has formed in the Gulf of Aden.Cyclone Sagar is the first cyclonic storm of the season in Indian waters.Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea and is surrounded by Yemen, Djibouti and Somalia.Fishermen have been advised to not venture into Gulf of Aden and adjoining areas of Arabian Sea.

4. World Hypertension Day observed : World Hypertension Day was observed all over the world yesterday on May 17th, 2018.The objective of observing this day is increasing high blood pressure awareness in all populations around the world.The World Hypertension Day was first inaugurated in the year 2005 and has become an annual event ever since.The theme for this year is ‘Know Your Numbers’.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE :

1.RBI issues guidelines on NSFR : The RBI issued detailed Net Stable Funding Ratio (NSFR) guidelines to ensure that banks maintain a stable funding profile in relation to the composition of their assets and off-balance sheet activities.The guidelines on NSFR are in line with global norms prescribed by the Basel Committee.The NSFR would be applicable for Indian banks at the solo as well as consolidated level.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY :

1.Cabinet okays defence spectrum budget hike : The Cabinet Committee on Infrastructure approved increasing the budget for laying of ‘alternative communication network’ for defence services.The alternative communications network is being set up in lieu of airwaves vacated by the Defence Ministry for civilian use.The project is being implemented by state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL).

2. Coal linkage rationalisation for IPPs : The government has issued the guidelines to allow power producers to swap coal supply assurances against lowering tariffs.The one-time process will be available only to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) having coal linkages through the allotment route.Coal India, South Eastern Coalfields, and the Central Electricity Authority will jointly undertake this exercise.

SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY :

1.Frog Species found in Karnataka : The latest addition to India’s frog fauna is the narrow-mouthed frog named Microhyla kodial found in Mangaluru.The species has been named after the city of Mangaluru which is called kodial in the Konkani language.The greyish-brown frog is just 2 cm long.

DEFENCE :

1.China’s first privately developed rocket : China has launched its first privately developed rocket from a launchpad in northwestern China on 17 May.The launch of the “Chongqing Liangjiang Star” rocket marks the first launch of a non-state Chinese rocket.The rocket was launched by OneSpace Technology and it uses energy-saving technology, such as wireless communications.