Daily GK Updates - 21st June. 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.4th International Yoga Day : The 4th International Yoga day is being celebrated across the world. In India PM Narendra Modi started the event at Forest Research Institute, Dehradun.The theme for Yoga Day 2018 is “Yoga for Peace”.June 21 is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, hence day was selected by UN Assembly.The first International Day of Yoga was observed all over the world on June 21,2015.

2. India to construct war memorial in France : India will construct a war memorial at Villers Guislain to honour the valour and sacrifice of its soldiers, sailors and airmen who fought for peace in the World War-I.During the World War I, Villers-Guislain had witnessed a fierce battle in which the British Indian cavalry regiments were heavily involved.This will be the second such memorial in Europe after Neuve-Chapelle Indian Memorial

3. Telangana Police launched “Cop Connect” : The Telangana police have launched a mobile-based app ‘Cop Connect’, dedicated to provide real time information to over 60,000 police officers in the State.The internal messaging app, developed on the lines of WhatsApp but has no limitation like restricted number of users in a group.The app is secure as a separate server for this purpose in the data centre of the IT wing of the department.

4. KVIC adopts Jagatpur for Swachhata Abhiyaan : The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) has adopted Jagatpur village in Delhi for its Swachhata Abhiyaan. The sanitation drive by KVIC began with a plantation drive and ended with cleanliness drive along the bank of the Yamuna river.Under KVIC’s Swachhata Mission, the next cleanliness drive will be in Mumbai’s Juhu Beach.The current KVIC Chairman is Vinai Kumar Saxena.

5. Haryana to give kids ₹50 for planting trees : The Haryana government has decided to introduce a scheme under which school children will be given ₹50 for planting trees every six months for a period of three years.The scheme will cover students from Classes 6 to 12 of both government and private schools.

It will be launched on July 10.

6. J&K comes under Governor’s rule : Jammu and Kashmir came under Governor’s rule for the fourth time in a decade since Governor NN Vohra assumed the office on June 25, 2008.It is also the eighth time the state witnesses the Centre’s rule in the last 41 years.This comes after the BJP pulled out of the BJP-PDP coalition government in J&K.

7.Javadekar launched National Digital Library : HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar launched the National Digital Library of India.The library will become a single window platform for all educational needs.Users can register for free on the National Digital Library from Google Play store.The library can be accessed at ndl.iitkgp.ac.in.The library is an integrated platform for schools, colleges, universities, teachers, and students.

8. Punjab launched Mobile App- ‘I-Hariyali’ : The Punjab Government has launched a mobile application named ‘i-Hariyali’ aimed at increasing the state’s green cover.The mobile application would enable the users to order free plant saplings.The ‘i-Hariyali’ app, under ‘Mission Tandarust Punjab’ can be downloaded from the app store for free.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World’s 1st Humanitarian Forensics Centre : The world’s 1st International Humanitarian Forensics Centre was launched at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.It is a joint venture of International Committee of the Red Cross in India, Bhutan, Nepal and the Maldives.The Centre will conduct various academic and professional programmes, training, research and provide technical expertise to support operations in the field of humanitarian forensics.

2. Nepal, Bhutan spend more than India on health : India spends 1% of its gross domestic product on public health.According to the National Health Profile 2018 report, there is one allopathic doctor for 11,082 people in the country’s villages.Low-income nations like Bhutan and Nepal spend 2.5% and 1.1% of its GDP respectively on public health.India aims to increase its public health expenditure to 2.5% of the GDP by 2025.

3. 7,400 Indians sought asylum in the US in 2017 : At least 7,400 Indians sought asylum in the US last year, the UN refugee agency said.The UNHCR revealed in its annual Global Trends report that the US received the largest number of asylum requests, while the highest number of claims were filed by Afghan nationals.Wars, persecution and other violence led to the displacement of 68.5 million people globally.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. England set a new ODI world record with 481/6 : England made the highest one-day international total of 481-6 as they defeated Australia by 242 runs at Trent Bridge. The England broke their own record of 444-3 set against Pakistan in 2016 at same venue.With this the England captain, Eoin Morgan became the highest ODI run scorer for his country.This is England’s biggest ODI win and Australia’s heaviest defeat in terms of runs.

Daily GK Updates - 20th June, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India BPO promotion scheme : The Union government is planning to expand its BPO promotion scheme under the Digital India initiative.The government has proposed to more than double the number of seats under the scheme.The India BPO Promotion Scheme (IBPS), envisaged under Digital India Programme, seeks to incentivize establishment of 48,300 seats in respect of BPO/ITES operations across the country.

2. Anukreethy Vas crowned Miss India 2018 : Tamil Nadu’s Anukreethy Vas was named Miss India at the 55th Femina Miss India 2018.Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar, who won the title last year, crowned Anukreethy, who will go on to represent India at Miss World.Haryana’s Meenakshi Chaudhary stood second while Andhra Pradesh’s Shreya Rao Kamavarapu ranked third.Malaika Arora and Irfan Pathan were among the judges.

3. Free meal on Sunday in case of train delay : Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has said that free meals will be provided to passengers if trains get delayed by five-six hours because of maintenance works on tracks on a Sunday.“We are also considering free meals to passengers travelling on unreserved tickets,” Goyal added.The Railways will also rework its passenger train timetable to reflect all the planned traffic blocks.

4. Jammu & Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti Resigns : Jammu & Kashmir’s Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti submitted her resignation to the Governor after BJP announced to pull out of an alliance with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).The reason for the pullout was failure to control the situation in the state and meet its promises.

BJP’s General Secretary Ram Madhav also called for Governor’s rule in Jammu & Kashmir.

5.workshop on Cyber Security Framework 2018 : A workshop on cyber security for Department of Defence was organised by Department Defence Production, MoD. It was inaugurated by Defence Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman.The framework is in line with guidelines for organisations to target the area of cyber security and identify improvements in the area.Joint Secretary and Chief Information Security Officer of DDP is Dr Amit Sahai.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Pakistan has more nuclear warheads than India : Pakistan, with 140-150 nuclear warheads, is ahead of India which has 130-140 warheads, according to a report by global think-tank SIPRI.“India and Pakistan are both expanding their nuclear weapon stockpiles as well as developing new land-, sea- and air-based missile delivery systems,” the report stated.Meanwhile, US and Russia are on top with 6,450 and 6,850 warheads, respectively.

2. World Refugee Day : World Refugee Day, international observance observed June 20 each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world.On 4 December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly in Resolution 55/76 decided that, from 2001, 20 June would be celebrated as World Refugee Day.UNHCR host World Refugee Day events in order to draw the public’s attention.

3.India, Italy agreed to revitalise ties : India and Italy agreed to boost cooperation in counter-terrorism and cybersecurity as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met the top Italian leadership and discussed steps to revitalise bilateral ties.It was the first major political exchange between the two countries.Ms. Swaraj is there on the first leg of her seven-day tour of four European countries.

4.Google to train 8000 Indian journalist : Google will provide training to 8,000 journalists in English and six other Indian languages on fact checking.Training workshops will be conducted in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi and Kannada.Google News Initiative India Training Network will select 200 journalists from cities across India and train them during 5 day train-the-trainer boot camps.

5. SAARC launches social enterprise programme : SAARC Development Fund launches a social enterprise development programme (SEDP) to fund 80 entities annually across eight-member states.SDF was established in April 2010 and its council comprises finance ministers of these eight SAARC countries.The SDF CEO is Sunil MotiwalSDF has already committed $73.74 million for social window projects out of which it has disbursed $47 million.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANANCE:

1. ICICI Bank Names Sandeep Bakhshi As COO : The ICICI Bank board has appointed ICICI Prudential Life Insurance CEO Sandeep Bakhshi as whole-time director and chief operating officer (COO).It is a new top position at India’s second largest private bank, to steer all its businesses.Chanda Kochhar, ICICI Bank’s managing director and CEO will remain on leave until a committee investigating allegations of impropriety completes its work.

DEFENCE:

1. Dhanush artillery gun clears final trials : The indigenously upgraded artillery gun Dhanush has successfully completed final user trials and is ready for induction into the Army.Dhanush is an upgraded version of the Swedish Bofors gun procured by India in the mid-1980s.This was the third and final phase of user exploitation firings in which six Dhanush guns were fired in battery formation at the Pokhran field firing range.

Daily GK Updates - 19th June, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Nitin Gadkari to attend water conference : Union Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation & Shipping, Nitin Gadkari is going to attend a conference on International Decade for Action: Water for sustainable development 2018 – 2028.It is being held in Dushanbe, Tajikistan from 20-21 June.It aims to promote national & international action on integrated and sustainable water resource management worldwide.

2. Yoga Ambassador tour in Kerala : Around 60 yoga exponents from 22 countries would participate in yoga ambassador tour in Idukki district of Kerala.The tour has been organised by Association of Tourism Trade Organisation, India (ATTOI) in association with Ministry of Ayush and Kerala tourism and will conclude on 21st June.The tour was inaugurated by Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State, Ministry of AYUSH.

3. 11th Common Review Mission report : Shri Ashwini Choubey, Minister of Health and Family welfare released the 11th Common Review Mission (CRM) report.The report stated that the country had registered 22% reduction to 130 from 167 in Maternal Mortality rate (MMR) since 2013.The report also focussed on creation and conversion of Sub health centers as health and wellness centers (HWC) to achieve the aim of 150000 HWC by 2022.

4. Inter-governmental meeting on anti-doping : The 15th annual Asia and Oceania region inter-governmental  meeting on Anti-doping begins in Colombo, Sri Lanka.The 2 day meeting would be based on how to ensure compliance with world anti-doping code, support capacity building & also conduct research to prevent athletes falling victims to doping.World Anti – Doping Agency (WADA) is the governing body with its president Sir Craig Reedie.

5. Govt agrees with Google for flood forecasting : Central Water Commission, India’s apex technical organization in the field of Water Resources, has entered into a Collaboration Agreement with Google.CWC would use state-of-the-art advances made by Google in the in the field of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and geospatial mapping for effective management of water resources.It will give flood-related information to the masses.

6. 3-day national yoga olympiad-2018 : A 3-day National Yoga Olympiad was inaugurated at the National Council of Educational Research and Training in CIET in New Delhi.This is the third consecutive year of National Yoga Olympiad of NCERT and this year about 500 students from 26 States and 4 RIEs are participating.Two books – Joy of Theatre and Sangeet — training packages were released on the occasion.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Brazil & India firm most vulnerable to hikes : According to a report from Mckinsey Global Institute, a 200 basis-point increase in interest rate would spark a sharp price in corporate debt especially in case of Brazilian and Indian firms.This is seen as central banks of many emerging economies have raised interest rates, a similar thing done by RBI.It also said advanced economies would be protected from such increase of interest.

2. Goa and Hawaii to sign sister agreement : The government of Goa and US state of Hawaii will sign a sister agreement as the draft was cleared by State Cabinet.This would enhance the cooperation between Goa and Hawaii and would include areas such as trade, tourism, sports, technology, yoga, skill development, agriculture and Ayurveda.This would also boost the infrastructure project such as Mandovi river project & Zuari river bridge

3. Jeff Bezos becomes richest man in the world : Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos becomes the richest man in the world with a net worth of USD 141.9 billion according to the Forbes world’s billionaire list.Bezos beat the principal founder of Microsoft Corp. Bill Gates, who is the second richest man with a total wealth of USD 92.9 billion.Bezos’ company Amazon has now become the second most valuable company in the world after Apple.

4. 7th OPEC international Seminar : The Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Skill development & Entreprenuership Dharmendra Pradhan to participate in the 7th OPEC International seminar as a special guest in Vienna, Austria on 19th June.The visit is crucial as global oil prices are at highest since 2014 and are impacting India’s increasing economy.He will also be visiting Germany and will take part in a yoga event.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. IRDAI set up panel to review marketing firms : IRDAI has formed a panel to review the regulations pertaining to insurance marketing firms.The committee is headed by Suresh Mathur, Executive Director, IRDAI, with nine more members.The new distribution channel of insurance marketing firms was introduced in 2015 by IRDAI, with the objective of increasing insurance penetration in the country through an area-wise registration approach.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1.Bank credit rises 3.4% in Dec. 2017 quarter : Bank credit grew 3.4% on a sequential basis in the December 2017 quarter.It was due to better performance by private sector banks and an uptick in industrial credit after two successive quarters of declines, according to the Reserve Bank data.At the end of the December quarter, bank credit stood at ₹80.62 trillion compared with ₹77.95 trillion in the Sept 2017 quarter as per the RBI data.

Daily GK Updates - 18th June, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 4th Meeting of Governing council – NITI Aayog : The 4th meeting of governing council of NITI Aayog was held in New Delhi chaired by PM Narendra Modi.The meeting aimed to double the farmers’ income and progress of flagship scheme such as Ayushman Bharat, National Nutrition Mission and Mission Indradhanush.It planned for a 3 year action plan to develop a new agenda for “New India 2022.

2. Yoga Camp at Muktinath Temple : The 4th international Yoga day in Nepal was celebrated by locals by participating at Yoga camp at Muktinath Temple at a height of 12500 feet above sea level.The yoga camp was organised by Indian embassy in Kathmandu.The International yoga day is celebrated on 21st June each year since 2015 and was declared unanimously by United Nations General Assembly.

3. AP’s largest petroglyph site at Kandanathi : Dr. Raghu of Yogi Vemmana university has discovered Andhra Pradesh’s largest petroglyph site at Kandanathi.The site has nearly 200 engravings, peckings that belong to Mesolithic, Neolithic period.The petroglyph at Kandanathi reveal the presence of the Boya community divided into groups – Mandla (herdsmen) and Yenubothula (buffalomen).

4. Universities to hold convocation every year : The HRD Ministry has written to all universities mandating them to hold convocation every year after few universities were found skipping the event.“The event carries a huge significance for graduating students and is a moment of pride for their families,” officials said.Interestingly, Jawaharlal Nehru University recently held its second convocation, 46 years after its first convocation.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Ivan Duque became Colombia’s President : Colombia has chosen Ivan Duque to be its next president after a long and divisive campaign that often centred on a controversial peace process with leftist rebels the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).Duque, who will turn 42 just before taking office will be Colombia’s youngest ever President.Bogota is the capital of Colombia.

2. India to open 4 new air gateways to Nepal : India has agreed to open 4 new air gateways to Nepal in the eastern and western part of the country, aimed to facilitate international traffic.The eastern part would connect Patna and Kolkata of India with Kathmandu and Dhaka while the western part would connect Kathmandu with Delhi.

The routes will be operational till 2019.

3. Sushma Swaraj on a 7 day tour to 4 Countries : External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is on a 7 day tour of 4 European countries – Italy, France, Luxembourg and Belgium, which is aimed to strengthen trade ties and revamp pending EU-India free trade pact.During her visit she would celebrate 20th anniversary for India – French Partnership.She would also be the 1st ever external affairs minister to visit Luxembourg.

4. India excluded from UK’s relaxed student visa : India has been excluded from the UK’s new list of countries considered “low risk”, whose applicants will undergo reduced checks while applying for student visas.The countries on the list include the US, Canada and China among others.Students from these countries would face reduced checks on educational, financial and English language skill requirements to study at UK universities.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. US pips India as top greenfield FDI place : The USA has surpassed India as top greenfield FDI destination with a total FDI of USD 87.6 billion.The number of greenfield FDI projects sharply fell by 21% during this year in case of India as compared to previous year.China received a total FDI of USD 50.3 billion in the year 2017 while India received an FDI of 25.1 billion in 2017.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Northeast India’s first small bank opened : Northeast India’s first small bank, North East Small Finance bank (NESFB) started its services.Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Nidhi (North East) Microfinance Limited received the Small Finance Bank License from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on March 31, 2017.Tata Trust chairman Ratan Tata and Assam’s finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched the first 28 branches of the bank.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1. ISRO clears GSAT – 11 for Launch : ISRO has cleared GSAT – 11 for launch, which was recalled from Kourou in French Guinea for checks, after another satellite GSAT 6A, had lost contact which was launched earlier.The 5,700 Kg Satellite was to launch on 26 May 2018 from Kourou, site in South America which India uses to launch heavy satellites. Arianespace is the space agnecy that launches India’s Satellite from this site.

SPORTS:

1. Brooks Koepka wins US open 2018 : Brooks Koepka wins US Open 2018 by defeating Tommy Fleetwood at Shinnecock Hills becoming first player in 3 decades to successfully defend his title.Earlier the record was in name of Curtis Strange who won back to back titles in 1988 and 1989.The victory comes less than 2 months after Koepka returned from left wrist injury that kept him out of action since Jan 2018.

2. Roger Federer wins Mercedes Cup : Roger Federer wins Mercedes Cup 2018 in Stuttgart by beating Milos Raonic of Canada.He had already secured number one in the world ranking by defeating Nick Kyrgios in the semi- final and this is his 98th tour title.He will be competing at Halle Open in June 2018

Daily GK Updates - 17th June, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Maharashtra government, Quebec ink pact : The Maharashtra government and Canada’s Quebec province have signed a pact to increase the economic cooperation especially in areas like information technology, biotechnology, artificial intelligence and welfare of the tribal community.The pact was signed between Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis and Philippe Couillard, Prime Minister of Quebec province of Canada.

2. PM Modi to chair NITI Aayog meeting : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the fourth meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

The Governing Council will also review the work done during the previous year and deliberates upon the future developmental priorities.The Governing Council of NITI Aayog is the premier body tasked with evolving a shared vision of national development.

3. Tripura starts 24×7 mobile policing service : The Tripura government launched the GPS (Global Positioning System) and wireless-based 24×7 mobile policing service.

It will help in curbing crime, especially against women.To operate the ‘mobile policing’ service, a police van or a small vehicle with police personnel would keep patrolling round-the-clock in their assigned zone.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Japan to allow more foreign workers : Japan adopted an economic plan that would allow more foreign workers as the rapidly aging country seeks to make up for its declining workforce.Japan would relax visa requirements in sectors facing severe labour shortages such as nursing care, agriculture, construction and transport.

The workers would be allowed to stay in the country for only up to 5 years as visitors, not as immigrants.

2. Nepal, China to sign deal for 3 oil depots : An agreement on building oil storage depots at three locations in Nepal with Chinese assistance is expected to be signed.

As per the agreement, the building oil storage depots would have a combined capacity of 110,000 kilo litre.The construction of the project is expected to be completed by mid 2019. The site for this purpose has been specified.

3. Peggy Whitson retires as astronaut : NASA’s record-breaking astronaut, Peggy Whitson, retired after returning from her last and longest spaceflight.Whitson was the first woman to command the International Space Station, holding the position twice, and the oldest woman ever to fly in space.She was also the only woman to have served as chief of NASA’s male-dominated astronaut corps

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Muthoot Fincorp, NSDC to train 10,000 youth : Muthoot Fincorp Limited announced its partnership with National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC).Under the scheme, Muthoot Fincorp targets to train over 10,000 people over the next three years and make them job ready under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana.NSDC has approved a target of 3,000 candidates in the first year and 3,500 each in the subsequent two years.

2. India’s exports hit six month high in May : India’s exports grew 20.18 percent to $28.86 billion in May, recording the highest number in six months.India’s trade deficit widened to a four-month high of $14.62 billion in May as imports surged nearly 15%.Even though exports outpaced imports, higher oil import bill wiped away the benefits of a contraction in gold imports.

3. Panel to vet insurance marketing firm norms : Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has formed a committee to review regulations governing the Insurance Marketing Firms (IMF).Such firms, which serve as a distribution channel for insurers, are governed by regulations announced about three years ago.IRDAI had approved IMF in 2015 as a measure to increase insurance penetration in the country.

OBITUARIES:

1.Veteran journalist Adiraju passes away : Senior journalist and writer Adiraju Venkateswara Rao passed away in Hyderabad.He worked for several Telugu and English dailies and news agencies including Andhra Jyothi, Udayam, Deccan Chronicle, Indian Express, Himachal Times and Hindustan Samachar at Hyderabad and Delhi.He played an active role in the separate Telangana agitation in 1969.

Daily GK Updates - 16th June, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Tamil Nadu to ban e-cigarette : Tamil Nadu is planning to ban electronic cigarettes, battery-operated inhalers that emit doses of vaporised nicotine, state Health Minister Vijaya Baskar told the assembly.An electronic cigarette or e-cigarette is a handheld electronic device that simulates the feeling of tobacco smoking.

It works by heating a liquid to generate an aerosol, commonly called a “vapor”, that the user inhales.

2. Bellandur largest septic tank of Bengaluru : A committee appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has said that the Bellandur lake in Bengaluru has become the “largest septic tank of the city”.The report states that the lake’s water-holding capacity has shrunk due to the dumping of garbage and construction waste, among other things.Agara and Varthur were the other waterbodies inspected by the panel.

3. Telangana banned plastic items in offices : The Telangana government directed all urban local bodies and civic municipal bodies to ban usage of single-use plastic in the offices.Use of plastic below 50 microns of thickness is already banned as per Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.The government plans to make Hyderabad a single-use plastic-free city by 2022.

4. NABARD releases book on Indian Crops : Shri Nitin Gadkari released a book ‘Water productivity mapping of major Indian crops’ published by NABARD.The book is based on a study of 10 important crops.The ten important crops include rice, wheat, maize, pulses, oilseeds, sugarcane, cotton and potato etc.The book suggests to realign cropping pattern keeping in view water scarcity of irrigation.

5. National Tribal Museum to be built : A National Tribal Museum along with a National Level Tribal Research Institute is proposed to be set up at Delhi by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.The Minister of Tribal Affairs Shri Jual Oram said that the Museum will showcase the rich tribal culture and heritage using state-of-the-art technologies.The proposal to set up the Museum and TRI has already been sent to the Niti Ayog.

6. New Incredible India website launched : Minister of State for Tourism Shri K.J. Alphons launched the new Incredible India website.The website showcases India as a holistic destination, revolving around major experiences, such as, spirituality, heritage, adventure, culture, yoga, wellness and more.The website follows the trends and technologies of international standards with an aim to project India as a “must-visit” destination.

7. PM dedicated expanded Bhilai Plant to Nation : PM Modi inaugurated the Integrated Command and Control Centre at Naya Raipur Smart City, Chhattisgarh.

​Prime Minister dedicated the modernized and expanded Bhilai Steel Plant, to the nation.He laid the foundation stone for IIT Bhilai.He also unveiled a plaque to mark the commencement of phase-2 of BharatNet.The Prime Minister inaugurated air services between Jagdalpur and Raipur.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Omar Al-Razzaz sworn in as Jordan PM : Former World Bank Economist Omar al-Razzaz was sworn in as Jordan’s Prime Minister after King Abdullah issued a decree approving the new government.The 58-year-old, who studied at Harvard University, was tasked with reviewing the country’s disputed tax system.Omar succeeded Hani al-Mulki who resigned following mass protests over price hikes and other government economic policies.

2. Georgia’s PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili Resigns : Giorgi Kvirikashvili, prime minister of Georgia, has announced his resignation amid a disagreement with Bidzina Ivanishvili, the leader of the ruling party.Kvirikashvili, 50, has been the country’s prime minister since 2015.The prime minister’s resignation comes amid growing popular discontent over his government’s handling of the economy and after mass protests in recent months.

3. India to host European Union Film Festival : The European Union Film Festival will premiere in New Delhi on 18th June, 2018.With a selection of 24 latest European films from 23 EU Member States, this years’ film festival will bring some unusual stories for the world cinema enthusiasts.The European Union Film Festival is organized by Directorate of Film Festivals, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India and EU.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Wholesale inflation hits 14-month high : India’s inflation measured by the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) rose to a 14-month high of 4.43% in May as compared to 3.18% in April, government data revealed.Vegetable prices grew by 2.51% in May, while primary articles that account for over one-fifth of the entire WPI, grew by 3.16%.Fuel and power inflation grew at 11.22% in May.

2. WhatsApp opens UPI-based payments service : Facebook-owned messaging service WhatsApp has started the mass rollout of WhatsApp Payments feature via UPI platform in India, according to reports.The feature was rolled out to select users in February, but now, besides invite-based access, users can also access it after updating the app.WhatsApp will be able to send ₹5,000 in a single transaction, the reports added.

3. Inder Jit Singh became Secretary, Min of Coal : Dr. Inder Jit Singh, assumed charge as Secretary, Ministry of Coal at Shastri Bhawan office, New Delhi.Dr. Jit Singh took over the charge of Secretary which fell vacant after superannuation of Shri Susheel Kumar on April 30 this year.Dr. Jit Singh was posted as Secretary (Coordination) in Cabinet Secretariat, he is a Ph.D in Economics from Punjab University.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. HDFC, 5th Biggest Consumer FSC: Forbes : Housing finance major HDFC has been ranked as the 5th biggest public company globally in the ‘consumer financial services category’ on a list compiled by Forbes magazine.HDFC’s rank has moved up from 7th place last year.American Express has topped this category, while Indiabulls Housing Finance is the only other Indian company (at 13th place) on the list.

Daily GK Updates - 15th June, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. New Telecom Policy by July : Communications minister Manoj Sinha has announced that new telecom policy is likely to be in place by July 2018.The government on May 1 had released the draft National Telecom Policy 2018 aiming to attract investment of $100 billion (roughly Rs. 6.7 lakh crores) in the Digital Communications sector.Govt. also aims to reform the licencing and regulatory regime to promote ease of business.

2.10th smart city centre in Naya Raipur : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the country’s 10th Smart City Integrated Command and Control Centre at Naya Raipur.Naya Raipur is the upcoming capital city of Chhattisgarh and the country’s first smart greenfield city.Nine other cities under Integrated Command and Control Centre are in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Pune, Nagpur, Rajkot, Visakhapatnam, Bhopal and Kakinada.

3. States sign MoU with govt on NHIS : Twenty states have signed memorandums of understanding with the Centre to implement the National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS).The NHPS will cost the exchequer Rs 120 billion.The Union government has said it will provide 60 per cent of the funds, and the state governments are expected to pool in the remaining 40 per cent.

4. Rajasthan Governor discontinues guard of honour : Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh has discontinued the ceremonial guard of honour and has become the first to do so.The practice was discontinued during his recent visit to Jodhpur between June 9 and 11 when he did not take the guard of honour.Kalyan Singh had expressed his desire to discontinue the ceremony for the Governor’s office in a letter to the Home Department on January 1.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Malabar 2018 to conclude on June 16 : The 22nd edition of the Malabar trilateral naval exercise of the US, Japan and India kicked off on June 7 at Guam in the Pacific Ocean and will continue till June 16.This is the first time that the prestigious Malabar exercise is being conducted off Guam, a major US Naval Base in the Western Pacific.The Malabar exercise started in 1992 between the Indian Navy and the US Navy.

2. India, US to hold trade talks : India and the US have agreed to hold official-level comprehensive talks to address trade and economic issues.This development comes as crucial after President Donald Trump  accused New Delhi of charging 100 per cent tariff on some of the US’ goods.The meeting was held in this regard between Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu had with US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Fed Reserve raises rates : In raising its benchmark overnight lending rate a quarter of a percentage point to a range of 1.75% to 2%, the Fed Reserve of US marked a milestone in the U.S. central bank’s shift in monetary policy.After the rate-setting, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said that the US economy is doing very well.The rate hike marks a shift in US policies used to battle the 2007-2009 financial crisis.

2. Millionaires own half of global wealth : According to a report released by Boston Consulting Group, The growing ranks of millionaires and billionaires now hold almost half of global personal wealth.Personal wealth around the globe reached $201.9 trillion last year, a 12 per cent gain from 2016 and the strongest annual pace in the past five years.In North America, 42 percent of investable capital is held by the richest people.

3. PhonePe ties up with Ola : Flipkart-owned digital payments firm PhonePe has tied up with homegrown cab aggregator Ola.Now, users will be able to book a cab or an auto using a micro-app built on its payments platform.The company has gone live with three such micro-apps, including that of redBus and Metro services, and plans to go live with 5 to 10 more in the ongoing quarter.

4. Dhivya: 1st Female CFO at General Motors : Dhivya Suryadevara has been named the chief financial officer of the United States’ largest automaker, General Motors.Dhivya will report to chief executive officer (CEO) Mary Barra who is also the first woman in the auto industry.Suryadevara earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in commerce from the University of Madras in Chennai, India.

DEFENCE:

1. Pinaka rocket turned into guided missile : The indigenous Pinaka rocket system of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is being evolved into a precision-guided missile.Pinaka rocket system is known for firing a salvo of 12 rockets in just 44 seconds, with enhanced range and accuracy to hit its targets.The rocket has been developed by the Armament cluster of the DRDO.

SPORTS:

1. Chess player withdraws from competition : Indian Grandmaster Soumya Swaminathan has withdrawn from the Asian Team Chess Championship to be held in Hamadan, Iran due to its hijab policy.According to country’s hijab policy, women are required to cover their head in public places, including at a sporting event.Previously, Indian pistol shooter Heena Sidhu had boycotted sporting championships due to the hijab law.