Daily GK Updates - 12th July, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PepsiCo to help govt in recycling plastic : PepsiCo India decided to support the government’s implementation of extended producer responsibility for plastic waste bottles in Maharashtra.PepsiCo India has partnered with Gem Enviro Mgmt to set up reverse vending machines for the collection & recycling of plastic bottles in the State.The company has also piloted a ‘Film to Fuel’ project to convert packaging film waste into fuel.

2. Aadhaar must for health mission cover : The government has mandated the use of Aadhaar card for administering its massive Ayushman Bharat, or National Health Mission, that assures a ₹5 lakh health cover to 10 crore families.While possessing an Aadhaar card isn’t mandatory to avail services, a proof of enrolment, or request for enrolment, is mandatory.The Ayushman Bharat is scheduled to roll out in August 2018.

3. Seema Darshan project : Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani has approved the Rs.39 Cr Seema Darshan project for developing more infrastructure facilities at Nadabet near Suigam in Banaskantha district.The project is being developed on Wagah Border pattern & entails a parade ground with an amphitheatre.The project will encourage local economic activity in the Rann region & tourists can have a good view of the coastline.

4. Chandrababu Naidu to launch “Anna canteen” : Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu launched Anna canteens in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh as a tribute to father-in-law and Telugu Desam Party founder NTR.A total of 203 such canteens will come up across the state’s 110 municipalities in phases.NGO Akshaya Patra will manage state-run canteens and the scheme will reach out to over 2 lakh people per day.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Connaught Place: 9th most costly location : According to the report of property consultant CBRE, New Delhi’s Connaught Place is the 9th most expensive office location in the world with an annual rent of $153 per sq ft.The ranking was topped by Hong Kong at the 1st position followed by London.The survey highlighted that prime office occupancy cost growth was consistent across all regions in the past 12 months.

2. India’s GM crop area fifth largest in world : According to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications, India has the world’s 5th largest cultivated area under genetically modified (GM) crops, at 11.4 million hectares (mh).The ranking is topped by the USA (75mh) followed by Brazil (50mh).The GM crop area in India is under a single crop — cotton.The GM traits make crops resistant to pest and weather.

3. 16th Workshop On Greenhouse Gas Inventories : A four-day Workshop has been organized by the Ministry of Environment, Govt of Japan from July 10 to 13, 2018 in New Delhi.The workshop was inaugurated by Dr Harshvardhan, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and Ministry of Earth Sciences.The workshop included policy initiatives of the government to increase penetration of LEDs, 5-10% Ethanol blending in petrol.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. India becomes 69th shareholder of EBRD : India has been formally announced as the 69th shareholder of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).India has only taken a shareholding in EBRD but it will not be a recipient of EBRD financing.London-headquartered EBRD is a multilateral development bank set up in 1991 after the fall of the Berlin Wall to promote private & entrepreneurial initiative in emerging Europe.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. SEBI to come out with consultation paper : The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) will soon come out with a consultation paper on making it mandatory for large corporates to meet one-fourth of their financing needs through bond market.SEBI will discuss with stakeholders before finalising the framework for corporates.SEBI is the regulator for the securities market in India and its chairman is Ajay Tyagi.

2. World Bank report on Malala Day : In a report of world bank ‘Missed Opportunities: The High Cost of Not Educating Girls’, not educating girls or creating barriers in their school education globally costs between USD 15 to USD 30 trillion.According to the report,132 million girls around the world below 17 are still not in school.The report was released on 12 July 2018, on the eve of United Nations Malala Day.

SPORTS:

1. Olympic torch relay to start in Fukushima : Organizers of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics say the torch relay will start in Fukushima, an area hit by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster.The relay will start on March 26, 2020 in Fukushima and will head southward to Okinawa before making its way north again and arriving in Tokyo on July 10.The route was approved by the organizing committee.

OBITUARIES:

1. Spiritual leader Dada Vaswani passes away : Dada Vaswani, spiritual leader and head of the Sadhu Vaswani mission, passed away at the age of 99 in Pune on 12th July.Dada Vaswani is known for actively promoting vegetarianism and campaigning for animal rights.Vaswani had initiated a global peace initiative,‘The Moment of Calm’.His birthday is also observed as World Forgiveness Day.

Daily GK Updates - 11th July, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India’s first internet telephony service : BSNL has unveiled 1^st internet telephony service in India that will allow users to dial any telephone number in India through its mobile app, “Wings”.Before this, phone calls on mobile apps was possible within users of a particular app & not on telephone numbers.BSNL customers will be able to make calls on any network in the country even by using BSNL Wi-Fi or any other service provider.

2. India’s first private UAV factory : India’s first private sector unit for manufacturing unmanned air vehicles (UAV) and light bullet proof vehicles (LBPV) will be set up by DCM Shriram Industries Group in Kota.These UAVs and LBPVs are likely to be used by defence and para-military forces in the country.The new defence unit in Kota is being set up under ‘Make in India’ initiative of the union government.

3. 5 new languages for Rajya Sabha members : Members of the Rajya Sabha can now speak in any of the 22 Scheduled Languages from the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning on July 18th, 2018.The simultaneous interpretation facility has been added in 5 more languages – Dogri, Kashmiri, Konkani, Santhali & Sindhi.Of the 22 scheduled languages, Rajya Sabha had earlier established simultaneous interpretation service for 12 languages.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India Climbs To 57th Position in GII rankings : India was ranked 57th in the latest Global Innovation Index (GII) rankings.Switzerland maintained its number one position in the Global Innovation Index rankings.Other countries that fell in the top 10 list were Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America, Finland, Denmark and Germany.GII rankings are published by the World International Property Organisation (WIPO).

2. India-Korea technology exchange centre : India-Korea technology exchange centre was inaugurated by MoS MSME, Giriraj Singh & Minister of SMEs & Start-ups of Republic of Korea, Hong Jong- hak in Delhi.It will work towards identifying Indian technologies which can be exported to Korea & find suitable Korean partners for the same.It will help SMEs of both the countries to learn from each other to enhance their comparative advantages

3. World Population Day : World Population day is an annual event, observed on July 11 every year, which seeks to raise awareness of global population issues.This year, the theme for the World Population Day is ‘Family Planning is a Human Right’. According to UN, China with 1.4 billion & India with 1.3 billion people are the 2 most populous countries, contributing to 19% & 18 % of the global population respectively.

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE:

1. INS Sumitra enters port of Sabang : Indian naval ship INS Sumitra became the first-ever warship to enter port of Sabang in Indonesia.The warship was deployed in Malacca Straits.Sabang port is located close to the northern entrance of the Malacca straits.Almost 40% of India’s trade passes through Malacca which is one the busiest shipping routes.

2. Indian Naval aircraft deployed for RIMPAC : Indian Navy’s P8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft from INS Rajali has inducted at Hawaii for participating in the Rim of Pacific Multinational Naval exercise.This is the first time ever that an Indian Naval aircraft has traversed so far east into the Pacific.The aircraft will form part of the largest naval exercise which has 26 nations participating in this year’s edition.

SPORTS:

1. Arothe resigns as India women’s cricket coach : Indian Women’s Cricket Team Coach Tushar Arothe has stepped down from the role citing personal reasons.A former batting allrounder, Arothe took over as head coach in April 2017 after the removal of Purnima Rau from the job.Having previously been part of the Indian women’s coaching staff between 2008 and 2012, Arothe had been initially appointed until the 2017 World Cup.

2. India bag four medals at Asian Archery : India has bagged four medals in the Asia Cup World Archery Ranking Tournament Stage 3 in Taipei.The feat comprised 3 silver medals and a bronze. India finished joint third with Iran in the championship.India ended their campaign behind toppers Korea and hosts Chinese Taipei.

Daily GK Updates - 10th July, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Railways introduces double container service : In a bid to capture lost traffic & to enhance its freight revenue, Indian Railways has introduced Double Stack Dwarf container services.The containers are shorter in size and can run on electrified tracks. They can hold a capacity of 30,500 kgs.By using the dwarf containers, the cost will be significantly reduced since rail transport is cheaper than road.

2. India to hold first ever India Tourism Mart : To increase tourist footfalls, India will organise its first-ever India Tourism Mart for 3 days from September 16 in New Delhi.It is expected to provide a platform for all stakeholders in the tourism & hospitality industry to interact & create business opportunities.It will be organised by the Tourism Ministry, in partnership with Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality.

3. Delhi CM approves yatra scheme : The Delhi government would send 77,000 senior citizens along with one adult attendant each on all-expenses paid pilgrimages every year.Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal approved the Mukhyamantri Tirth yatra Yojana.The government would also pay for one attendant over the age of 18 years to accompany each senior citizen.The pilgrims would be selected through a draw of lots.

4. One farmer one transformer’ scheme : In order to reduce electricity losses, the Maharashtra government will launch a new scheme allocating one transformer per farmer.The scheme, “one farmer one transformer”, will be unveiled on August 15.Two lakh farmers will be given electricity connection for high voltage distribution line which will ensure uninterrupted power supply.

5. Gujarat’s Jews gets religious minority status : The Gujarat government has granted religious minority status to the Jewish community in the state.The notification to this effect was issued on July 6 by the state’s Department of Social Justice and Empowerment.They shall get benefits of welfare schemes formulated for religious minority communities within the jurisdiction of Gujarat.

6. Govt launches LAP and TPS for 25 smart cities : To fast track the resolution of area based infrastructure issues, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched the Local Area Plan (LAP) and Town Plan Schemes (TPS) for 25 smart cities in the country.Under which the ministry will provide Rs 2 crore as central assistance to every city for planned urban expansion.The LAP and TPS has been formulated under AMRUT.

7. Varanasi to host Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2019 : The next Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be held in the holy city of Varanasi in January 2019.The theme of the event, which is being organised in PM Modi’s parliamentary constituency, will be the ‘Role of Indian Diaspora in building a New India’.Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is observed biennially on 9 January to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community towards development of India.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. China pledges 20 bn in loans for Arab states : China will provide Arab states with $20 billion in loans for economic development, as China seeks to build its influence in Middle East.The money will be earmarked for projects that will produce employment opportunities & positive social impact in Arab States.China is also prepared to provide another 1 billion yuan to countries in the region to build capacity for stability maintenance.

2. Jeremy Hunt named UK foreign secretary : Jeremy Hunt will replace Boris Johnson as the U.K. foreign secretary following Johnson’s resignation.Hunt had served as health minister for more than 5 and half years, the longest term in the history of the State-funded National Health Service.

3. Microsoft signs MoU with Rajasthan Government : Microsoft signed a MoU with the Rajasthan Government to provide free digital training to 9,500 college students in one year.The initiative was taken for the enhancement of digital learning and capacity building of college students in the state.The company will run MS office specialist training programme in 50 government colleges from August which will benefit 9,500 students.

4. UK’s Brexit minister resigns : Britain’s Brexit minister David Davis has resigned from the Cabinet stating policy differences over PM Theresa May’s exit plan from the European Union.It is a blow to May as she seeks to win over Eurosceptic MPs to her proposed Brexit vision, which would form the basis of UK’s position in ongoing talks with EU.Junior minister for housing Dominic Raab will be Britain’s new Brexit minister

5. Pakistan launches 2 satellites from China : Pakistan has launched 2 indigenously built satellites into the orbit from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in China.One of the satellites launched is PRSS-1, a remote sensing satellite that will enable Pakistan to meet its imagery requirements in areas of land mapping & agriculture classification among others.It is the 2^nd time both China & Pakistan have collaborated in the space sector.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. ADB approves USD 503 mln lining project : The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved USD 503-million lining project of the Son canal in Shahabad-Bhojpur region of Bihar.This project will bring immense benefits to the agriculture sector of Shahabad Bhojpur region of Bihar.The estimated cost of this project is USD 503 million out of which USD 352 million is being provided by ADB.

SPORTS:

1. PR Sreejesh to lead Indian hockey team : Goalkeeper P.R. Sreejesh will lead the 18-member Indian Men’s Hockey Team at the 18th Asian Games, slated to be held in Jakarta and Palembang from August 18.Midfielder Chinglensana Singh Kangujam has been named the Vice Captain for the tournament.Indian forward Akashdeep Singh has returned to the Indian squad.

Daily GK Updates - 9th July, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Government sets noise standards for airports : The Union Environment Ministry has set noise standards for airports across the country, excluding defence aircraft, and those that are landing and taking off.A civil airport with more than 50,000 aircraft movements per year should not exceed noise levels beyond 75 dB(A) Leq (decibels) during the daytime.It should not exceed 65 dBA during the night.

2. SC for Live-Streaming Of Court Hearings : Senior lawyer Indira Jaising and others filed a petition for live streaming of Court’s proceedings.The Centre in its reply to the petition said if the top court takes a policy decision; it can facilitate the setting up of a separate channel for the Supreme Court.Chief Justice Deepak Misra said, “The concept of access to justice can be stretched through live streaming.

3. Modi inaugurated largest mobile factory : Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korean President Moon Jae-in visited Noida and inaugurated the New Mobile Manufacturing Plant of Samsung at Noida.Notably, it will be the world’s largest mobile factory.With the beginning of this New Plant, India’s Make In India and Skill India Will get a major Push in the country.

4. Rajnath to chair 2-day plenary meet : A 2-day plenary meeting of NE Council will be chaired by the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Shillong.He will discuss development projects with the Governors and CM of northeast states in thepresence of Union Minister for Development of NE Region.Some of the major issues set to be discussed at the meet would be water resources management, POSHAN Abhiyan, road connectivity, and more.

5. 51 lakh houses approved in 3 years under PMAY : More than 51 lakh dwelling units have been sanctioned by the government under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (urban) in last 3 years.This jump is a huge one in comparison to the erstwhile housing scheme, under which only 12.4 lakh houses were approved in 9 years.Out of these 51 lakh houses, over 8 lakh houses have already been completed.

6. Tenth edition of Delhi dialogue : India will held the 10th edition of Delhi Dialogue on 19-20 July 2018.It is a premier annual event to discuss politico-security, economic and socio-cultural engagement with ASEAN members.RCEP is a free trade area consisting of 10 ASEAN members and six FTA partners which includes India.

7. Himachal banned sale of thermocol cutlery : The Himachal Pradesh government has banned the use and sale of thermocol cutlery including cups, plates, glasses, spoons or any other item in the state.Those violating the order will be fined according to the quantity of the thermocol.The state government has set a deadline of three months for manufacturers to dispose of their stocks.

8. Section 144 to be used in animal emergencies : The National Board of Wildlife has recommended that states use Section 144, which prohibits the assembly of four or more people, during wildlife emergencies.The provision will be used to “prevent people from gathering in large numbers, which aggravates wildlife emergency situations”.The Centre is expected to issue advisories to the state governments regarding the recommendation.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Best-ever Booker Prize winner : The English Patient’ was voted as the best-ever Man Booker Prize winner, celebrating five decades of this prestigious literary award.

Michael Ondaatje’s ‘The English Patient’ won the Booker Prize in the year 1992 and was made in a movie in 1996 that won nine academy awards.The novel beat 4 other novels in an online poll that received a total of 9,000 votes.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Bills of Rs 29.41 crore raised by IAF : Over Rs, 29.41 crores were spent to ferry the newly-issued Rs 500 and Rs 2000 currency notes after demonetisation using Indian Air Force’s ultra-modern transport aircraft.IAF aircrafts C-17 and the C-130J Super Hercules undertook 91 sorties for transporting the currency.RBI had spent Rs 7,965 crore in 2016-17 post-demonetisation for printing the new Rs 2000 and Rs 500 notes.

SPORTS:

1. Dhoni played 500 international matches : The Indian team’s senior-most player Mahendra Singh Dhoni reached the coveted milestone of playing 500 international matches during the second T20 International against England.In doing so, Dhoni became the third Indian after Sachin Tendulkar (664) and Rahul Dravid (509) to breach the 500 match barrier in international cricket.He has played 90 Test matches and 318 One Day Internationals.

2. Dalabehera bags bronze in World Weightlifting : Indian lifter Jhilli Dalabehera has bagged the bronze medal in the 2018 IWF Junior World Weightlifting Championships at Tashkent.She lifted 167 kg in the 48 kg category to finish third on the podium.According to Indian Weightlifting Federation Secretary General Sahdev Yadav, Jhilli is the 2nd woman lifter after Saikhom Mirabai Chanu in 2013 to win a medal in the Junior World Championships.

3. Dipa Karmakar clinches gold medal : India’s premier gymnast Dipa Karmakar clinched a gold medal in the vault event of FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Challenge Cup at Mersin in Turkey.Karmakar who had finished fourth in the vault event at the 2016 Rio Olympics, scored 14.150 to win gold.This is Dipa’s first medal in a World Challenge Cup. She had topped the qualification also with a score of 13.400.

Daily GK Updates - 8th July, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Government launches ‘technology challenge’ : To eliminate human entry into septic tanks for cleaning, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has launched a ‘technology challenge’ seeking suitable solutions.The challenge is a part of the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention to be held on 2 October.The proposals will be adopted on the basis of operational effectiveness, life of machinery, & ease of use among others.

2. Subsidy on rooftop solar power installations : Himachal Pradesh government has announced a subsidy of 10% or Rs. 4,000 per Kilowatt, whichever is less, for installation of solar power plants at the rooftop of their buildings.This subsidy would be additional to the subsidy given by Central government.The subsidy amount would be deposited directly to the bank account of the consumer through Himachal Pradesh Energy Development Authority.

3. PM to inaugurate statue of unity : PM Modi will inaugurate the Statue of Unity on 31st October 2018, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.The construction of the tallest statue in the world that began in December 2015, is nearly complete.World’s tallest statue dedicated to country’s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabbhai Patel is being built with 5,700 Metric tonne structural steel and 1,900 MT of bronze.

4. Ram Vilas Paswan to attend UNCTAD meet : Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan will attend the UNCTAD meeting of a third inter-governmental group of experts on consumer protection on July 9-10 in Geneva.The group has been set up under the revised UN Guidelines on Consumer Protection.The session will also deliberate on measures on protection of vulnerable & disadvantaged consumers.UNCTAD is the UN body looking after consumer issues.

5. Indian railways to launch special train : The Indian Railways is planning to launch a tourist train, Sri Ramayana Express, which will cover all locations associated with the Ramayana.The train will run from Ayodhya (UP) to Colombo (Sri Lanka) via Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu).The train will begin from Safdarjung station and its first stop will be in Ayodhya, the birthplace of the Hindu Lord Ram.

6. T.K Chand gets knowledge excellence award : Dr. Tapan Kumar Chand received the Knowledge Excellence Award from Secretary, Mines, Govt. of India for Outstanding Contribution in Aluminium Knowledge domain.Chand is an Indian mining veteran and is the Chairman cum Managing Director of National Aluminium Company (NALCO).NALCO is the largest integrated aluminium unit in Asia and is also one of the largest aluminium complexes of the world.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World’s largest mobile factory : Samsung has set up what is the world’s largest mobile factory at Sector 81 in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.Not just mobiles, the expansion of current facility will double Samsung’s production capacity of consumer electronics like refrigerators.Samsung is currently making 67 million smartphones in India & with the new plant being functional, it is expected to manufacture nearly 120 million phones.

2. World Sanskrit Conference in Vancouver, Canada : HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar will inaugurate the 17^th World Sanskrit Conference to be held at Vancouver, Canada from 9th to 13th July, 2018.The conference aims to promote, preserve & practice the Sanskrit language all over the world by the people.World Sanskrit Conference is being held in various countries across the globe once in every 3 years & so far it has been held thrice in India.

3. South Korean President to arrive in India : South Korean President, Moon Jae-in is on a four-day visit to India.During his visit, he will hold talks with PM Modi on several issues, including the situation on the Korean peninsula & ways to boost bilateral trade and defence cooperation.Moon’s visit to India comes nearly a month after the historic summit between US President Donald Trump & North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore.

  

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. PSU banks plan to raise over Rs 50,000 cr : Public sector banks are planning to tap the markets to raise more than Rs 50,000 crore this fiscal.Out of 21 public sector banks, 13 have already taken the approval of their boards or shareholders for raising capital through the equity market.Capital is very much required for these banks as they are saddled with non-performing assets (NPAs) of about Rs 10 lakh crore.

DEFENCE:

1. India reconsidering fighter jet programme : India has conveyed to Russia its unwillingness to go ahead with the joint development of a fifth-generation fighter aircraft primarily due to high cost involved in the project.India and Russia had signed an inter-governmental agreement for the mega project in 2007.In December 2010, India had agreed to pay USD 295 million towards the preliminary design of the fighter jet.

2. Indian warship INS Trikand reaches Sri Lanka : India’s frontline warship INS Trikand has reached Sri Lanka in a goodwill visit.Senior Indian officers, including Lt. Colonel Ravi Shekhar Mishra held discussions on matters of mutual interest with their Lankan counterparts.INS Trikand is a state-of-the-art warship of the Indian Navy equipped with a versatile range of weapons & sensors capable of addressing threats in all 3 dimensions.

OBITUARIES:

1. Senior Congress leader Jacob passes away : Senior Congress leader and former Meghalaya Governor M M Jacob passed away at the age of 90.Jacob, a former Union Minister, had also served as deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha in the 80s.Hailing from Ramapuram, Jacob had served as General Secretary and Treasurer of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee & Chairman, Kerala State Seva Dal Board and an elected member of AICC for many years.

Daily GK Updates - 7th July, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. President to visit Goa : The President of India, Ram Nath Kovind, will visit Goa on July 7 and 8, 2018. This will be his first visit to Goa as the President of India.The President will visit the Basilica of Bom Jesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Old Goa, and Shri Mangueshi Temple in Mardol, before returning to Delhi.The President will also address the 30th annual convocation of the Goa University.

2. Highest LHS launched in Sambalpur : East Coast Railway launched highest ever 6 (six) Limited Height Subways (LHS) in Sambalpur Division.With this, the Sambalpur Division became the first to eliminate all unmanned Level Crossing Gates in Indian Railways.In view of the launching of six LHS, 7 unmanned Level Crossing gates will be totally closed in Bhawanipatna-Lanjigarh Road Section of Kalahandi area of Odisha.

3. Justice Goel as new chairperson of NGT : Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel has been appointed as the chairperson of National Green Tribunal (NGT) for a five-year tenure.NGT is a statutory body established under National Green Tribunal Act 2010 for effective expeditious disposal of cases related to environmental protection.Earlier Justice Swatanter Kumar was the Chairperson of NGT (2012-19 Dec.2017), Since then the post was vacant.

4. Ghatam maestro to receive lifetime award : The Music Academy has announced a Special Lifetime Achievement Award to be conferred on ghatam maestro T.H. Vinayakram.The award is conferred, once in a while, on artists of outstanding calibre who, the Music Academy feels, deserve independent recognition.Vikku Vinayakram, is a Grammy Award-winning Indian percussionist and is a recipient of Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Nawaz Sharif sentenced to 10 years in jail : The former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for corruption.The court ruled that Sharif and his family laundered money in the 1990s to pay for 4 luxury apartments in London.The court also sentenced Sharif’s daughter, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, to seven years’ imprisonment, fined the family £10m and ordered the seizure of the Avenfield properties.

2. Maldives signed power deal with Pakistan : The Maldives has signed a capacity-building agreement in the power sector with Pakistan, thus posing fresh security challenges for India.Officials of the Maldives state electricity company, Stelco signed a MoU for cooperation in institution building activities when they visited Pakistan last week.The Maldives has stopped issuing work permits to Indians.

3. UK launched new visas to Indian scientists : The UK has launched new visas that will be open to overseas scientists and researchers, including Indians.UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Science, Research, and Academia scheme is being added to the already existing Tier 5 visa route.UKRI along and other organisations such as the Natural History Museum will now be able to directly sponsor highly skilled individuals.

4. NASA puts Kepler space telescope to sleep : The Kepler Space Telescope, which is a famous planet-hunting telescope of NASA has been put to sleep since it is almost out of fuel.The telescope was launched by NASA in 2009 to learn more about the frequency and number of planets in our galaxy.Scientists have found many exoplanets with the help of this telescope, which is 94 million miles away from the Earth.

5. International Day of Cooperatives 2018 : The International Day of Cooperatives is an annual celebration of the co-operative movement, observed on the first Saturday in July since 1923.Observed on 7 July 2018 and theme was the ‘Sustainable societies through cooperation’.Co-operatives are committed to the sustainable development of communities – environmentally, socially and economically.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Rupee among top 10 EM currencies : The rupee has been ranked as one of the 10 best-performing currencies, beating rivals like Real and Rand ever since the NDA government came into power in May 2014.Although all emerging market currencies have lost value to the dollar, rupee’s slide is relatively controlled compared with peers.In the 4 year period, the dollar index gained 17% compared with 14.2% loss in the rupee’s value.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Union Bank of India to raise equity capital : Union Bank of India will raise equity capital of Rs. 1500 crore.The proposal was approved at its annual general meeting by the bank’s shareholders.The bank said that this capital raise will be in addition to the capital support which has been granted by the government.

2. Most valuable bank in the emerging market : HDFC Bank has gone past Russia’s Sberbank to become the most valuable bank in the emerging market outside China.HDFC Bank was one of the top performing major banks globally in 2017. The Bank’s current market capitalization is $78.4 billion.Globally, America’s JPMorgan Chase is the most valuable with a market cap of $353 billion, followed by Bank of America at $282 billion.

Daily GK Updates - 6th July, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. WB announces ‘one person, one car’ policy : In an attempt to cut the costs incurred by the state over travel expenses of ministers and bureaucrats, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced the ‘one person, one car’ policy.Further mandating economy class travel in low-cost airlines for all domestic air trips, she added that foreign travels will be sanctioned only by her.

2. ICAT completed first BS-VI certification : ICAT has completed the first BS-VI certification for M/S Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicle Limited for its heavy-duty engine model.The engine was developed and manufactured in India by Volvo Eicher.It would be implemented on April 1, 2020.ICAT is one of the prime testing agencies recognized by the Government of India.

3. Delhi launched it’s first Cyber Forensic van : First cyber Forensic van of Delhi police was launched to help people in cyber crimes especially for the senior citizens who are the soft targets of cyber crimes.Home Ministry is planning to launch an online cybercrime portal where people can file a complaint online.The Van will be available on 24×7 basis.

4. ‘Arth-art for Earth’ exhibition : Union Minister of State for Culture Dr. Mahesh Sharma inaugurated exhibition titled “Arth – art for earth” at IGNCA, New Delhi.It consists of “Excavations in Hymns of Clay” – a suite of environmental art installations by Manav Gupta weaving all of them with a storyline and poetry.The exhibition is available for public viewing until the 22nd of October 2018

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. NASA prepared to ‘touch the sun’ : NASA is prepared for a launch on August 4 to touch the sun, for the first time in human history.NASA unveiled a cutting-edge heat shield that will protect the spacecraft from getting burnt.It was installed on June 27, 2018.The shield will prevent the spacecraft core from being exposed to temperatures around 1,370 degrees Celsius.

2. India to operate ‘World’s Emptiest Airport’ : Indian Civil Aviation Ministry has communicated Sri Lankan Parliament about operating it’s lost making Mattala Rajapaksa International airport in Hambantota.The airport is named after former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, which is dubbed as ‘world’s emptiest airport’ due to lack of flights.The final terms of the agreement are yet to be decided as Sri Lanka.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Tata bagged Bharat Net’s project : Tata Projects has bagged an Rs. 3,057 crore project of optical fiber cable network of Bharat Net in Chhattisgarh.Important services such as 102, 108, and PDS would be effectively executed at the Gram Panchayat level and around 2.6 crore people would be benefited through the project.It will strengthen the state’s economy and enable local people to lead an easy life.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. NASA prepared to ‘touch the sun’ : NASA is prepared for a launch on August 4 to touch the sun, for the first time in human history.NASA unveiled a cutting-edge heat shield that will protect the spacecraft from getting burnt.It was installed on June 27, 2018.The shield will prevent the spacecraft core from being exposed to temperatures around 1,370 degrees Celsius.

2. YES Bank to launch Mutual Fund Business : Private lender YES Bank announced that it has received final regulatory approval from the Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to start mutual fund business.This approval is subsequent to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) approval.YES Asset Management (India), a wholly owned subsidiary of YES Bank, will launch fund offerings across the spectrum in both debt and equity markets.

3. 25 Countries In Global Banks’ ‘High Risk’ List : China, UAE, Cyprus and significantly, Mauritius, along with 21other countries have been tagged as “high-risk jurisdictions” by global banks acting as custodians for foreign funds.It comprises the largest group of investors in the Indian stock market.Large investors and beneficial owners of these funds entering India through these high-risk jurisdictions will face close scrutiny.