Daily GK Updates - 9th November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Cabinet decides to open a central tribal university in Andhra Pradesh : The Union Cabinet has approved an amendment to the Central Universities Act- 2009 for setting up of a Central Tribal University in Andhra Pradesh.A fund of 420 crore rupees has been granted as the first phase expenditure towards the establishment of the University.The Cabinet has also given in-principle approval for leasing out six airports through Public Private Partnership.

2.  Lok Sabha Secy Gen gets a one-year extension : The Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has extended the tenure of Snehlata Shrivastava (first female Lok Sabha Secretary General) for one year.She is a 1982 batch IAS officer from the Madhya Pradesh cadre.Her extension will be effective from the 1st of December to the 30th of November next year.

3. Uttarakhand celebrates its 18th formation day :  Uttarakhand state is celebrating its 18th formation day with much fanfare and gaiety (after separation from Uttar Pradesh).Uttarakhand’s Governor Baby Rani Maurya reviewed the ceremonial parade at Police line in Dehradun and honoured police personals for rendering excellent service.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Vice President Naidu embarks on the three-day visit to France : The Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will attend the Paris Peace Forum being held to commemorate the centenary of the end to the First World War.The Heads of State, Heads of Government of over 50 countries and their representatives are participating in the centenary activities.Mr Naidu will attend the ceremony to commemorate the armistice of World War I at Arc de Triomphe.He will also address the Indian community and will inaugurate the Indian War Memorial at Villers Guislain.

2. Parliamentary elections to be held on 23^rd December in Bangladesh : According to Bangladesh Chief Election Commissioner of KM Nurul Huda, Parliamentary elections of Bangladesh will be held on 23rd December 2018.All preparations for an election were already completed, the last date for filing of nominations is 19^th November 2018.The ruling Awami League has urged the poll body to stick to its poll plan.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. World Bank inks USD 172 million project agreement with AP : The Central Govt. & Andhra Pradesh (AP) state governments and the World Bank have signed the loan agreement of USD 172.20 million projects to enhance agricultural productivity, profitability, and climate resilience of poor and marginalized farmers in Andhra Pradesh.This project will help to enhance agricultural productivity, profitability, and climate resilience of poor and marginalised farmers in Andhra Pradesh.

SPORTS:

1. Bajwa shoots historic skeet gold at Asian Shotgun Championship : Angad Vir Singh Bajwa has won a gold with a world record score in the men's skeet final at 8th Asian Shotgun Championship in Kuwait.He became the first Indian skeet shooter to win a continental or world level event.Angad shot a perfect 60 out of 60 in the final round to claim top spot ahead of Di Jin  (China), shot 58.

Daily GK Updates - 8th November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. LS Secretary General got one-year extension : The tenure of Snehlata Shrivastava has been extended by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan for one year.She was scheduled to retire on 30 November 2018 but after the extension, she will retire in  30 November 2019.She is the first woman Secretary General of the Lok Sabha.She has served as Secretary in the Ministry of Law and Justice and as Special/Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Finance.

2. Proposed Ganga bill bans ports, jetties : According to a proposed ‘Ganga Act’, the government has banned the construction of jetties, ports or ‘permanent hydraulic structures’ in the Ganga river.The Bill lays down a host of restrictions to ensure the ‘uninterrupted, ecological flow’ of the river. The proposed act is formally called the National River Ganga (Rejuvenation, Conservation and Management) Bill, 2018.

3. New record created in Ayodhya : A new world record was set in Ayodhya on 7 November 2018 with over three lakh ‘diya’ lit up simultaneously.A total of 3,01,152 diyas were lit up simultaneously for five minutes.The record was created at the Deepotsav event on the banks of the Sarayu river.The target was to illuminate a total of 3.35 lakh diya on both sides of the ghats at Ram Ki Paidi.

4. JNPT planning to host edible oil refinery : Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) is planning to host an edible oil refinery to maximise revenue and ensure captive cargo.The raw material for the refinery will be imported from abroad and a considerable part of the finished products will be sent out through the sea.The port already has a liquid cargo terminal in addition to the 4 container terminals.The port is situated in Maharashtra

5. ‘Bhubaneswar Me Wi-Fi’ launched  : Odisha Government launched the ‘Bhubaneswar Me Wi-Fi’ project in Bhubaneswar on 5 November 2018.The project is implemented by Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL).It will initially have 100 hotspots enabled locations with 275 access points.One wi-fi hotspot would be able to handle 150 users at a given point of timeBSCL is a Special Purpose Vehicle incorporated by Odisha Government.

6. Mo bus’ service launched in Odisha : Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the ‘Mo bus’ service in Bhubaneswar on 6 November 2018.The newly-launched buses feature free Wi-Fi, CCTV surveillance, public information display system and on board announcements.The bus service will come up with ‘Mo Bus’ mobile app through which citizens can book their tickets and also get to know the locations of the vehicle.

7. West Bengal to observe ‘Rosogolla Day’ : The West Bengal government will observe ‘Rosogolla Day’ on November 14.The day will be observed to commemorate the first anniversary of the State’s famous sweet getting Geographical Indication (GI) tag as ‘Bengal’s Rosogolla’.On 14 November 2017, West Bengal got the GI tag for ‘Bengal’s Rosogolla’.The GI tag is a sign that identifies a product as originating from a particular place.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. European defence coalition launched in Paris : Defence ministers from European countries met in Paris on 7 November 2018 and launched a jointmilitary force known as the ‘European Intervention Initiative’ or EI2.The military force could rapidly be deployed in response to a conflict or natural disaster.Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Portugal, Britain and Finland are part of this initiative.

2. India loses row over safeguard duty at WTO : India lost a major trade dispute at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on 6 November 2018.A dispute settlement panel upheld Japan’s complaint that India’s imposition of safeguard duty on imports of hot-rolled steel flat products during September 2015 and March 2018 violated core global trade rules.Japan launched the dispute settlement proceedings against India in 2017.

3. ASEAN member countries offer concession : Several Asian member countries of the proposed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) have offered India a concession on the extent to which it needs to open up its markets.India can now open up 83% of its market against the earlier 92%.The RCEP is a proposed trade agreement between the ASEAN countries and the six free trade agreement partners.

4. Tesla names new chair to replace Elon Musk : Electric carmaker Tesla has appointed Robyn Denholm as the Chairman of the company’s board of directors, replacing Elon Musk.She will also be leaving her role as CFO and Head of Strategy at Telstra, Australia’s largest telecommunications company.She has been on the Tesla board as an independent director since 2014.Elon Musk will remain the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tesla.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. ECB norms for infra firms eased : The Reserve Bank of India has liberalised the norms governing external commercial borrowings (ECBs) for infrastructure creation.

The minimum average maturity requirement for ECB in the infrastructure sector has been reduced to three years from earlier five years.Additionally, the average maturity requirement for mandatory hedging has been reduced to five years from earlier ten years.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1. Study finds that 3 moons orbit the Earth : A team of astronomers and physicists has confirmed that the dust clouds orbit the Earth.These dust clouds move with the Earth and Moon at a stable 4,00,000 kilometres from the Earth.The dust clouds is also known as ‘Kordylewski’ clouds. The first glimpse of the clouds was seen only in 1961 by Polish astronomer Kazimierz Kordylewski.

Daily GK Updates - 7th November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. WB inked $172 million agreement with AP : The Central and Andhra Pradesh governments and the World Bank have signed the $172.20 million loan agreement for an agriculture project.The project will enhance the agricultural productivity, profitability, and climate resilience of poor and marginalised farmers in Andhra Pradesh.The projects seeks to ensure that farming continues to remain a financially viable activity.

2.PM to inaugurate various projects in Varanasi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Ring Road Phase-I and Babatpur-Varanasi road in Varanasi on 12 November 2018.The Prime Minister will also launch inland waterways terminal on river Ganga.It is the first of the four multi-modal terminals being constructed on NW-I (River Ganga) as part of the World Bank-aided Jal Marg Vikas project.

3. Namrata Ahuja bagged IPI-India Award : The prestigious 2018 IPI India Award for excellence in journalism has been given to Namrata Ahuja of ‘The Week’ magazine.She received the award for her exclusive story on Naga underground camps.The award comprises a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh, a trophy and a citation.The  International Press Institute (IPI) is a forum of editors, publishers and senior executives of newspapers and magazines.

4. Meghalaya announces Aqua Mission 2.0 : The Meghalaya Government announced `378 crore investment in the State’s flagship aquaculture mission named ‘Meghalaya State Aqua Mission 2.0’.The aim of the mission is to cut down fish imports into the State.Under the mission, willing partners will need to contribute only 15% while another 25% will be credit linkages and the rest 60% Government assistance.

5. First Chairperson of Lokayukta sworn in : Retired Gauhati High Court judge Pranoy Kumar Musahary was sworn in as the first Chairperson of Meghalaya Lokayukta on 6 November 2018.Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy administered the oath of office to Justice (retd) Musahary.The Lokayukta is empowered to probe allegations of corruption against public functionaries such as the Chief Minister, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Assembly.

6. Separate High Court for Andhra Pradesh : The Supreme Court has given nod for a separate High Court for Andhra Pradesh.It will start functioning from 1 January 2019 in Amravati.The new court will be the 25th High Court in the country.Presently, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have a common High Court situated at Hyderabad.The existing court will from 2019 be known as the Telangana High Court.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Pakistan-China luxury bus service launched : Pakistan and China have launched a luxury bus service passing from Lahore to Kashgar city in China on 5 November 2018.

It is part of an initiative to connect the two countries via road under the US$ 60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).The bus will take 36 hours from Lahore to reach the Xinjiang province in China’s far west

2. China unveils replica of its space station : China has unveiled a replica of its first permanently crewed space station.The Chinese space station would replace the international community’s orbiting laboratory, International Space Station (ISS).The station assembly is expected to be completed around 2022 and would have a lifespan of around 10 years.The ISS has been in operation since 1998 but is due to be retired in 2024. 

3. S. Korea, U.S. resumed marine drills : South Korea and the United States resumed their combined marine drills on 5 November 2018.The Korea Marine Exercise Program (KMEP) exercise has been suspended for six months since May 2018 as the two countries engaged in diplomacy with North Korea.The two-week KMEP involves some 500 troops, including U.S. Marines from Okinawa, Japan, and military equipment.

4. Dharmendra appointed Ambassador to Iran : Senior diplomat Gaddam Dharmendra has been appointed India’s Ambassador to Iran.Dharmendra is a 1990-batch Indian Foreign Service officer.At present, he is the Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.He replaced Saurabh Kumar, who was appointed India’s ambassador to Myanmar in October 2018.

5. India elected as a Member of the ITU Council : India has been elected as a Member of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Council for another 4-year term (2019-2022).The elections to the council were held during the ongoing ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2018 at Dubai, UAE.The ITU is a specialised agency of the United Nations (UN) that is responsible for issues that concern information and communication technologies.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. MoU signed between NMCG & HCL foundation : The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) has signed a MoU with the HCL Foundation to work on tributaries of Ganga- Hindon and Yamuna and to increase forest cover in Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.The two organisations will work for sensitisation and awareness programs on forest and environment conservation.The organisations will also try to ensure plantation success rate of 60% to 70%.

SPORTS:

1. Book on history of women’s cricket to be out : A book on history of women’s cricket in India will be released on 30 November 2018.The book, titled ‘The Fire Burns Blue: A History of Women’s Cricket in India’, is co-authored by sports journalists Karunya Keshav and Sidhanta Pathak.The book explores the biggest moments for the game in the country.

2. Elavenil-Hriday won gold in shooting : India’s Air Rifle mixed team junior pairing of Elavenil Valarivan and Hriday Hazarika won the gold medal at the 11th Asian Championship in Kuwait City on 6 November 2018.A second Indian pair of Mehuli Ghosh and Arjun Babuta also won bronze in the same event.The silver medal was won Chinese pair of Shi Mengyao and Wang Yuefeng.

3. Angad Vir Singh won gold medal in shooting : Angad Vir Singh Bajwa won the gold medal in the men’s skeet final of the 8th Asian Shotgun Championship on 6 November 2018.He became the first Indian skeet shooter to win a gold medal at any continental or world level event.Di Jin of China won the silver medal while Saeed Al Maktoum of UAE won the bronze medal.

Daily GK Updates - 6th November. 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Naidu launched ‘Jaipur Foot’ camp in Malawi : Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated a ‘Jaipur Foot’ camp in Malawi.The camp was launched under the ‘India for Humanity’ programme, which honours Mahatma Gandhi’s service to humanity.The Indian government partnered with Bhagwan Mahavir Viklang Sahayta Samiti for ‘India for Humanity initiative’.The ‘India for Humanity’ was launched on 2 October 2018.

2. Lucknow stadium renamed after Vajpayee : The newly-built ‘Ekana International Stadium’ has been renamed after former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in Lucknow.The stadium will now be known as ‘Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee International Cricket Stadium’.UP Governor Ram Naik has approved the government proposal to this effect. 

3. Jayant Sawarkar to get Maha lifetime award : Noted Marathi actor Jayant Sawarkar will be honoured with the Maharashtra government’s ‘Natvarya Prabhakar Panshikar Lifetime Achievement’ award in the field of theatre.The ‘Sangeetacharya Annasaheb Kirloskar Lifetime Achievement’ award will be given to tabla artist Vinayak Thorat.Both awards comprise cash prizes of Rs 5 lakh, citation and memento each.

4. Anupam Kher got ‘Distinguished Fellow’ award : Anupam Kher was honoured as a ‘Distinguished Fellow’ by IndiaGlobal – a leading think-tank that works on issues concerning non-resident Indians.The actor was given a fellowship on November 3, 2018 at the 3rd IndiaGlobal Summit.The event was held at the prestigious MIT Sloan School of Management in Boston, and was facilitated by MIT Sloan India Business Club.

5. Ram Mohan Roy award for N. Ram : Veteran journalist and The Hindu Publishing Group Chairman N. Ram has been chosen for the prestigious Raja Ram Mohan Roy Award 2018.The award is presented by the Press Council of India (PCI) for his outstanding contribution to journalism.Ruby Sarkar, the chief correspondent of Deshbandhu, and Rajesh Parshuram Joshte of Daily Pudhari, have been named joint winners for ‘Rural Journalism’.

6. Guidelines for ‘Operation Greens’ issued : Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has approved the operationalisation strategy for Operation Greens.Operation Greens was announced in the Budget speech of 2018-19 with an outlay of Rs 500 crores.It was launched to stabilise the supply of Tomato, Onion and Potato (TOP) crops and to ensure availability of TOP crops throughout the country round the year without price volatility.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Earth’s ozone layer is finally healing : According to a new United Nations report, earth’s protective ozone layer is finally healing from the damage caused by aerosol sprays and coolants.The upper ozone layer above the northern hemisphere should be completely repaired in the 2030s and the gaping Antarctic ozone hole should disappear in the 2060s.The ozone layer had been thinning since the late 1970s.

2. UN Pledging Conference held : The 2018 ‘United Nations Pledging Conference for Development Activities’ was held on 5 November 2018.About 19 countries pledged a total of USD 425.69 million at the Pledging Conference.India pledged contributions of USD 13.36 million for the various UN agenciesIndia’s pledged contributions include $4.5 million to the UN Development Programme.

3. ‘Preventing the environment from War’ observed : The ‘International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict’ is observed every year on 6 November.The aim is to educate people about the damaging effects of war and armed conflict on the environment.The day was declared by the United Nations on 5 November 2001.

4. India allowed to buy Iranian oil-US : India is one of the eight countries to receive temporary exemptions from U.S. sanctions on Iran that came into effect on 5 November 2018.The other countries that have been exempted are China, Italy, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey.U.S. said that each country on the list had demonstrated ‘significant reductions’ of the purchase of Iranian crude over the past six months.

5. MoU signed between India & South Korea : A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of India and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea on 5 November 2018.The MoU was signed in the field of sports cooperation.The cooperation under this MoU may include areas like exchange of coaches, athletes, and experts.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. RBI imposed Rs 1 cr fine on Fino Payments Bank : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a fine of Rs 1 crore on Fino Payments Bank for opening new accounts despite directions not to do so until further order on 5 November 2018.This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI under the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949.Fino Payments Bank started its operations in June 2017.

DEFENCE:

1. INS Arihant completes Nuclear Triad : INS Arihant, India’s first nuclear-powered submarine, successfully completed its first deterrence patrol.This means that INS Arihant is now prowling the deep seas carrying ballistic missiles.Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear (SSBN) submarine is part of Indian Navy’s Eastern Naval Command.The vessel has been designed by the Indian Navy’s Submarine Design Bureau

SPORTS:

1. Elavenil Valarivan won bronze medal : Elavenil Valarivan won the bronze medal at the 11th Asian Shooting Championship in Kuwait on 6 November 2018.Elavenil shot 227.9 in the corresponding Women’s event to claim the bronze medal.Shi Mengyao of China won the gold medal while Xu Hong won the silver medal at the event. 

2. Divyansh won silver medal in men’s shooting : India’s junior shooter Divyansh Singh Panwar won a silver medal in the 11th Asian Shooting Championship in Kuwait city on 6 November 2018.Divyansh shot 251.4 in the final of 10m Air Rifle Junior Men’s event.Wang Yuefeng from China won the gold medal, who shot a Junior World and Asian record score of 252.

3. Gafur Rakhimov elected president of AIBA : Uzbek businessman Gafur Rakhimov was elected president of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) Rakhimov beat his only opponent, former boxer Serik Konakbayev of Kazakhstan.The International Boxing Association (AIBA) is a sports organisation that sanctions amateur (Olympic-style) boxing matches and awards world and subordinate championships.

Daily GK Updates - 5th November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 1st India-Nepal passenger train : The first passenger train to run on ‘broad gauge’ between India and Nepal is likely to run from December 2018.The train will run from Jayanagar in Bihar to Kurtha in Dhanusa district in south-eastern Nepal.An immigration check-post is likely to be established at Jayanagar station.No visa will be required for Indian and Nepalese nationals crossing the border through this stretch.

2. AR Rahman launched his biography : AR Rahman released his biography, ‘Notes of a Dream: The Authorized Biography of AR Rahman’, in Mumbai on 3 November 2018.

The book has been written by author Krishna Trilok.AR Rahman has won six National Film Awards, two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and fifteen Filmfare Awards

3. Ayurveda Day celebrated on 5th November : Ayurveda Day was observed on 5th November 2018.Ministry of AYUSH observes Ayurveda Day every year on ‘Dhanawantari Jayanti’ (Dhanteras).On this occasion, Ministry is organising a ‘National Seminar on Entrepreneurship and Business Development in Ayurveda’ in association with NITI Aayog on 4th & 5th November 2018.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India to extend USD 310 m loan for Zimbabwe : India would extend a US$ 310 million loan to Zimbabwe to finance a rehabilitation project for a thermal power plant that would entail upgrading the station and extending its lifespan.Hwange is Zimbabwe’s second biggest power plant with an installed capacity of 920 MW.The decision was taken during a meeting between Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

2. Changsha declaration’ signed in China : More than 20 countries have committed to ‘Changsha declaration’ on agricultural and rural development in Changsha, China on 2 November 2018.The ‘Changsha Declaration’ aims to ramp up the efforts towards South-South Cooperation, an initiative working to eliminate hunger and malnutrition through the mutual sharing and exchange of good practices, resources.

3. India ranked 12th in web-borne threats : According to a recent report by Kaspersky Lab, India is ranked 12th worldwide when it comes to the dangers associated with surfing the web.In the third quarter (July- September), 32.8% of the users were attacked by web-borne threats in India.Kaspersky Lab products detected 48,093,743 Internet-borne malware incidents on the computers of KSN participants in India.

4. World Tsunami Awareness Day observed on 5 Nov : The ‘World Tsunami Awareness Day’ is observed on 5 November.The day is observed in order to raise tsunami awareness and share innovative approaches to risk reduction.In 2018, World Tsunami Awareness Day will align with the International Day for Disaster Reduction and the ‘Sendai Seven Campaign’. 

5. India, Zimbabwe signed six agreements : India and Zimbabwe signed six agreements on 3 November 2018.The agreements were signed on mining, Information and communications technology (ICT), visa waiver and traditional medicine.MoUs were also signed between the two countries on cooperation in the field of arts, culture and heritage.India also accepted Zimbabwe’s request to supply 10 ambulances to the African nation.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. RBI starts process to set up PCR : The Reserve Bank has initiated steps to set up a wide-based digital Public Credit Registry (PCR).PCR will capture details of all borrowers, including wilful defaulters and also the pending legal suits in order to check financial delinquencies.PCR will also include data from entities like market regulator SEBI, the Corporate Affairs Ministry and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1. NASA grants $7 Million For new life detection : NASA has awarded nearly $7 million for a fresh interdisciplinary project to detect new, non-Earth-like life on Mars, Jupiter and Saturn’s icy moons.The Laboratory for Agnostic Biosignatures (LAB) will lay the groundwork for characterising potential biosignatures, or signs of life.The LAB is a consortium of 15 team members from universities and institutions around the world.

SPORTS:

1. Subhankar Dey won SaarLorLux Open : In Badminton, Subhankar Dey has won the SaarLorLux Open at Saarbrucken in Germany on 5 November 2018.He defeated Rajiv Ouseph of Britain in finals.This is Subhankar’s first title of 2018.In March 2018, he had finished runner-up in the Kabal International tournament at the Czech Republic.

2. Lilima Minz received ‘Ekalabya Puraskar’ : Woman Hockey player Lilima Minz was honoured with the prestigious ‘Ekalabya Puraskar’ on 4 November 2018.She was part of the squad that represented the country in the 2016 summer Olympics.The award comprises a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh along with a citation.The Ekalabya Puraskar has been instituted by ‘IMPaCT’, the social wing of the Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys.

Daily GK Updates - 4th November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Delhi's Signature Bridge opens for public : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has inaugurated the iconic ‘Signature Bridge’ over river ‘Yamuna’. in Delhi.The Signature Bridge (675 metres long) is a cantilever spar cable-stayed bridge, spans Yamuna river at Wazirabad section, connecting Wazirabad to East Delhi.The pylon of the Signature bridge is the tallest structure in Delhi and is double the height of Qutb Minar, with 154-metre high viewing box, which acts as selfie points for people.It is the country's first asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge.

2.Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation announces Swachh Bharat World Toilet Day Contest  : The Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation has announced Swachh Bharat World Toilet Day Contest for districts and States.The purpose of the Contest is to encourage all districts in India to re-intensify the sanitation movement with a special focus on Open Defecation Free-ODF Sustainability. Top 10 District Collectors, top 3 State Mission Directors and State Secretary in-charge of Sanitation will be recognized and awarded by the Swachh Bharat Mission.The Contest does not apply to the five States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram

3.National Seminar on Entrepreneurship & Business Development in Ayurveda begins in New Delhi : A two-day National Seminar on Entrepreneurship and Business Development in Ayurveda has begun in New Delhi.The seminar has been organised by the AYUSH Ministry.The seminar is expected to develop awareness among stakeholders about business opportunities, encouraging young entrepreneurs to use modern technologies and highlight opportunities at the global level.

4. Noted Malayalam writer M Mukundan wins Ezhuthachan award : Noted Malayalam writer M Mukundan (76- years) has been selected for the highest literacy prize ‘Ezhuthachan Puraskaram 2018’. The award is being given for his overall contributions to the language and literature.

5. Super 30 founder Anand Kumar to be honoured with education award in Dubai : Veteran Mathematician 45-year old Anand Kumar (Super 30 founder) will be awarded for his ‘pioneering’ contribution to the field of education and illuminating the lives of many talented students (on 8^th November).Mr Anand will be honoured with 'Global Education Award' by 'Malabar Gold & Diamonds', a flagship company of Malabar Group, a leading Indian business conglomerate

6.IIT-Madras creates ‘Shakti’, India’s first microprocessor : The Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IITM) have designed and booted up India’s first icroprocessor ‘Shakti’.An open-source high-level synthesis language ‘Bluespec’ was used in making the chips.The Shakti microprocessor can be used in low-power wireless systems and networking systems besides reducing reliance on imported microprocessors in communication and defence sectors.It could be used in mobile computing and other devices.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.18th Indian Ocean Rim Association Council of Ministers Meeting Held in Durban : The 18th Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers Meeting was held in Durban, South Africa. Gen. (Dr.) VK Singh (Retd.), Minister of State for External Affairs, attended the IORA Council of Ministers Meeting.

This meeting took place during the on-going celebrations of the 150th year of the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and the 100th birth anniversary of Nelson Mandela.The Indian Ocean Rim Association is an inter-governmental organisation which was established on 7^th  March 1997.

2.  Indo-French Conclave held in Nagpur : Indo-French Conclave signed 12 agreements worth 200 million euro held in Nagpur, Maharashtra.The Indo-French Conclave was organized by Indo French Chamber of Commerce & Industry (IFCCI) and the Embassy of France in India.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Kolkata leads Ease of Moving Index 2018 : The union minister Nitin Gadkari has released the Ola Mobility Institute’s(OMI), India's first Ease of Moving Index, 2018.As part of report findings, Kolkata ranks the highest in terms of affordability of public transportation with 80% of commuters finding Kolkata's public transport reasonable and affordable.Ola Mobility Institute (OMI) is the research and outreach arm of Ola.

DEFENCE:

1. Offshore patrol vessel ICGS Varaha launched : According to Defence Ministry, The Indian Coast Guard has launched a new offshore patrol vessel called ICGS Varaha from a corporate shipyard near Chennai.The vessel has been designed and built indigenously.This is the third in a series of seven similar ships to be handed over to the Coast Guard. The timeline for the delivery of all the vessels is March 2021.ICGS Varaha will soon be fitted with advanced navigation and communication equipment, sensors and machinery.

SPORTS:

1. Indian badminton player Subhankar Dey has won the SaarLorLux Open at Saarbrucken in Germany : He defeated fifth-placed Rajiv Ouseph (Britain), in straight games, 21-11, 21-14.This is Subhankar's first title of 2018.Earlier, he had finished runner-up in the Kabal International tournament at the Czech Republic.

Daily GK Updates - 3rd November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 1.Atul Goel takes charge as MD, CEO of UCO Bank : Atul Kumar Goel has assumed charge as Managing Director (MD) and CEO (Chief executive officer) of UCO Bank.Earlier, he was executive director of Union Bank of India.Goel takes over from R K Takkar who completed his three-year tenure on 1^st November 2018.UCO Bank (formerly United Commercial Bank) established in 1943 in Kolkata.

2.Railway Ministry launched ‘UTS on Mobile’ facility : The Ministry of Railways has launched the ‘Unreserved Mobile Ticketing’ facility (UTS on Mobile) to enable seamless booking of unreserved tickets in all Zonal Railways.Now, the booking of unreserved tickets on all non-suburban sections across all Zonal Railways will now be made available on mobile.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Doha to host World Corporate Games : The World Corporate Games 2019 will be held for the first time in the Middle East in Doha, organisers of the Games  anounced. The 23rd edition is held under the patronage of Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani and will bring together the local, regional and international business sporting community.It will be the first time that the World Corporate Games, established nearly 30 years ago, incorporate eSports and mind sports.

2. India and Japan sign a loan agreement worth Rs. 1817 crore : India and Japan have signed a loan agreement worth of approximately 1817 crores for the construction of Turga Pumped Storage (I).The objective of the Project is to strengthen the capability to respond to a fluctuation in supply and demand of power and to improve the stability of the power supply.In the last few years, the economic cooperation between India and Japan has steadily progressed.

3. India Pavilion inaugurated at Videocittà 2018 in Rome Film Festival : India Pavilion inaugurated at Videocittà 2018 in Rome Film Festival.India Pavilion at Videocitta 2018 showcased Indian films’ heritage, ease of film shooting in India, promoted film shooting locations in India.It is an event focussing on Virtual Reality, Video gaming, Animation, Film Making, etc. was organized along with Rome Film Festival and Mercato Internazionale dell' Audiovisivo (MIA) (the International Audio-Visual Market).

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1.  Kirloskar Capital gets RBI nod for NBFC biz : Kirloskar Capital has received RBI licence to start a non-banking financial company (NBFC).Kirloskar Capital is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kirloskar Oil Engines (KOEL), plans to lend more than Rs 1,000 crore over the next three years.Earlier, the company roped in former Indo-Star Capital Finance Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Vimal Bhandari, to head its operations.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1.  Bank of Maharashtra to reinstate CEO, ED : The board of directors of Bank of Maharashtra decided to restore/reinstate the functional responsibilities of RP Marathe, Managing Director and CEO, and RK Gupta, Executive Director, with immediate effect.This move is possibly an indication that these two top executives, who were taken into custody by the Pune police for the bank’s Rs 96.52-crore exposure to DSK Developers, have got a clean chit from the authorities. Earlier, the board, in its meeting held on June 29, had divested these two top executives of all their functional responsibilities.

SPORTS:

1. Azhar Ali announces retirement from ODIs : Former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali has announced his retirement from ODI cricket in order to prolong his Test career.Azhar has been one of Pakistan's most prolific run-scorers in Test cricket as he scored a triple century and a double hundred in Tests in the UAE and Australia in 2016 & 2017.In January 2018, he played his last ODIs against New Zealand.