Daily GK Updates - 16th November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. National Press Day observed on 16 November : National Press Day is observed on 16 November every year.On this day, Press Council of India (PCI) started functioning as a moral watchdog.The PCI was first set up in the year 1966 by the Parliament on the recommendations of the ‘First Press Commission’.The PCI has been mandated by Parliament to improve the standards of journalism and maintain its freedom.

2. Tribunal to decide on ban on 2 militant groups : The Government of India has set up a tribunal for adjudicating whether or not two Tripura-based militant outfits should be declared banned organisations under the law.The two militant outfits are National Liberation Front of Tripura and All Tripura Tiger Force.The tribunal will be headed by Delhi High Court Judge Justice Suresh Kait.

3. Food Park in Aurangabad district inaugurated : Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal inaugurated the second Mega Food Park in Maharashtra on 15 November 2018.The Food Park is located in Paithan Taluka of Aurangabad district, Maharashtra.The first Food Park was inaugurated on 1st March 2018 in Satara district, Maharashtra.The Mega Food Park Scheme is implemented by Ministry of Food Processing Industries

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. China builds an ‘artificial sun’ : China has built an ‘artificial sun’ that reaches temperature six times that of the core of the sun.The reactor named ‘Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak’ (EAST) is designed to replicate the processes of the sun as part of a project to turn hydrogen into cost-effective green energy.

It involves fusion of hydrogen atoms together to form heavier elements, such as helium

2. Tajikistan launched a hydro-electric project : Tajikistan inaugurated a US$ 3.9 billion ‘Rogun hydro-electric project’ on 16 November 2018.It has been built on the Vakhsh River in southern Tajikistan.The project will enable Tajikistan to eliminate domestic energy shortages and export electricity to Afghanistan and Pakistan.The first of six turbines in the Rogun hydroelectric dam went online on 16 November 2018.

3. Africa’s first ever high speed train unveiled : French President Emmanuel Macron and Morocco’s King Mohammed VI have inaugurated Morocco’s first high-speed rail line, the first ever such line in Africa.The king Mohammed VI named the first line as ‘Al Boraq’.It will connect the economic hubs of Tangier and Casablanca.The $2 billion project was launched in September 2011.

4. World Tolerance Summit inaugurated in Dubai : The two-day summit to mark the World Tolerance Day was inaugurated in Dubai on 16 November 2018.The theme of the Summit was ‘Prospering from Pluralism: Embracing Diversity through Innovation and Collaboration’.The summit is expected to focus on the crucial role of women and the youth in spreading tolerance in their societies.

5. JICA to fund Bengal power project : Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will extend Rs. 5,000-crore loan to a 1,000 MW Turga pumped storage project in West Bengal.The project is coming up in the Ayodhya Hills in Purulia district, West Bengal.The project is scheduled for completion by 2027.A pumped storage power plant works as a large storage battery which generates power during peak periods

6. International Day for Tolerance : 16 November : The ‘International Day for Tolerance’ is annually observed on 16 November.The aim of the day is to educate people about the need for tolerance in the society and to help them understand the negative effects of intolerance.The United Nations has launched a new global campaign named ‘TOGETHER’ to promote tolerance, respect and dignity across the world.

7. Toxic’ declared Oxford Word of the Year : Oxford Dictionary has declared the adjective ‘toxic’ as the Word of the Year 2018.The adjective toxic is defined as ‘poisonous’ and first appeared in English in the mid-seventeenth century from the medieval Latin ‘toxicus’.The Oxford Word of the Year is a word or expression that is judged to have lasting potential as a term of cultural significance.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Exports grew by 17.86% in October 2018 : According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, India’s exports grew by 17.86% to 26.98 billion dollars in October 2018.India’s exports stood at 22.89 billion dollars in October 2017.The sectors which recorded healthy growth includes petroleum, engineering, chemicals, pharma and gems and jewellery sector.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. World Bank provides US$155.7 million to Nepal : The World Bank provided over US$ 155 million in financial assistance to Nepal on 14 November 2018. The first project comprising a credit of US$ 133 million will finance the improvement & maintenance programme targeting around 477 bridges along Nepal’s strategic roads network.The second project in the form of a grant of US$ 22.7 million to support the Food & Nutrition Enhancement Project.

2. Sunil Mehta panel formed ‘Sashakt India AMC’ : Sunil Mehta panel has formed an Asset Management Company (AMC) for resolving large bad loans.The AMC will be called as ‘Sashakt India Asset Management’.The panel is now working towards identifying potential investors for an Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) which will fund the AMC.Sunil Mehta panel is working for the faster resolution of stressed assets in public sector banks.

Daily GK Updates - 15th November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. First Ramayana Express flagged off : First ‘Ramayana Express’ was flagged off from Delhi on 14 November 2018.The Ramayana Express will make its first stop in Ayodhya followed by Hanuman Garhi Ramkot and Kanak Bhawan temple.The trains will make stops at Nandigram, Sitamarhi, Janakpur, Varanasi, Prayag, Shringaverpur, Chitrakoot, Nasik, Hampi and Rameshwaram.

2. Odisha signed MoU with AIFF : A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has signed between the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Odisha government.As per the MoU, the Government of Odisha will act as the host of the AIFF national team camps as well as of the home of Indian Arrows.The MoU was signed at the Kalinga Stadium complex in Odisha.

3. Justice Mathur took oath as Allahabad HC CJ : Justice Govind Mathur took oath as the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court on 14 November 2018.The oath was administered by Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik.Justice Mathur was appointed as a judge in the Rajasthan High Court in September 2004.He was transferred to the Allahabad High Court from Rajasthan High Court in November 2017.

4. Delhi Police launched e-learning site ‘NIPUN’ : Delhi Police commissioner Amulya Patnaik has launched the e-Learning portal of Delhi Police called ‘NIPUN’ on 14 November 2018.The e-learning portal aims to give online training and information through specialised courses designed by experts in the field.The website will also act as a tool for feedback mechanism and bridge communication gap

5. Sanjay Karol sworn in as CJ of Tripura HC : Justice Sanjay Karol sworn in as the new Chief Justice of the Tripura High Court on 14 November 2018.Tripura Governor, Kaptan Singh Solanki administered the oath of office and secrecy to Justice Karol. Justice Karol was previously a judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.He has become the fourth Chief Justice of Tripura High Court.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ‘ASEAN-India Breakfast Summit’ held : Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in the ‘ASEAN-India Breakfast Summit’ in Singapore on 15 November 2018.He reaffirmed cooperation in maritime domain and centrality of trade and investment towards prosperity of Indo-Pacific.He also held separate bilateral meetings with the premiers of Singapore, Australia and Thailand.

2. ‘India-Singapore Hackathon’ winners awarded : Prime Minister Narendra Modi felicitated the six winning teams of the first ‘India-Singapore Hackathon’ on 15 November 2018.‘India-Singapore Hackathon’ is a platform for the youth of the two countries to harness and showcase their innovations.The winning teams from India were IIT Kharagpur, NIT Trichy, and MIT College of Engineering, Pune.

3. PM Modi attended 13th East Asia Summit : Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the 13th East Asia Summit (EAS) in Singapore on 15 November 2018.It was Prime Minister Modi’s 5th East Asia Summit.The members of EAS consists of 10 ASEAN nations (Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, The Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei and Laos), Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the US.

4. ‘World Philosophy Day’ observed on 15 November : ‘World Philosophy Day’ is annually observed on the third Thursday of November to honour the philosophical reflections around the world.The aim of the day is to raise public awareness of the importance of philosophy.It also aims to underline the importance of the universalization of philosophy-teaching for future generations.‘World Philosophy Day’ was introduced in 2002 by UNESCO.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Yes Bank chairman Ashok Chawla resigned : Ashok Chawla has resigned as the Non-Executive (Independent) Chairman of Yes Bank on 14 November 2018.He has also been serving as the Chairman of National Stock Exchange, a quasi-regulator under the SEBI Act, since 2016.Former finance secretary Ashok Chawla had also worked as the Chairman of CCI or Competition Commission of India.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1. Massive meteorite impact crater discovered : Scientists have discovered a 31-kilometre wide meteorite impact crater buried beneath the ice-sheet in the northern Greenland.The crater was formed when a kilometre-wide iron meteorite smashed into northern Greenland.The crater was first discovered in July 2015.

2. Super-Earth’ discovered by scientists : An international team of scientists has discovered a cold ‘super-Earth’ exoplanet orbiting around the red dwarf Barnard, the second closest star system to Earth.The new planet has been named ‘Barnard’s star b’ (or GJ 699 b).It orbits its red star every 233 days near the snow-line, a distance where water freezes.Barnard’s star is six light-years away from earth.

3. Ghost galaxy spotted next to Milky Way : Scientists of the European Space Agency (ESA) has discovered a massive and very faint galaxy near the Milky Way.The name of the galaxy is Antlia 2 or Ant 2 and is known as a dwarf galaxy.The Galaxy was discovered with the help of Gaia satellite.Despite its size, the galaxy has very few stars.Ant 2 is 10,000 times fainter, meaning that it has about one 10,000th the number of stars

SPORTS:

1. Hima Das appointed as Youth Ambassador : Hima Das has been appointed as UNICEF India’s Youth Ambassador.She will work towards supporting various initiatives by UNICEF.  She will also work towards raising awareness about the rights and needs of the children.She won the gold medal in Women’s 4 x 400 m Relay event at the 2018 Asian Games.

Daily GK Updates - 14th November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. AIM & UNICEF announced Young Champions Awards: The NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) and UNICEF have announced ‘UNICEF – Atal Tinkering Labs Young Champions Awards’ on 14 November 2018. The awards were presented to the top six most innovative solutions from across the country, which was shortlisted through the Atal Tinkering Marathon. AIM and UNICEF have also launched a 72-hour ‘Tinkering Hackathon’ from 14 to 17 November 2018.

2. India voted against UNGA draft resolution: India has voted against a United Nations General Assembly draft resolution on the use of death penalty. India said that it goes against the statutory law of the country where an execution is carried out in the ‘rarest of rare’ cases. The draft resolution, taken up in the 3rd Committee (Social, Humanitarian, Cultural) of the General Assembly, was approved on 13 November 2018.

3. India International Trade Fair inaugurated: Culture Minister Dr Mahesh Sharma inaugurated the 38th India International Trade Fair (IITF) at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi on 14 November 2018. The theme of the fair for 2018 is ‘Rural Enterprises in India’. For the year 2018, Afghanistan is the Partner Country, while Nepal is the Focus Country. Jharkhand is participating as a Partner State in the event.

4. Dr. Martha received lifetime achievement award: Late Dr Martha Farrell has been honoured with the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ at the 6th Indian Social Work Congress in New Delhi on 13 November 2018. Dr Martha is being recognised for her lifelong work towards gender equality, women’s empowerment and prevention of sexual harassment at workplace. In 1991, she co-founded the NGO named Creative Learning for Change.

5. S K Seth sworned in as Chief Justice of MP HC: Justice S K Seth took oath as Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on 14 November 2018. Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel administered the oath of office to Justice Seth. Justice Seth is the senior-most judge of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. He will be the 24th Chief Justice of the MP High Court.

6. Northeast Youth Festival to begin from 15 Nov: Tripura will host the 6th ‘Northeast Youth Festival’ from 15 November 2018.Various sports events and cultural programmes such as folk music, folk dance, rock music, martial arts, adventure sports, handicrafts shows, yoga, and boat race will be held at the three-day festival. The 5th edition of the festival was hosted by Sikkim in 2017.

7. UASG conferred award upon Vasundhrara Raje: Universal Acceptance Steering Group (UASG) conferred ‘Universal Acceptance Thought Leader Award’ to Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on 13 November 2018. She was awarded for ‘Rajmail project’ that enables access to the email address to people in the state in local script. The technology for the project was developed by Rajasthan based firm ‘Data XGen Technologies’.

8. Children’s Day celebrated on 14 November: Children’s Day is celebrated on 14 November every year. It is celebrated on the birth anniversary of the first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The day is celebrated across the country to increase awareness of the rights, care and education of children.

9. Rs 75 commemorative coin to be released: The government of India will release a Rs 75 commemorative coin on the occasion of 75th anniversary of the hoisting of Tricolour for the first time by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at Port Blair. The coin will bear the portrait of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose saluting the flag on the background of cellular jail. The coin will be composed of 50% silver, 40% copper, and 5% each of nickel & zinc.

10. Additional charges given to ministers on account of Ananth Kumar’s demise: Union Ministers, DV Sadananda Gowda and Narendra Singh Tomar were assigned additional portfolios of the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers and the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, respectively on 13 November 2018. The move was necessitated following the demise of Ananth Kumar. He was holding the charge of both the ministries of Parliamentary Affairs and Chemicals and Fertilisers.

11. LEAP & ARPIT initiative launched by MHRD: Ministry of Human Resource Development has launched two new initiatives viz. Leadership for Academicians Programme (LEAP) and Annual Refresher Programme In Teaching (ARPIT). ARPIT is an initiative of online professional development of 15 lakh higher education faculty. LEAP is a 3 weeks flagship leadership development training programme for 2nd level academic functionaries.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World Diabetes Day observed on 14 November: World Diabetes Day is observed on 14 November every year. The theme of World Diabetes Day 2018 is ‘The Family and Diabetes’. The aim of World Diabetes Day theme is to raise awareness about the impact of diabetes on the family. Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, and lower limb amputation.

2. Neomi Rao to replace Kavanaugh on DC Circuit: U.S. President Donald Trump has nominated Indian-American Neomi Rao to replace Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. The powerful U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit is considered next to the U.S. Supreme Court. Ms. Rao is currently the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA).

3. 7th RCEP Ministerial Meeting concluded: The two-day 7th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Inter-Sessional Ministerial Meeting concluded in Singapore on 13 November 2018. Commerce and Industry and Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu led the Indian delegation to the meeting. The Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore Mr Chan Chun Sing was the Chair of the meeting.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. WPI inflation in October jumps to 5.28%: Wholesale inflation based on the wholesale price index (WPI) stood at 5.28% in October 2018. Wholesale inflation in primary articles, which include food articles, cereals, paddy, onions, food, and milk, among others, rose by 1.79% in October 2018. WPI is computed by the Office of the Economic Advisor, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, and Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

2. Second Startup India Investment Seminar organized: ‘2nd Startup India Investment Seminar’ was organised in Beijing on 12 November 2018. It was organised by the Embassy of India in China in partnership with Startup India Association (SIA) and Venture Gurukool. The event was planned to expose Chinese investors to the promising Indian startups. The 1st Startup Indian Investment event was organised in November 2017.

3. Flipkart CEO Binny Bansal quits: Flipkart co-founder, Binny Bansal resigned as the company’s Group CEO on 13 November 2018 following an independent investigation into allegations of serious personal misconduct. Kalyan Krishnamurthy will continue to be the CEO of Flipkart. Ananth Narayanan will continue as CEO of Flipkart’s fashion arms Myntra and Jabong.

4. ‘Global Digital Content Market’ hosted by DIPP: A conference on ‘Global Digital Content Market’ (GDCM) 2018 is being hosted by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) on 14 and 15 November 2018 in New Delhi. The focus of GDCM 2018 is on the Asia Pacific region.  The aim of GDCM 2018 is to give industry stakeholders a platform to come together and discuss new avenues in the films, music, gaming and creative industry.

BANKING & FINANCE:

5. Prime Minister Modi launched APIX technology: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the APIX (Application Programming Interface Exchange) in Singapore on 14 November 2018. APIX is a banking technology platform designed to reach nearly two billion people worldwide who are still without bank accounts. APIX will support banks to reach out to those without bank accounts in 23 countries including the 10 ASEAN members countries.

Daily GK Updates - 13th November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Faizabad and Allahabad renaming approved: The Uttar Pradesh government approved the renaming of Faizabad and Allahabad divisions as Ayodhya and Prayagraj respectively on 13 November 2018. Prayagraj division will comprise Prayagraj, Kaushambi, Fatehpur and Pratapgarh districts. Ayodhya division will include Ayodhya, Ambedkarnagar, Sultanpur, Amethi and Barabanki districts.

2. ‘Water handloom hut’ inaugurated in Manipur: The first ever ‘water handloom hut’ in Manipur was inaugurated at Loktak Lake. Five ‘water handloom huts’ have been built on phumdis (floating biomass) at Loktak Lake in Bishnupur district. The objective of ‘water handloom hut’ is to improve the socio-economic conditions of the weavers residing in the phumdis at Loktak Lake.

3. Dr Debabhuson won the ‘Munin Barkotoki Award’: Dr Debabhuson Borah won the prestigious ‘Munin Barkotoki Literary Award 2018’. He won the award for his book on literary criticism titled ‘Nirbochon’. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 50,000 along with a citation and a plaque. The award was named after the renowned writer, critic, and journalist Munin Barkotoki.

4. ISRO to launch communication satellite GSAT-29: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch ‘GSLV MkIII-D2’ mission on 14 November 2018. The mission will carry India’s high throughput communication satellite ‘GSAT-29’. ‘GSAT-29’ is a multibeam, multi-band communication satellite weighing 3,423 kgs. The satellite will be carried by Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark III.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Award given to Aung San Suu Kyi revoked: Amnesty International revoked the ‘Ambassador of Conscience Award’ given to Myanmar’s leader Aung San Suu Kyi on 13 November 2018. She received the award in 2009 when she was living under house arrest. The award was revoked because of her failure to speak out for the Rohingya minority. She was also stripped of her honorary Canadian citizenship in October 2018.

2. Sunscreens banned in Palau: Palau is set to become the first country to impose a widespread ban on sunscreen in an effort to protect its vulnerable coral reefs. The government has signed a law that restricts the sale and use of sunscreen and skincare products that contain a list of ten different chemicals. The ban comes into force in 2020.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

1. Retail inflation softens to 3.31% in October: According to the Central Statistics Office data, India’s retail inflation eased to 3.31% in October 2018 driven by cheaper food items. The retail inflation number is the lowest since September 2017. Vegetable prices declined by 8.06% in October 2018. Retail inflation, measured by Consumer Price Index (CPI), stood at 3.7% in September 2018 and 3.58% in October 2017.

2. MoU signed between ADNOC and ISPRL: Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Ltd. (ISPRL). Under the MoU, ADNOC is expected to store crude oil in the underground oil storage facility at Padur, Karnataka. ISPRL is an Indian government-owned company mandated to store crude oil for emergency needs.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY:

3. Largest brain-like supercomputer switched on: The world’s largest supercomputer designed to work in the same way as the human brain has been switched on for the first time. The ‘Spiking Neural Network Architecture’ (SpiNNaker) machine is capable of completing more than 200 million actions per second. The SpiNNaker machine has been designed and built in the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.

DEFENCE:

4. ‘EXERCISE INDRA’ to be conducted from 18 November: The joint military exercise between India and Russia named ‘EXERCISE INDRA 2018’ on combating insurgency will be conducted from 18 November 2018. The exercise is being held under the aegis of United Nations (UN) at Babina Field Firing Ranges in Madhya Pradesh. The aim of the exercise is to practice joint planning and conduct to enhance the interoperability of the two Armies.

5. ‘Samudra Shakti’ exercise inaugurated: Indian and Indonesian Navy’s Bilateral Exercise ‘Samudra Shakti’ is being held from 12 to 18 November 2018.

The aim of the exercise is to strengthen bilateral relations, expand maritime co-operation, enhance interoperability and exchange best practices. INS Rana of the Eastern Fleet based at Visakhapatnam under the Eastern Naval Command is participating in the exercise.

SPORTS:

6. Mountaineer Satyarup climbed Mt Giluwe: Indian mountaineer Satyarup Siddhanta became the first Indian to climb Mt Giluwe. The summit of the mountain is at an elevation of 4,367 metres. He had successfully climbed the Mt Everest in June 2016. Mt Giluwe is the second highest mountain in Papua New Guinea. Mt Wilhelm is the highest mountain of Papua New Guinea.

7. Kento Momota won China Badminton Open: Kento Momota won badminton’s Fuzhou China Open. He defeated Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan in the final match. The Fuzhou China Open is a part of the HSBC world tour events, and is designated as a super 750 level tournament.

8. Lewis Hamilton wins Brazil Grand Prix: Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton won the Brazilian Grand Prix. The win was Hamilton’s 10th of the season and 72nd of his career. Hamilton’s win helped Mercedes secure the constructors’ championship. Verstappen finished second while Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen took third.

OBITUARIES:

1. Eminent Odia singer Chitta Jena passed away: Eminent Odia singer Chitta Jena passed away on 13 November 2018 in Cuttack, Odisha. He had made his debut as a playback singer in the movie Mana Akasha in 1974. He was honoured with the prestigious ‘Prafulla Kar Samman’ for his outstanding achievement in the field of music.

2. Comic writer Stan Lee passed away: The comic writer Stan Lee passed away on 12 November 2018. He is the co-creator of iconic characters including Iron Man, the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, Daredevil and the X-Men. He teamed up with artists like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko to revitalise the comics industry.

Daily GK Updates - 12th November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Anant Kumar passes away: Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar has passed away at 59 in Bengaluru.Ananth Kumar was an Indian politician of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Since 1996 he had represented the Bengaluru South constituency in the Lok Sabha.

2. Indian Armed Forces Memorial: VP M Venkaiah Naidu has inaugurated the Indian Armed Forces Memorial in France to pay tribute to thousands of Indian soldiers who fought selflessly and made supreme sacrifices during the World War I .The memorial is the first-of-its-kind built by India in France after the country’s Independence. The announcement to construct the memorial was made by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during her last visit to Paris in June 2018.

3. Kolkata International Film Festival: 24th Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) has begun at Netaji Indoor Stadium, Kolkata. It was inaugurated by Actor Amitabh Bachchan with West Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee.

4. Global education award 2018: Super 30 founder Anand Kumar was honoured with Global education award 2018 in Dubai. Super 30 is a prestigious Indian educational program started in Patna, India under the banner of Ramanujan School of Mathematics. It was co-founded by Abhayanand, a 1977 batch IPS officer and, Anand Kumar, a maths teacher in the year 2002.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 2018 London Press Freedom award: Swati Chaturvedi has won the 2018 London Press Freedom Award.She has taken courage by exposing the ‘IT cell’ within the Bharatiya Janata Party for keeping an army of angry trolls. 

2. 2nd RCEP Leaders Summit: Suresh Prabhu led the delegation for the meeting for trade Ministers of RCEP member countries in Singapore which will be followed by the 2nd RCEP Leaders Summit on 14th November, 2018, in Singapore.Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership is a proposed free trade agreement between the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the six Asia-Pacific states with which ASEAN has existing free trade agreements.

3. A report from International Society of Women Airline Pilots: According to International Society of Women Airline Pilots, India has the highest percentage of Female Airline Pilots in the world.India employs 12.4% of total are women while globally, women pilots account for 5.4%

4. China and Myanmar to build a port: Both have signed an MOU to build a port in Kyaukpyu town, Myanmar along the Bay of Bengal.The Bay of Bengal is the north-eastern part of the Indian Ocean, bounded on the west and northwest by India on the north by Bangladesh, and on the east by Myanmar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of. Its southern limit is a line between Sri Lanka and the north westernmost point of Sumatra.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. New CEO Virgin Hyperloop One: Jay Walder has been appointed as the CEO of Virgin Hyperloop One.Virgin Hyperloop One formerly known as Hyperloop One, is an American transportation technology company that was formed in 2014, and reorganized and renamed in 2017, working to commercialize the high-speed technology concept called Hyperloop.

2. American Express in China: American Express company has become 1st foreign payments company allowed to build a network in China.It won approval to clear card payments in China.

SPORTS:

1. Captain of United States national cricket team: Saurabh Netravalkar has been named captain of United States national cricket team.He was a former Mumbai medium pacer and India U-19 cricketer.

2. 66th Nehru Trophy Boat Race: 66th Nehru Trophy Boat Race was held on the Punnamada Lake, near Alappuzha, Kerala.Nehru Trophy Boat Race is also known as Vallam

Kali.Payippadan Chundan of Pallathuruthi Boat Club has won the race.

3. TATA Steel India 2018 Rapid Tournament Chess: Tata Steel India 2018 rapid tournament was concluded in Kolkata.Viswanathan Anand drew his sixth straight game of the tournament.

Daily GK Updates - 11th November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. National Education Day observed: ​The Birth Anniversaries of Abul Kalam Azad (National Education Day) and J. B. Kripalani were observed today. Abul Kalam Azad was an Indian scholar and the senior Muslim leader of the Indian National Congress during the Indian independence movement. Following India’s independence, he became the first Minister of Education in the Indian government. J. B. Kripalani was an Indian politician, noted particularly for holding the presidency of the Indian National Congress during the transfer of power in 1947 and the husband of Sucheta Kriplani.

2. INSPIRE 2018: Power Minister R K Singh inaugurated the International Symposium to Promote Innovation & Research in Energy Efficiency (INSPIRE 2018). This is the second edition of INSPIRE and is being organised by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) and World Bank.

3. Rosogolla Day to be observed: West Bengal will observe ‘Rosogolla Day’ on November 14.The aim is to commemorate the first anniversary of Geographical Indication GI tag as ‘Bengal’s Rosogolla’.

4. ‘Bhubaneswar Me WiFi’: Odisha Govt. has launched ‘Bhubaneswar Me WiFi’ project to make Bhubaneswar with fully Wifi enabled city before Hockey World Cup. It was implemented by the Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Jeff Sessions, US Attorney General, steps down: ​Jeff Sessions has stepped down from the post of US Attorney General. He is an American politician and lawyer, earlier served as the 84th and current Attorney General of the United States since 2017. A Republican, Sessions served as United States Senator from Alabama from 1997 to 2017, resigning the position in order to serve in the Trump administration.

2. Maldives’ President-elect: ​ PM Modi will attend the swearing-in ceremony of Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the Maldives’ New President. It is noteworthy that India and Maldives want to improve their bilateral ties and the move of Mr. Modi to attend the swearing-in ceremony is considered to be a strategic one. The capital of Maldives is Male.

3. Cyril Ramaphosa as the Chief Guest for Republic Day celebrations 2019: ​India is planning to invite South African President Cyril Ramaphosa as the Chief Guest for Republic Day celebrations 2019. This came after US President Donald Trump rejected the invitation citing scheduling conflicts.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:
1. Global Macro Outlook 2019-20: ​According to Moody’s Investors Service report, Indian Economy to grow at 7.4% in 2018 but will slow down to 7.3% in the next fiscal. Moody’s Investors Service or Moody’s, is the bond credit rating business of Moody’s Corporation, representing the company’s traditional line of business and its historical name. Moody’s Investors Service provides international financial research on bonds issued by commercial and government entities.

2. Ombudsman For Digital Payments: ​Reserve Bank of India is planning to establish an ombudsman for digital payments by March 2019. This is thought keeping in mind the increase in the number of digital payments and the government’s focus on furthering the same.

SPORTS:
1. Bajrang Punia at Number 1 in World in 65kg Wrestling: ​Wrestler Bajrang Punia has achieved number one rank in the 65kg category with 96 points. He is Gold Medallist at both Asian Games 2018 and Gold Coast 2018.

2. Munaf Patel retires from all forms of cricket: ​Cricketer Munaf Patel has announced his retirement from all form of Cricket. He was a part of India’s 2011 World Cup winning squad.

3. 1st Indian woman to score a hundred in T20I: ​Harmanpreet Kaur has become the  1st Indian woman to score a hundred in T20I cricket against New Zealand in the Women’s World T20 2018. She scored 103 runs off 51 balls.

Daily GK Updates - 10th November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Ashok Kumar Gupta appointed as the chairman of Competition Commission of India : Former IAS officer Ashok Kumar Gupta has been appointed as the chairperson of the Competition Commission of India, according to an official communication. The appointment would be till October 25, 2022 -- the date when he attains the age of 65 years -- or until further orders, whichever is the earliest, it addedGupta would replace acting chairperson Sudhir Mital

2.  Digital payment transactions jump to 244 cr in Aug 2018 : The number of digital payment transactions in India touched 244.81 crore in August 2018, more than three-fold rise from October 2016, underlining the massive adoption of digital payment modes over the last two years.The statement by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said in New Delhi that New payment modes, BHIM-UPI, AePS and NETC have transformed digital payment ecosystem by increasing Person to Person (P2P) as well as Person to Merchant (P2M) payments.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World Science Day for Peace & Development being observed today : World Science Day for Peace & Development celebrated every year on 10^thThe day is observed to highlights the important role of science in society and the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging scientific issues.It also underlines the importance and relevance of science in our daily lives.The theme for 2018 is “Science, a Human Right”, in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and of the Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers.

2. Vice President Inaugurates Indian War Memorial in France : Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu is on a three-day visit to France. He inaugurated Indian War Memorial at Villers Guislain.Earlier the Vice President attended the Indian community reception in Paris.The main ceremony at Arc de Triomphe monument in Paris was presided over by the French President Emmanuel Macron.The Vice President also met the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay.

3. Sri Lanka President Sirisena dissolves parliament to pave way for an election : Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Friday dissolved parliament, paving the way for an early general election in the country which is grappling with unprecedented political crisis after the surprise sacking of Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister and replacing him with Mahinda Rajapaksa.Sirisena signed an official notification dismissing the 225-member assembly well ahead of its August 2020 term expiry, state television reported.

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE:

1. SIMBEX 18 marks Silver Jubilee this Year : The 25th edition of SIMBEX, an acronym for “Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise” is scheduled from 10th to 21st November 2018 off Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal.Bilateral cooperation between Singapore and India was first formalised when RSN ships began training with the Indian Navy in 1994.Both countries have a full calendar of more than 20 bilateral mechanisms, dialogues and exercises, many of which take place annually.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Reserve Bank of India plans payments ombudsman : The Reserve Bank of India is likely to establish an ombudsman for digital payments by March to take the load off the increasing number of complaints currently being handled by the banking ombudsman.Given the rapid adoption of digital payments across the country, RBI in its Annual Report for 2017-18 had said it was considering a plan to establish a separate ombudsman to handle consumer complaints related to digital transactions.

2. RBI relaxes ECB norms for infrastructure companies : The Reserve Bank has liberalized the norms governing foreign borrowings for infrastructure creation "in consultation with the Government".The minimum average maturity requirement for ECBs (external commercial borrowings) in the infrastructure space raised by eligible borrowers has been reduced to three years from earlier five years, a notification said.