Daily GK Updates - 6th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Anees Salim, Ramesan Nair win Sahitya Akademi award 2018 : The ‘Sahitya Akademi’ has announced its annual Sahitya Akademi Awards-2018 in 24 languages(22 eighth Scheduled Languages + English & Rajasthani).Anees Salim has been awarded the ‘Sahitya Akademi Award 2018 for English literature category for his novel ‘The Blind Lady’s Descendants’.Ramesan Nair won the award for his work ‘Gurupournami’, a poem on the life of social reformer Sree Narayana Guru.An eminent short-story writer, Mushtaq Ahmad Mushtaq, bagged the Award for his collection of short stories “AAKH’’.Seven books of poetry, six novels, six short stories, three of literary criticism and two of essays have won the Sahitya Akademi Awards, 2018.

2. Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani approves Rs 50 crore SIT fund : Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has approved 50-crore rupees to Science & Technology Innovation (SIT) Fund to provide assistance up to Rs. 50-lakh to UGC and AICTE recognized central and state universities and colleges.The assistance will be for a maximum period of three years to develop latent talents, encourage creativity research and development in strategic fields in the knowledge-based ecosystem.Earlier, Gujarat Government has announced similar assistance under the Biotechnology Policy and IT Policy.

3. Maharashtra CM Fadnavis launches SMART initiative for Agribusiness, Rural Transformation: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has launched a unique initiative called "SMART" (State of Maharashtra’s Agribusiness and Rural Transformation) to transform rural Maharashtra.The objective of the World Bank assisted to revamp agricultural value chains, with a special focus on marginal farmers across 1,000 villages.The project will entail an investment of 300 million US dollars of which the World Bank would contribute 210 million US dollars.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Jon Ridgeon appointed CEO of IAAF : The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has appointed Jon Ridgeon (British former hurdler) as its new CEO (chief executive officer).Ridgeon (51-years) will take up the new role in March 2019.Jon Ridgeon winning silver in the shorter event at the 1987 World Championships.

2.  OPEC set to meet in Vienna : Members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries(OPEC) and other oil-producing countries are scheduled to meet in Vienna to discuss ways to manage the oil output, supply glut and demand slowdown.OPEC's third-biggest producer Iran has called to be excluded from any decision to cut production.Over the past two months oil prices have plunged and a barrel of Brent crude, the European benchmark.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1.  Rs 60000 crore to be spent on MGNREGA this year: Finance Minister : According to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, about 60 thousand crore rupees would be spent on MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) this year to improve the infrastructure and the quality of life of people.If this level of investment with its annual increase is continued for at least the next two decades, India will be close to providing a quality of life and infrastructure which is more like urban areas.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. RBI to implement an Ombudsman scheme for digital transactions : Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will implement an Ombudsman Scheme for Digital Transactions covering services provided by entities falling under Reserve Banks regulatory jurisdiction.The scheme will be notified by the end of January 2019.There is an emerging need for a dedicated, cost-free and expeditious grievance redressal mechanism for strengthening consumer confidence in this channel.For customer protection initiative, RBI has issued instructions on limiting customer liability in respect of unauthorised electronic transactions involving banks and credit card issuing non-banking financial companies (NBFCs).

Daily GK Updates - 5th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  Admiral Sunil Lanba releases book titled ‘Blue Waters Ahoy’ : Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba has released a book 'Blue Waters Ahoy', chronicling the history of Indian Navy from 2001-2010.The unveiling was part of Navy Day reception at the Navy House in presence of President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Delhi.The book has been authored by Vice Admiral Anup Singh.Vice Admiral Anup Singh is retired Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Naval Command in 2011.

2. Bihar govt sets Rs 100 fee for family property split : Bihar state’s cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has fixed Rs. 100 as the charge for people to get their property registered after the division of family’s immovable assets.Earlier, the charges for registration of property was 5% (3% stamp duty & 2% registration fee) of the value of property registration fee, as per the prevailing minimum value register (MVR) of the area.This is a decision related to public welfare and will reduce tension, disputes, violence and cases in society.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World Soil Day being observed today : The World Soil Day is being observed annually on 5th December to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and advocating for the sustainable management of soil resources.The theme for 2018 World Soil Day is 'Be the Solution to Soil Pollution'.

2. International Volunteer Day observed today :  The International Volunteer Day (IVD) observed every year on 5th December.theme of IVD 2018 is: ‘Volunteers build Resilient Communities’.IVD 2018 celebrates volunteer efforts that strengthen local ownership and the resilience of the community in the face of natural disasters, economic stresses and political shocks.

3.  India, UAE sign two agreements, including one on currency swap : Sushma Swaraj (External Affairs Minister) and Abdullah bin Zayed (UAE minister) jointly co-chaired the 12th session of the India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting for Economic and Technical Cooperation in Abu Dhabi.India and the United Arab Emirates have signed two agreements, one on currency swap and the second agreement would enable both sides to undertake development projects in Africa.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. RBI announces its fifth bi-monthly monetary policy review of 2018-19 : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has announced its fifth bi-monthly monetary policy review of the current financial year 2018-19.The six-member Monetary Policy Committee, headed by RBI Governor Urjit Patel, began its three-day meeting on Monday.RBI had kept the key interest rates unchanged in the policy review in Dec  2018-19.RBI maintained 'calibrated tightening' stance and projected H1FY20 GDP growth at 7.5 per cent. 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1.  ISRO's heaviest satellite GSAT-11 successfully launched from French Guiana :

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched India's heaviest satellite GSAT-11 (weighing 5,854 kg) by Ariane-5 VA246rocket from Kourou Launch Zone, French Guiana in South America.The GSAT-11 (also called -Big Bird) will deliver multi-spot beam coverageover the Indian mainland and nearby islands bringing significant advantages to the user community.The GSAT-11 is the next generation high throughput communication satellite that will play a vital role in providing broadband services across the country.

DEFENCE:

1.  EX SHINYUU Maitri-2018 With JASDF Commences : The Japanese Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) is in India for five days bilateral air exercise SHINYUU Maitri-18 with Indian Air Force at A F Station Agra.The theme of the exercise is joint Mobility /Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief (HADR) on Transport aircraft.  The focus of the exercise is set for the IAF and JASDF crews to undertake Joint Mobility/ HADR operations.

SPORTS:

1.  IPL: Delhi Daredevils renamed as Delhi Capitals : Delhi Daredevils was renamed as 'Delhi Capitals' after a poor track record over the past 11 IPL seasons. Co owners Parth Jindal (representing JSW Sport) and Kiran Kumar Grandhi (GMR) unveiled the new name of the team.Shreyas Iyer will continue to lead the team despite the presence of Shikhar Dhawan.Dhawan returns to Delhi for the 2019 season after being traded by Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Daily GK Updates - 4th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Shri A. N. Jha appointed as Finance Secretary : The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) Chaired by PM Narendra Modi has appointed Ajay Narayan Jha (1982-batch IAS officer of Manipur Tripura cadre) as the new Finance Secretary of India.Mr Jha (59-years) will succeed current Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia.Jha has BA (Honours) and MA in history from St. Stephen's College at University of Delhi, a postgraduate degree in executive development from John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

2.  Navy Day is being celebrated today : The Indian Navy day is observed every year on 4th December to celebrate achievements and role of the naval force in the country.The Indian Navy is commanded by the President of India as Commander-in-Chief. It is the marine branch of the Indian Armed Forces.Sunil Lamba is the current Chief of the Naval Staff.

3. Nagaland becomes first north-eastern state to launch single emergency number ‘112’ : The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has launched the single emergency number ‘112’ under the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) for the state of Nagaland.It will have a special women safety feature ‘SHOUT’ to get immediate assistance from police and volunteers.The launch coincided with the state’s formation day and the inaugural day of the 2018 edition of the Hornbill Festival.

4. The second meeting of NITI Forum for North East held in Guwahati : he second meeting of the newly constituted NITI Forum for North East held in Guwahati, Assam.It mainly focusses on issues pertaining to five critical sectors, namely tourism, bamboo, dairy, fisheries and tea.Besides, the members of the Forum, a number of experts from Government, Industry and Academia have also been invited to make the discussions more meaningful.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  Qatar to leave OPEC from January 2019 : According to Qatar's new energy minister, Saad al-Kaabi, Qatar has decided to leave the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries(OPEC) from January 2019 (after nearly six decades) and focus more on the production of natural gas.Qatar has plans to increase its annual exports of liquified natural gas(LPG) from 77 million tons of gas per year to 110 million tons.Qatar is the world's largest exporter of LPG.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Union Government puts imports of gold dore in the restricted category : Under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has put imports of gold dore in the restricted category.Now, the importer needs a license to import this commodity.It is a semi-pure alloy of gold and silver which is refined for further purification.It usually created at the site of a mine and then transported to a refinery for further purification.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1.World Bank unveils USD 200 bn in climate action investment for 2021-25 : The World Bank has unveiled 200 billion US Dollars in climate action investment for 2021 to 2025.The move coincides with a UN climate summit in Katowice.The move represents a significantly ramped up ambition to tackle climate change and sends an important signal to the wider global community to do the same.The breakdown of 200 billion dollars would comprise approximately 100 billion in direct finance from the World Bank.

2. The Centre and ADB sign 85 mn dollar loan to support Odisha skill development project :  The Union Govt. and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a USD 85 million loan to improve skill development eco-system in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The project will help over 1.5 lakh people learn skills in priority sectors, including manufacturing, construction and services for formal employment.The Skill Centre will deliver eight training courses for 13 thousand students and provide training to five thousand teachers.

SPORTS:

1.Pawan Singh first Indian to be elected in ISSF's judge's committee : Pawan Singh (former coach of the Indian shooting team) has become the first Indian to be elected one of seven members of the Judges Committee of the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF).The Judges Committee consists of a Chairman and seven members.Mr Singh also holds the post of the Joint Secretary General of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI).

Daily GK Updates : 3rd December, 2018

NATIONAL NEWS:

1. International Indigenous Film Festival : International Indigenous Film Festival (first of its kind in India) will take place in February-2019 in Odisha.Films made by indigenous people or made by non-indigenous filmmakers in collaboration with the indigenous communities.

2. G20 Summit-2020 : India will host the G20 summit in the year 2022.In the year 2022, India will complete 75 years of independence.

3. ‘eDrishti’ Software : ‘eDrishti’ software will help Railway Minister to keep track of punctuality of trains as well as freight and passenger earnings in the country.It is developed by Centre for Railway Information System and was unveiled by Indian Railway.

4. Exercise sea vigil : Indian Navy will conduct ‘Exercise sea vigil’ across mainland and Island territories.Sunil Lanba is the current and the 23rd Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy. He assumed the office on 31 May 2016 after Admiral Robin K. Dhowan and will hold office till May 2019. He is also the Chairman of the chiefs of staff committee.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS:

1. New President of Georgia : Salome Zurabishvili has been elected as President of Georgia.She has become the first woman to hold the office in the country.

2. The People’s Word Of 2018 Year : Cambridge Dictionary has declared ‘Nomophobia’ as word of the Year 2018.Nomophobia :- fear or worry at the idea of being without your mobile phone or unable to use it.

3. International Day of Persons with Disabilities : The 3rd December is celebrated as International Day of Disabled Persons. Theme :- ‘Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality’.

4. World Computer Literacy Day : It was launched by National Institute of Information Technology (NIIT) to mark its 20th anniversary in 2001.It is celebrated on 2 December.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY :

1. ASEAN–India Business Summit : The 3rd ASEAN–India Business Summit was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.Pardeep Batra(Owner:-Spice Garden Group Of Restaurants) has been received ‘ASEAN–India Achievement award for the businessman of year’.

2. New Finance Secretary of India : Ajay Narayan Jha has been appointed as new Finance Secretary.The Finance Secretary is the Permanent Secretary-level civil servant, who plays a leadership role in the bureaucracy of the Finance Ministry, Government of India.

3. NSFR norms for banks : Acc. to RBI, Net stable funding ratio norms for banks will be operational from April, 2020.

During the financial crisis of 2007–2008, several banks, including the UK’s Northern Rock and the U.S. investment banks Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers, suffered a liquidity crisis, due to their over-reliance on short-term wholesale funding from the interbank lending market.Net stable funding ratio (NSFR) The net stable funding ratio is a liquidity standard requiring banks to hold enough stable funding to cover the duration of their long-term assets.

4. Moody’s Investors Service’s GDP forecast  : Acc. to Moody’s Investors, India’s Real GDP for the current and next fiscal to grow at 7.2% and 7.4%.Moody’s Corporation, often referred to as Moody’s, is an American business and financial services company. It is the holding company for Moody’s Investors Service, an American credit rating agency, and Moody’s Analytics, an American provider of financial analysis software and services.

SPORTS:

1. Greg Norman Medal : Minjee Lee(Australia Golfer) has become the first woman to win Greg Norman Medal as the best Australian golfer.She is an Australian professional golfer from Perth. She became the number one ranked amateur golfer in February 2014 after winning the Oates Victorian Open, remaining number one until turning professional in September 2014. Currently at Number 6 in the world.

2. Pune International Marathon : Atlawim Debebe (Ethiopia) has won the Pune International Marathon in Men’s Category.In women’s Category, Pascalia Chepkogei(Kenya) has won the Pune International Marathon.

Daily GK Updates - 2nd December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  Government begins registration for drone operators in the country :  According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, they started the registration process through a portal “Digital Sky platform” for drone operators in the country.Earlier, The Union Government has announced the release of its Civil Aviation Regulations to enable safe flying of Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems (RPAS) popularly referred to as drones.For drones of micro size and above categories, operators are required to register on the Digital Sky portal.According to Minister for Civil Aviation Suresh Prabhu, Drones are an industry of the future and it is a matter of great pride for the country that we are now at the cutting edge of the rulemaking in this industry.

2. 80th session of three-day WCO policy commission starts today :  The 80th Session of the Policy Commission of the World Customs Organization (WCO) starts in Mumbai.The Session is being organized by the WCO and hosted by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), India.More than 30 countries along with their delegations will be participating in the three-day long discussion on various matters related to customs.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Day for the Abolition of Slavery : The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is observed every year on 2 December.The focus of this day is on eradicating contemporary forms of slavery.Slavery includes trafficking of persons, sexual exploitation, the worst forms of child labor, forced marriage and the forced recruitment of children for use in armed conflict.The day was first celebrated in 1986.

2. Cyril Ramaphosa to be the Chief Guest at Republic Day celebrations 2019 : South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will be the Chief Guest at the 2019 Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi.Ramaphosa's visit will further cement business and people to people ties between India and South Africa. Since 1950, India has been hosting head of state or government of another country as the state guest of honour for Republic Day  (26-January)celebrations in New Delhi.

3. Asia Pacific Summit-2018 begins in Kathmandu : Nepal's Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has inaugurated the two-dayAsia Pacific Summit-2018 in Kathmandu, Nepal.The theme of Summit is "Addressing the Critical Challenges of Our Time: Interdependence, Mutual Prosperity, and Universal Values".Around 1500 participants from 45 countries, including India, attending the summit.

4.  Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador sworn in as Mexico president : Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (65-year) has been sworn in as the new Mexican President.Lopez Obrador also reaffirmed his intentions to sell Mexico's official presidential plane, to not live in the presidential palace.He has announced his intention to promote a recall referendum during his administration, adding the promise that he will never seek re-election.

5. 2nd December: International Day for the Abolition of Slavery : The International Day for the Abolition of Slavery organized every year on 2nd December by the United Nations General Assembly.The Day was first celebrated in 1986.The Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others was approved by the United Nations General Assembly on December 2, 1949.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. GST collection for November stands at Rs. 97,637 cr : According to an official release, The GST collection in the month of November 2018 stood at 97 thousand and 637 crore rupees (in October-crossed one lakh crore rupees.).Out of the total GST collection, the CGST collection is 16 thousand and 812 crore rupees.SGST is over 23 thousand crore rupees while IGST collection stood at 49 thousand and 726 crore rupees.

Daily GK Updates - 1st December. 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  World AIDS day being observed today : World Aids Day is being celebrated every year on 1^st December (since 1988) to raise public awareness about Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).The theme of 2018 Aids Day is ‘Know your status’.It is a pandemic disease caused due to the infection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).As per the data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) till 2017, AIDS has killed between 28.9 million and 41.5 million people worldwide.

2. Nagaland celebrates 55th formation Day : Nagaland state is celebrating its 55th formation day.On 1st December 1963, Nagaland became the 16th state of India. Home Minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated 19th 'Hornbill Festival' in Nagaland.The key economic activity of the state is Agriculture and the main crops include – rice, corn, millets, pulses, oilseeds, etc.The state shares its borders with the state of Assam to the west, Arunachal Pradesh to the North, Manipur to the South and Burma to the east.

3.  Border Security Force celebrating its 54th Raising Day : The Border Security Force is celebrating its 54th formation day on 1st December 2018.India's Border Security Force (First Line of Defence of Indian Territories) was formed in 1^st December 1965, after the Indo-Pak and India-China wars.With 186 battalions and over 2.57 lakhs military personnel, the BSF is the largest border security unit in the world.Senior IPS officers Rajni Kant Misra (1984-batch IPS officer-Uttar Pradesh cadre) is the present Director General of BSF.

4. Armed Forces Week being celebrated from 1 to 7 Dec : Defence Ministry Nirmala Sitharaman has launched the Armed Forces Week from 1st– 7th December 2018.The objective is to encourage citizens to make financial contributions to the families of war heroes and to pay respects to the brave sons and daughters of our nation.The Armed Forces Flag Day is observed annually in India on 7^thDecember since 1949.

5. Ram Nath Kovind inaugurates the 13th edition of CII Agro Tech India - 2018 : The President Shri Ram NathKovind has inaugurated the 13^th edition of CII Agro Tech India-2018 in Chandigarh.A total of 195 exhibitors (including 37 foreign exhibitors from 8 countries) will participate in the expo. The expo is one of the biggest confluences of stakeholders from agriculture and allied sectors. The UK is a partner country at the CII Agrotech this year

6. Nitin Gadkari inaugurates the second edition of Khasdar Mahotsav in Nagpur : Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has inaugurated the second edition of Khasdar Mahotsav at the Ishwar Deshmukh College of Physical Education in Nagpur.According to Mr Gadkari, It is an attempt to provide our next generation with better infrastructure like roads, homes, education, skill development and make them aware of our rich cultural heritage.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India to Chair Kimberley Process from 1st January 2019 : The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) Plenary 2018 was held in Brussels, Belgium.EU handed over the Chairmanship of KPCS to India from1st January 2019. The 4-day Plenary also witnessed discussion on environmental challenges in diamond mining and industry responsibility. During the Plenary session, India held bilateral meetings with Botswana, USA, Russian Federation & World Diamond Council to discuss on various issues related to KPCS and its working group

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1.India's economy grows at 7.1% for 2nd part of 2018-19 : According to data released by the Central Statistics Office, India's economy grew at 7.1% for the second quarter of 2018-19.The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at constant prices had grown at 6.35 in the July-September quarter of the last fiscal.The CSO estimates state that GDP at constant prices was 33.98 lakh crore rupees for the second quarter this fiscal, which is a marked increase from 31.72 lakh crore rupees for the same period in 2017-18

SPORTS:

1. Abhinav Bindra conferred with shooting’s highest honour by ISSF : India’s lone individual Olympic gold medallist, shooter Abhinav Bindra(36-year) has been conferred the sport’s highest honour for his outstanding services as the chairman of the International Shooting Sports Federation’s Athletes Committee.He was a member of the ISSF Athletes Committee (from 2010 to 2014) and chairman (2014 to 2018).He has been bestowed with the Blue Cross (the ISSF’s highest award).Bindra succeeded in the post by the Kimberly Rhode (legendary American shooter).

2. Wrestling Federation of India rolls out contracts system for wrestlers : According to WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) has rolled out its revolutionary contracts system for the grapplers.The wrestlers have been placed in four Grades. The contracts will be reviewed after one year.

Daily GK Updates - 30th November, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Finance Minister Arun Jaitley released the book “Making of New India” : President Shri Ram Nath Kovind received the first copy of the book “Making of New India: Transformation under Modi Government”, from Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Shri Arun Jaitley.Mr. Jaitley formally released it at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi.This book contains fifty-one essays on themes ranging from economy to diplomacy, education to public health.

2. 8 more States achieve 100% household electrification under Saubhagya scheme : According to Power Minister R K Singh, Eight more States have achieved 100% household electrification under Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (Saubhagya).The states are Madhya Pradesh, Tripua, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Mizoram, Sikkim, Telangana and West Bengal.With this, a total of 15 States in the country have 100% household electrification.Around 2.1 crore connections have been released under Saubhagya so far.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. President of India Inaugurates the 2nd International Ambedkar Conclave : The President Shri Ram Nath Kovind has inaugurated the 2nd International Ambedkar Conclave in New Delhi.This International Ambedkar Conclave is a part of the commemoration of Constitution Day.The Conclave is being organised by the Forum of SC and ST Legislators and Parliamentarians and the Dr Ambedkar Chamber of Commerce.

2. Air forces of the US & India to hold joint exercise 'Cope India 2019' : Air forces of the United States and India will participate in a 12-day joint exercise 'Cope India 2019' at two air force stations in West Bengal.The exercise will be held from 3rd to 14th December at Air Station Kalaikunda and Air Station Arjan Singh (Panagarh).The exercise showcases the efforts and commitment of the two nationsto a free and open Indo-Pacific region.The Cope India exercise is being held after a gap of eight years, with the last one having taken place in 2010.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1.  Electronics company LG Brian Kwon as mobile business President : resident of LG’s Home Entertainment Company Brian Kwon will leader the Mobile Communications (MC) Company.Current president Hwang Jeong-hwan will focus fully on as head of LG’s Convergence Business Development Office.It comes after LG’s mobile business posted a loss of USD 410 million this year, including a USD130.5 million net loss in the last quarter

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1. NASA's InSight spacecraft successfully lands on Mars after a six-month journey : NASA's robotic InSight lander successfully landed on Red Planet Mars after the six-month journey.The spacecraft has been designed to dig deep into the rocky surface of the Mars to reveal its secrets.The lander sent signals indicating that its solar panels are open and collecting sunlight on the Martian surface.The Insight lander touched down near Mars' equator on the western side of a flat, smooth expanse of lava called Elysium Planitia.

SPORTS:

1. Magnus Carlsen wins the World Chess Championship 2018 : Current World champion Norwegian Magnus Carlsen (26-year-old) beat American Fabiano Caruana 3-0 and regain his World Chess Championship title-2018 in London, England.Rapid chess was used as a tie-breaker, with Carlsen winning three consecutive games.Carlsen won USD 625,000 as the winner, and Caruana received USD 511,400 as the runner-up.