Daily GK Updates - 27th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Andhra Pradesh gets its own High Court in Capital Amaravati : President Ram Nath Kovind on 26 December 2018, issued orders for the creation of a separate high court for Andhra Pradesh. The new high court will start functioning from 1 January 2019 from Amaravati. With the creation of the new high court, the country will have 25 high courts. According to the notification issued by the Law Ministry, Justice Ramesh Ranganathan, who is at present the Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court,  will head the new high court.It will have 15 other judges besides the chief justice.

2. India’s largest cancer institute in Haryana’s Jhajjar to open in January 2019:

Union Health Minister JP Nadda said that the largest cancer hospital in India, the National Cancer Institute in Haryana’s Jhajjar district, would be opened to public by the third week of January. The institute, being considered as a landmark in the field of cancer research in the country, shall lessen the deficit of tertiary cancer care in the northern region. The institute will have 710 beds, out of which 200 beds will be dedicated for translational research on India-specific cancers.

3. Tamil Nadu: Tribal community Baduga celebrates annual Heddaiyamman festival : The tribal Baduga community in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu celebrated their annual Heddaiyamman festival on 26^th Dec 2018. People observe 48 days fast and walk in religious processions, holding up a holy shaft which symbolizes the miracle of the traditional Badaga goddess. The Badagas are an indigenous tribal group in the Nilgiris and occupy more than 400 remote hill villages in the district.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Three islands in Andaman and Nicobar to be renamed after Netaji Subash Chandra Bose : The Centre has decided to rename three islands of Andaman.According to reports, the three islands - Ross Island, Neil Island and Havelock Island will be renamed Netaji Subash Chandra Bose island, Shaheed dweep, and Swaraj dweep, respectively. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to make the announcement during his visit to Port Blair on 30 December. 30 December 2018 marks the 75th anniversary of Netaji's visit to the islands.

2. Bhutanese PM to begin 3-day India visit today : Prime Minister of Bhutan Dr. Lotay Tshering will arrive today in New Delhi on a three-day official visit to India.The visit of the Bhutanese Prime Minister is taking place during the Golden jubilee year of the establishment of formal diplomatic relations between the two countries.Foreign Secretary Vijay K Gokhale will call on the visiting dignitary on Thursday.During his visit, Bhutanese PM will hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

3. India Takes Over Iran's Strategic Chabahar Port : Indian firm India Ports Global Limited took over the operations of the Shaheed Behesti Port at Chabahar on the southeastern coast of Iran, being jointly developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan. he company opened its office following the first meeting of the follow-up committee for implementation of the trilateral Chabahar Agreement between India, Afghanistan and Iran. "It was agreed to allow cargo movement at Chabahar using TIR Convention provisions."

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Bimal Jalan to head expert panel on Economic Capital Framework : The Reserve Bank of India has formed an expert committee under former governor Bimal Jalan to decide the appropriate level of reserves that the regulator should hold.The six-member panel has former deputy RBI governor Rakesh Mohan as its vice chairman and comprises economic affairs secretary Subhash Chandra Garg, RBI central board members Bharat Doshi and Sudhir Mankad and deputy governor NS Vishwanathan.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1.  RBI launches survey to capture retail payment habits in 6 cities : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will capture payment habits of individuals in six cities, including four metropolitan towns. For the purpose, the central bank has launched a ‘Survey on Retail Payment Habits of Individuals (SRPHi)’. The survey will cover a sample of 6,000 individuals from various socio-economic backgrounds across six cities -- Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru and Guwahati.

DEFENCE:

1.China successfully tests Russia's S-400 missile air defence system : China has successfully tested the advanced S-400 air defence system imported from Russia for which India also signed-up recently despite concerns over threat of sanctions from the US.S-400 is known as Russia's most advanced long-range surface-to-air missile defence system. China was the first foreign buyer to seal a government-to-government deal with Russia in 2014 to procure the lethal missile system.

SPORTS :

1.Former Australia captain Ponting inducted into ICC Hall of Fame : Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting was formally inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame on 26 Dec 2018.Ponting was named in the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame along with former India captain Rahul Dravid and England woman wicketkeeper-batter Claire Taylor during the ICC Annual Conference in Dublin in July.

2. CA Kuttappa takes over as India's chief boxing coach : Dronacharya awardee C A Kuttappa has taken over as India's chief boxing coach. The 39-year-old Kuttappa is credited with shaping some of the country's most successful boxers such as Vijender Singh, M Suranjoy Singh and Shiva Thapa, among others. He replaced veteran coach SR Singh.

Daily GK Updates - 26th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Government approves Rameshwaram-Dhanushkodi project : The government has approved laying a new broad gauge railway line connecting Rameshwaram with Dhanushkodi, which is believed to be the starting point of Ram Sethu and a major pilgrim destination.The 17-km line will cost around Rs 208 crore and it has been included in the umbrella work for new lines in the current financial year.Dhanushkodi railway station was destroyed and abandoned after the 1964 Rameshwaram cyclone and it remains unattended. The new railway line will be a boon to pilgrims visiting the place. Hindu pilgrimage at Rameshwaram gets completed only after taking a dip in Dhanushkodi.

2.PM Modi innaugrates Paika Rebellion chair in Utkal university : The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, visited Odisha on 24th December, 2018.At the IIT Bhubaneswar campus, the Prime Minister released a commemorative stamp and coin on the Paika Rebellion.The Paika Rebellion, also called the Paika Bidroha, was an armed rebellion against British East India Company's rule in Odisha in 1817.The Paikas were the traditional militia of Odisha who served as warriors. The setting up of a Chair on the Paika Rebellion, in Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, was announced.

 3.UIDAI: Aadhaar not mandatory for admission in schools : The Unique Identification Authority of India has asserted that schools cannot make the 12-digit biometric identifier a pre-condition for student admission.UIDAI's clarification comes at a time when admissions to nursery and entry-level classes have begun in over 1,500 private schools in Delhi.UIDAI has asked schools to ensure that no child is denied admission for lack of Aadhaar.In September, the Supreme Court had upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar but clipped the scope of the biometric identity project

4.Atal Ayushman Uttarakhand Yojana launched in Uttarakhand : Atal Ayushman Uttarakhand Yojana' has been launched in Uttarakhand.Under the scheme, each household in the state will be able to avail medical treatment of up to 5 lakh rupees annually.The scheme will benefit 23 lakh households and cover 1,350 critical diseases. Launching the Yojna in Dehradun yesterday, Chief Ministe Trivendra Singh Rawat distributed scheme-related golden cards to beneficiaries. All the households have been included under the scheme.

5.CM Yogi Announces to Install 25-feet High Vajpayee's Statue in UP Secretariat : A 25-feet high statue of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be installed in Lok Bhawan, the Uttar Pradesh government secretariat here, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on 25^th December 2018. Adityanath made the announcement at a ceremony held to celebrate Vajpayee's 94th birth anniversary. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, also the local MP, and Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik also attended the function.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

6.Japan decides to withdraw from IWC : Japan has decided to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and will resume commercial whaling July next year. However, Japan will not be able to continue the so-called scientific research hunts in the Antarctic that it has been exceptionally allowed as an IWC member under the Antarctic Treaty. The withdrawal also means Japan joins Iceland and Norway in openly defying the IWC's ban on commercial whale hunting.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1.RBI to soon release new Rs 20 note : The Reserve Bank of India will soon introduce Rs 20 notes with additional features. The reserve bank has already issued new-look currency notes in the denominations of Rs 10, Rs 50, Rs 100, and Rs 500, besides introducing Rs 200 and Rs 2000 notes after demonetisation.The new notes are being introduced under the Mahatma Gandhi series.The new currency notes are different in size and design compared to issued previously.

DEFENCE:

1.Indian Navy commissions Naval hospital INHS Sandhani : The Indian Navy has commissioned INHS Sandhani, its tenth Naval hospital, at the Naval station Karanja in Uran near Mumbai. Preeti Luthra, President of NWWA (Navy Wives Welfare Association), Western Region, unveiled the commissioning plaque of the hospital. Indian Naval Hospital Ship (INHS) Sandhani is the tenth naval hospital of the Indian Navy, said an official.

SPORTS :

1. International golfer Jyoti Randhawa arrested for poaching in Uttar Pradesh : International golfer Jyoti Randhawa has been arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department for poaching. Interrogation and further legal action is being carried out by the Divisional Forest Officer of Katarniaghat and his team. As per preliminary information received, Jyoti Singh Randhawa and Mahesh Virajdar have been arrested in a poaching case in Motipur Range of Katarniaghat. A vehicle, weapon and other equipment, along with wildlife articles, have been seized. A skin of wild boar, Range Finders, binoculars and a gun registered in Randhawa's name have also been recovered from his vehicle

Daily GK Updates - 25th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Rs 100 coin in memory of Vajpayee launched : A commemorative coin worth Rs 100 in honour of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was launched on 24 December 2018.The coin features the Emblem of India on the front side. The reverse side of the coin features a portrait of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The years 1924 and 2018 are inscribed below Vajpayee’s portrait to mark the year of his birth and death respectively.

2.MSAMB appoints officers to facilitate trade : Maharashtra has become the first state in the country to appoint out-of-state trade representatives. The Maharashtra State Agriculture Marketing Board (MSAMB) appointed six trade representatives to  promote trade in semi-perishable commodities. They will also collect relevant market information. They have been posted in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Assam, and Tamil Nadu.

3. Book on Maharaja Jagatjit Singh launched :  Punjab’s Chief Minister Amarinder Singh released a book on former ruler Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala on 24 December 2018. The title of the book is ‘Prince, Patron, and Patriarch – Maharaja Jagatjit Singh of Kapurthala’. It is co-authored by Brigadier (Retd) Sukhjit Singh and Cynthia Meera Frederick.

4. Good Governance Day-25 December : Good Governance Day is observed annually on 25th December, the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.Good Governance Day was established by the government of India in 2014.The aim of the day is to make people aware of the government’s commitment to providing a transparent and accountable administration in the country.

5. Longest rail-cum-road bridge inaugurated : India’s longest rail-cum-road bridge – Bogibeel Bridge was inaugurated in Assam on 25 December 2018. The Bridge is situated 17 km downstream of Dibrugarh city in Assam. It crosses the Brahmaputra river and will connect Assam’s Dibrugarh town with Dhemaji. The bridge will also facilitate faster movement of army troops and supplies to Arunachal Pradesh.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Hamilton awarded Drivers’ Driver of the Year : On 22 December 2018, Lewis Hamilton won the ‘Drivers’ Driver of the Year’ award.For the first time, voting was done to determine the winner of the award. He won the award after he claimed the 5th World Drivers’ Championship. Lewis Hamilton is the third man in history to secure the 5th world title. Max Verstappen was placed in the 2nd position and Fernando Alonso got the 3rd place.

2. Belgium tops FIFA rankings : Belgium ended the year at the top of the FIFA rankings for December released on 20 December 2018.They are one point ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup champions France. Belgium has 1,727 points by FIFA’s calculations and France has 1,726 points. France was ranked second. France is followed by Brazil, Croatia, and England.

3. Turkmenistan launches first messaging app : Turkmenistan launched its first messaging app on 24 December 2018. The name of the messaging app is ‘BizBarde’.The app will allow the exchange of messages, files, photos, and videos. The application is available via the Google Android platform as well as Apple’s iOS and Microsoft Windows.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1.Bharathi appointed as head of Corporation Bank : P V Bharathi has been appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation Bank on 24 December 2018.She is at present Executive Director of Canara Bank. She will take over the charge on or after 1 February 2019 and remain in the post till March 31, 2020 – the date of her superannuation.

2. PNB launches special card for Kumbh Mela : Punjab National Bank (PNB) has launched a special card for Kumbh Mela 2019.The bank has partnered with the Uttar Pradesh government to create a model for digitization at Kumbh Mela 2019.For convenient and hassle-free transactions at these shops, the bank has created the ‘PNB Rupay’ card which works even without the internet.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1.SpaceX launches new GPS satellite : SpaceX successfully launched the US Air Force’s first Global Positioning System (GPS) III satellite, nicknamed ‘Vespucci’, on 23 December 2018. The new GPS satellites, built by Lockheed Martin, will provide three-times better accuracy than the current system of GPS and will be eight times better at anti-jamming. The GPS is owned by the U.S. military and operated by the U.S. Air Force. 

2.‘Super-Earth’ in ‘Cassiopeia’ discovered : Researchers have discovered a new exotic planet outside the solar system in the constellation ‘Cassiopeia’. The planet has been named ‘HD219134 b’. It is located 21 light years away from earth. It has a mass of almost five times that of Earth, which is considered a so-called ‘super-Earth’.It is rich in calcium and aluminum alongside magnesium and silicon.

Daily GK Updates - 24th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Odisha govt announces Rs 10,000 crore scheme for development of farmers : Odisha state cabinet chaired by the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has approved the Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) scheme, worth over Rs 10,000 crore, for the development of farmers in the state. An amount of Rs 10,000 per family at the rate of Rs 5,000 each for Kharif and Rabi seasons shall be provided as financial assistance for taking up cultivation The KALIA will further accelerate agricultural prosperity in the state and reduce poverty.

2.Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launches IFC-IOR at IMAC in Gurugram :The Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has launched the Information Fusion Centre - Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) at the Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) in Gurugram. The objective of having an IFC-IOR is more for partners equals to work towards keeping the global commons safe and democratically available for all. The IFC-IOR will help interface and integrate, wherein, the country will benefit from each other’s best practices and expertise.IFC - IOR shall be a collaborative construct that will work with partners, countries as well as international agencies to enhance maritime security and safety.

3.Mamata Banerjee is the Skoch Chief Minister of the Year : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been awarded the Skoch Chief Minister of the Year Award 2017 for her contribution in the overall development of the state and emerging as the best chief minister in the country. West Bengal has won 31 Skoch Awards this year for its performance in different fields and for executing unique projects. The state's Kanyashree scheme for the girl child has earned Banerjee much acclaim and the highest public service honour from the United Nations

4. National Consumer Day-24 December : National Consumer Day is observed in India every year on 24 December.The theme for 2018 National Consumer Day is ‘Timely Disposal of Consumer Complaints’.On this day the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 had received the assent of the President.The Consumer Protection Act aims to provide consumers with effective safeguards against different types of exploitation.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Gitega named as the new capital of Burundi : Burundi government has declared Gitega as the country’s new political capital. Previous capital Bujumbura will serve as the economic capital of the country. Gitega’s population is around 30 000 as compared to Bujumbura’s 1.2 million. The political system of Burundi is that of a presidential representative democratic republic. Recently Burundi (156th) was ranked as the world’s least happy nation in the World Happiness Report 2018.

2.Tsunami kills over 280 in Indonesia : In Indonesia, the death toll from a volcano-triggered tsunami has risen to 222 and around 800 people injured. The possible cause of the tsunami was undersea landslides following the eruption of the Krakatoa volcano.The Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sadness to Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the loss of lives and destruction and offered condolences to the bereaved families.

           

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. RBI shortlists Wipro, TCS, 4 others for PCR : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) shortlisted six major IT companies to set up a digital Public Credit Registry (PCR) The IT companies are TCS, Wipro, IBM India, Capgemini Technology Services India, Dun & Bradstreet Information Services India, and Mindtree Ltd.PCR will be capturing details of all borrowers and wilful defaulters. It will strengthen the credit culture in the economy.

SPORTS :

1.India's Vedangi Kulkarni becomes fastest Asian to cycle the globe : Indian woman Vedangi Kulkarni (20-year) has become the fastest Asian to cycle the globe. Vedangi cycled into Kolkata in the wee hours, completing the 29,000 kilometres' distance required to qualify as bicycling across the globe. She spent 159 days peddling up to 300 kilometres a day in 14 countries. Now, She will be flying back to the Australian city to complete the record by cycling a 15-kilometre distance to reach the same place from where she started.

Daily GK Updates - 23rd December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.PM Modi launches Rs 100 commemorative coin in Atal Bihari Vajpayee's honour : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has released Rs. 100 commemorative coin in honour of former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi. Atal Bihari Vajpayee's anniversary will be celebrated tomorrow (25thDecember) as Good Governance Day. Mr’ Vajpayee served as the Prime Minister thrice and led the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government from 1998 to 2004. Atal Bihari Vajpayee passed away on 16th of August this year at the age of 93 at the All India Institute of Medical Science, AIIMS in New Delhi.

2. PM inaugurates projects worth around 15K cr rupees in Odisha : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the projects worth around 15,000 crore rupees in Odisha, during his day-long visit to the state. The projects are related to health, road and highways, higher education and culture. Prime Minister Modi also dedicated the new campus of IIT-Bhubaneswar at Aragul built at a cost of 1,660 crore rupees. He will also inaugurate ESIC hospital in Bhubaneshwar costing over 73 crores.He also inaugurated the Lalitgiri Archaeological Museum which houses huge sculptures of the Buddha and various Buddhist deities.

3.  India’s first music museum to be set up in Thiruvaiyaru : According to State Minister for Culture and Tamil Development Shri K Pandiarajan, Country’s first music museum will be set up with assistance from the Central government in Thiruvaiyaru, Tamilnadu.Thiruvaiyaru is the birthplace of Saint Tyagaraja (one of the Trinities of Carnatic music). The Tyagaraja Aaradhana Music Festival which is held annually in January in Thiruvaiyaru attracts musical talents from all over the world.

4. Suresh Prabhu confers Skoch Golden Jubilee Challenger Award : The Union Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu gave away the Skoch Golden Jubilee Challenger Award at the 55th Skoch Summit in New Delhi.Mr. Prabhu was awarded for his contribution to reforms, particularly in the power sector reforms. A book titled India 2030 was also released on the occasion. The Skoch Challenger Awards are the highest independently instituted civilian honours.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.China launched its first Satellite for Space-based Broadband Services : China has launched its first communication satellite to offer broadband internet services to users worldwide. It is CASIC’s (China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation) first satellite launch under China’s Hongyun project.  Under this project, China plans to give broadband internet connectivity to users all over the world by building a space-based communications network.The satellite aims to rival Google and other companies which have similar plans for providing Internet services worldwide.

 2.Patrick Shanahan to replace James Mattis as US Defense Secretary : United States President Donald Trump has announced that he will replace Defence Secretary Jim Mattis with his deputy Patrick Shanahan as acting Pentagon chief . Earlier, US Defence Secretary (26th) Jim Mattis has resigned from his post due to policy differences with President Donald Trump.The Secretary of Defense is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate and is by custom a member of the Cabinet and by law a member of the National Security Council.

3.India-China Film Festival begins in New Delhi : India-China Film Festival has begun at the Siri Fort auditorium in New Delhi.Three-day long Film Festival is being organized during the 1st India-China High-Level Mechanism on Cultural and People-to-People Exchanges. Seven films including four Chinese and three Indian Films will be screened during the Festival. The opening film of the Festival was ‘CZ12’ also known as ‘Chinese Zodiac’.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. GST Council cuts rates on 17 items, 6 services : The Goods and Services Tax Council has cut rates on 17 items and six types of services during its 31st meeting on 22 December 2018.The GST rate on cinema tickets above ₹100 was cut from 28% to 18% and on tickets up to ₹100 from 18% to 12%. The Council decided that 5% GST would be levied on renewable energy devices and parts for their manufacture.

DEFENCE:

1.India successfully test-fires Agni-IV ICBM from Odisha coast : India successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable long-range Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile Agni-IV, with a strike range of 4,000 km. The test was part of a user trial by the Army. Agni-IV missile is equipped with advanced Avionics, 5th generation On Board Computer and distributed architecture. Ballistic missiles like Agni-I, II and III and Prithvi have already been inducted in the arsenal of the armed forces.It has the latest features to correct and guide itself for in-flight disturbances.

Daily GK Updates - 22nd December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Pranab K Das appointed new Chairman of CBIC : Senior bureaucrat Pranab Kumar Das has been appointed as chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs). He will take over from current Chairman S Ramesh (retires on 31stDecember). The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) is the apex indirect tax policy-making body under the Finance Ministry.

2.22nd December: National Mathematics Day :  The National Mathematics Day is being observed on 22nd December every year to celebrate the birth anniversary of great Indian Mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. Ramanujan Prime and Ramanujan theta discoveries have inspired further research on this mathematical subject. He passed away on 6th April 1920.

3. Former PM Manmohan singh releases 'Changing India' book : The former prime minister Manmohan Singh has released the 'Changing India', a five-volume book on his public life. The book has been Published by Oxford University Press. The book is being described as a definitive expression of the former prime minister's perspectives on a wide range of economic, social and political issues as they evolved under his long and eventful career.

4. Mobile app for global aviation summit launched : The civil aviation ministry along with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) jointly launched an official mobile app 'GAS 2019,' for the global aviation summit to be held in Mumbai next month. The two-day summit which will take place from 15th January is expected to be attended by a host of dignitaries from India and abroad. The summit is being hosted by the civil aviation ministry along with the AAI and industry lobby Ficci.

                                      INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Three astronauts return from International Space Station : Three astronauts have returned to Earth after more than six months (197 days) aboard the International Space Station. A Russian Soyuz capsule carrying Serena Aunon-Chancellor of NASA, Sergey Prokopyev from Russia and German astronaut Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency landed on the snow-covered steppes in Kazakhstan. Russian rescue teams in helicopters and all-terrain vehicles rushed to the landing site to extract the astronauts from the capsule charred by a fiery ride through the atmosphere.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. RBI limits total outstanding ECBs to 6.5% of GDP :  The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to have a rule-based dynamic limit for outstanding stock of External Commercial Borrowings (ECB) at 6.5% of GDP at current market prices. The soft limit works out to USD 160 billion for the current financial year. As on 30th September 2018, The outstanding stock of ECBs stands at USD 126.29 billion.

SPORTS :

1. Mithali & Harmanpreet retained as captains for Indian Women's ODI and T20 team : Mithali Raj (Indian Women's ODI) and Harmanpreet Kaur (T20 team) were retained as captains for the Indian Women's team. India will play three ODIs in New Zealand beginning on 24th of next month as part of the ICC Women's Championship before playing three T20 Internationals.

2.  Premier Badminton League begins in Mumbai :  Premier Badminton League (PBL) started in Mumbai. Total nine franchises will take part in the tournament, with the final to be played on 13th January 2019.The semi-finals and final games will be held in Bengaluru. Olympian and World Champion Carolina Marin of Spain and India's Rio Olympics silver medallist PV Sindhu are all set to take part in it.The teams will battle it out for the prize money of Rs 6 crore.

Daily GK Updates - 21st December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Jammu & Kashmir becomes the first state to bring a law against ‘Sextortion’ :  Jammu & Kashmir has become the first Indian state to enact a law banning sexual exploitation of women “by those in positions of authority, having a fiduciary relationship or a public servant”.The State Administrative Council (SAC) under the chairmanship of Governor Satya Pal Malik approved the 'Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Bill, 2018' and the 'Jammu and Kashmir Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2018'.

2.The Union Govt. launches Asiatic Lion Conservation Project : The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has launched the “Asiatic Lion Conservation Project” to protect and conserve the population of Asiatic Lion and its associated ecosystem. The Asiatic Lion Conservation Project is aimed at the conservation and recovery of Asiatic Lion with the help of up to date techniques, instruments, regular scientific research studies, disease management, modern surveillance and patrolling techniques.

3. Gujarat emerges as best performing state in start-up ranking 2018 : Gujarat has emerged as the best-performing state in the Startup Ranking 2018. The National Report on States' Startup Ranking was unveiled by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry in New Delhi. Gujarat (100%) has performed better than all other states in all the seven areas including startup policy, incubation support, seeding innovation and scaling innovation. Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha and Rajasthan (score- more than 85 percentile) have been adjudged the top performers.

4.  India’s largest Cancer Institute launched at AIIMS’ Jhajjar Campus : India’s largest cancer institute ‘National Cancer Institute’ (NCI) has been launched at Jhajjar area in Haryana.The institute was finalised at a cost of Rs 2,035 crore and the project was approved by the cabinet committee in 2013.The aim is to strengthen research and also bring down the patient load at All India Institute of Medical Sciences’ (AIIMS) cancer centre.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Harsh Vardhan Shringla appointed new Indian Ambassador to the US : Harsh Vardhan Shringla (Indian Foreign Service officer - 1984 batch) has been appointed as the Ambassador of India to the United States of America (USA).Currently, He is High Commissioner to Bangladesh. Riva Ganguly Das (IFS official-1986 batch) has been appointed as the next Indian Ambassador to Bangladesh.

2. Sri Lanka: 28 Cabinet Ministers sworn :  Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena administered the oath of office to the 28 cabinet ministers. The swearing-in comes after the leader of United National Party(UNP) Ranil Wickremsinghe took over as Prime minister. Mr Thilak Marapana is the foreign minister while Mr. Mangala Samarweera retained the finance portfolio.

3. India & China hold first People-to-People exchanges meeting : The Union External Affair Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi will co-chair the first-ever meeting of India-China High-Level Mechanism on Cultural and People-to-People Exchanges in New Delhi. Earlier, India and China had decided to set up people to people mechanism during the meeting between PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

4.  US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis resigns :  US Defence Secretary (26^th) Jim Mattis has resigned from his post due to policy differences with President Donald  Trump.General Mattis' departure comes a day after, President Trump has  nnounced that all US troops would be withdrawn from Syria. Jim Mattis was sworn in on 20 January 2017.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Capital First merged with IDFC Bank to create ‘IDFC First Bank’ :  IDFC Bank and Capital First (non-banking financial company) has announced the completion of their merger. They created a combined loan asset book of Rs 1.03 lakh crore for the merged entity IDFC First Bank, (subject to shareholders’ approval). Capital First and IDFC Bank shares had also gained 5% each in previous session.

SPORTS :

1. W V Raman appointed India women’s Cricket team Coach :  Former Indian Cricketer W V Raman (53-years) has been appointed as the new coach of the Indian women’s cricket team. He will take over the role from Ramesh Powar. Mr. Raman played domestic cricket for Tamil Nadu, mainly as a left-handed batsman and a part-time left arm spinner.