Daily GK Updates - 2nd January, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Justice AK Sikri nominated as EC of NALSA : President Ram Nath Kovind nominated Justice AK Sikri as the Executive Chairman (EC) of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA). The post got vacant after the retirement of Justice Madan B Lokur.The NALSA was constituted under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 to provide free legal services to the weaker sections of the society and to organise the Lok Adalats.

2. Anti-Dumping duty imposed on chemical : The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has recommended anti-dumping duty on a chemical used in paint and printing industries, imported from Brazil, Indonesia, and Thailand. The name of the chemical is ‘non-plasticised industrial grade nitrocellulose damped in isopropyl alcohol having nitrogen content in the range of 10.7-12.2%’. The duties have been imposed for three years.

3.Govt releases 6-crore LPG connection : The government of India gave 6-crore free cooking gas (LPG) connections under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) on 2 January 2019. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu handed over the 6 croreth LPG connection under PMUY to Jasmina Khatoon from Delhi. The PMUY was launched on 1 May 2016, with a target to give 5 crore connections by March 2019.

4. Aadhaar Amendment Bill introduced in Lok Sabha : On 2 December 2018, the government of India introduced the Aadhar amendment bill in Lok Sabha. The bill seeks to provide legal backing for voluntary seeding of biometric Aadhaar ID with mobile numbers and bank accounts after the Supreme Court barred mandatory use of the Aadhar by private firms. In December 2018, the Union Cabinet approved amending the existing Aadhaar law.

5. Global advertising meet in Kochi : The 44th Global Summit of the International Advertising Association (IAA) will be held in Kochi from February 20 to 22, 2019.

The theme of the summit is ‘Brand Dharma’.It is for the first time an Indian city is hosting the summit. The last three summits were held in Washington DC, Moscow and Beijing.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Brazil’s Bolsonaro takes oath as President : Former Army captain, Jair Bolsonaro was sworn in as Brazil’s President on 1 January 2019. He won the Presidential election of Brazil on 28 October 2018. He defeated leftist opponent Fernando Haddad. He was declared the winner by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal after 94% of the votes were counted.

2. Justice Rana takes over as Nepal’s new CJ : Justice Cholendra Shamsher J B Rana took over as the new Chief Justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court on 2 January 2019.President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath to Justice Rana. He will have a tenure of four years. He succeeded Chief Justice Om Prakash Mishra, who retired on 1st January 2019. He was appointed as the permanent judge of the Supreme Court on May 27, 2014.

3. US, Israel quit UNESCO citing bias :  The US and Israel had quit the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) with the close of 2018.The countries had announced their decisions in 2017 of withdrawing from the agency, accusing it of bias against Israel. Israel joined the agency in 1949.UNESCO is best known for its work to preserve heritage, including maintaining a list of World Heritage sites.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Direct tax-GDP ratio in FY18 best in 10 years : The Ministry of Finance said that the direct tax-to-GDP ratio of 5.98% achieved during 2017-18 fiscal is the best in the last 10 years. It was 5.57% in 2016-17 and 5.47% in 2015-16.The growth rate for corporate income tax (CIT) and personal income tax (PIT) stood at 17.7% and 18.3% respectively. The number of individuals filing return of income has also increased by about 65% in 2017-18.

Daily GK Updates - 1st January, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Justice T B N Radhakrishnan sworn in as Chief Justice of Telangana HC : Justice T B N Radhakrishnan was sworn in as the first Chief Justice of the Telangana High Court. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Governor E.S.L. Narasimhanadministered the oath of office to him. As per the notification, 12 judges, over 360 district and civil judges have been allotted to the new Telangana state. Andhra Pradesh High Court got over 500 district and civil judges as the two high courts began functioning as separate entities today onwards.

2. 1^st January: DRDO day : The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) day celebrated on 1^st January every year. The DRDO was established in 1958 with just 10 laboratories to enhance the research work in the defence sector. According to DRDO Chairman Dr G Satheesh Reddy, the country is self-reliant in areas of missiles, radars, sonars and torpedoes and many other systems. The Organisation has been working over the years to develop state of the art weapon system for the country's armed forces.

3.ISRO launches Samwad with students to engage them in space science activities :  Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched Samwad with Students as part of its outreach programme in Bengaluru. 40 students and 10 teachers from select schools interacted with ISRO Chairman Dr. K Sivan about the Indian Space Programme and their benefits to the common man. During the three-hour stay at ISRO Head office, the students and teachers also interacted with scientists and engineers.

4.Govt approves additional assistance of over Rs 1,146 cr to Tamil Nadu : The Union Government has approved the additional assistance of over 1146 crore rupees to Tamil Nadu (affected by the cyclone - Gaja) from National Disaster Response Fund. The approval was given by a High-Level Committee chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi. Cyclone 'Gaja' had crossed the Tamil Nadu coast early on 16^th November 2018.

5.Lok Sabha passes the Indian Medical Council (Amendment), Bill : The Lok Sabha has passed the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill. It amends the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 and replaces the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Ordinance, 2018. The Bill is aimed at revamping medical education regulatory system in the country. The 1956 Act provides for supersession of the MCI and its reconstitution within a period of three years.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.US and Israel quit UNESCO citing bias : The United States (US) and Israel officially quit the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) with the close of 2018.In 2017, The countries had announced their decisions in of withdrawing from the agency, accusing it of bias against Israel. It is best known for its World Heritage program, which designates cultural sites and aims to preserve traditions.UNESCO also works to improve education for girls, promote understanding of the Holocaust's horrors, and to defend media freedom.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1.RBI offers relief to MSMEs : allows restructuring of debt up to Rs 25 crore The Reserve Bank has allowed a one-time restructuring of existing debt of up to 25 crore rupees for the companies which have defaulted on payment but the loans given to them have continued to be classified as standard assets. The decision will help the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) which are facing a cash crunch in the wake of demonetisation and GST implementation. Earlier, The RBI's board had advised the central bank to examine a scheme for the restructuring of stressed standard assets of MSME borrowers with aggregate credit facilities of up to 25 crore rupees.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. 23 goods and services become cheaper with reduced GST rates : The Union government has notified reduction in Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates on twenty-three goods and services, including movie tickets, TV, monitor screen and power banks On 22nd December 2018, The GST Council had decided to cut tax rates on these goods and services and exempted music books, preserved vegetables and savings bank accounts under the Jan Dhan Yojana from the Tax.

OBITUARIES:

1.  Veteran actor-writer Kader Khan passes away in Canada : Veteran actor-writer Kader Khan (81-year) passed away in Canada due to prolonged illness. Khan made his acting debut in 1973 with Rajesh Khanna's "Daag" and has featured in over 300 films. He wrote dialogues for over 250 movies. Before becoming actor he had written dialogues for Randhir Kapoor-Jaya Bachchan's "Jawani Diwani"

Daily GK Updates - 31st December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Annual bird census to begin from Jan 4 : Annual bird census in Chilika lake is slated to be carried out on 4 January 2019. Chilika lake is the biggest brackish water lake in the country. Experts from organisations like Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Wild Odisha, National Board of Wildlife, Regional Museum and Natural History, Chilika Development Authority (CDA) will take part in the census.

2. Govt extends import restrictions on peas : The commerce ministry extended the import restrictions on peas for another three months till 31 March 2019. Such measures help in curbing cheaper imports and boost local prices. The restrictions were imposed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT. India is the largest producer of pulses in the world.

3. Telangana govt hospital enters Guinness Book : Telangana government’s MNJ Institute of Oncology and Regional Cancer Centre entered the Guinness Book of World Records.It organised the largest men’s Health Awareness programme on prostate cancer on a single day. Besides the Guinness World Record, the hospital also received recognition from ‘High Range Book of World Records.

4. Swachh Surveksahan award for GHMC : The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation was awarded Best Capital City in the Solid Waste Management in the Swachh Survekshan 2018 rankings. The Swachh Survekashan survey ranks cities on various sanitation parameters. The GHMC was also at the 27th place among 4,041 cities. Swachh Survekshan 2019 was launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) in January 2016.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Sheikh Hasina wins the election : Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina secured her third consecutive term on 29 December 2018. Her ruling party Awami League and its allies have won 288 of the 300 parliamentary seats contested, surpassing its previous election wins. Bangladesh’s parliament has 350 seats in total, 50 of which are reserved for women and allotted proportional to the overall vote.

2. ESAF is now ‘scheduled bank’ :  ESAF Small Finance Bank Ltd has received the RBI’s approval for inclusion in the second schedule of the RBI Act, 1934. Now the bank can seek funds from trusts, associations, religious institutions, and mutual funds.

It will also enable the bank to avail higher refinance facility. R Prabha is the Chairman of ESAF Small Finance Bank. The headquarters of the bank is in Thrissur, Kerala.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Banks recover Rs.40,400 crore from defaulters : According to RBI, in the fiscal ended March 2018, banks recovered ₹40,400 crore worth of bad loans as against ₹38,500 crore recovered in FY17. The various channels through which lenders recovered their bad loans include the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), SARFAESI Act, Debt Recovery Tribunals (DRTs) and Lok Adalats. The amount recovered through SARFAESI was ₹26,500 crore in FY18.

SPORTS :

1. Smriti won the ICC ‘Women’s Cricketer’ award : India women’s cricket vice-captain Smriti Mandhana won the ‘Women’s Cricketer of the Year’ and the ‘Women’s ODI Player of the Year’ by the International Cricket Council (ICC). She won the ‘Women’s Cricketer of the Year’ for scoring 669 runs in 12 ODIs along with 622 runs in T20 Internationals in 2018. She became only the second India woman player to win an ICC award after Jhulan Goswami.

2. ICC name Women’s ODI and T20I team of the year : International Cricket Council (ICC) announced women’s ODI and T20I teams of the year 2018. New Zealand’s Suzie Bates was named as captain of the 50-over side and Harmanpreet Kaur of India appointed captain of the T20 team. The teams have been selected by Voting Academy comprising of members from media and broadcast.

OBITUARIES:

1.Noted film maker Mrinal Sen passed away : Legendary filmmaker Mrinal Sen passed away in Kolkata on 31 December 2018. He is a Padma Bhushan and Dada Saheb Phalke awardee. He made his directorial debut with ‘Raat Bhore’ in 1955.He is known for making films that focussed on socio-political issues He was also a member of the Indian People’s Theatre Association.

Daily GK Updates - 30th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Sudhir Bhargava appointed new chief information commissioner :  The Union government has appointed Sudhir Bhargava as the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC), along with four information commissioners in the Central Information Commission. Four new information commissioners are Yashwardhan Kumar Sinha (IFS officer), ex-IRS officer Vanaja N. Sarna (the only woman), Neeraj Kumar Gupta (1982-batch IAS officer) and Mr Suresh Chandra(former law secretary).

2.Delhi Metro’s Lajpat Nagar-Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 corridor opens :  Union Minister Hardeep S Puri & Deputy CM of Delhi Manish Sisodia jointly flag off Lajpat Nagar-Mayur Vihar Pocket 1 section of Pink Line of Delhi Metro Around ten-kilometre stretch is the extension of 59 kilometres long Majlis Park-Shiv Vihar corridor. The section has five stations namely Vinoba Puri, Ashram, Hazrat Nizamuddin, Mayur Vihar -I and Mayur Vihar Pocket-1. It will be a major boon for the commuters of prominent areas like Ashram and Mayur Vihar.

3.PM Modi renames Ross, Neil & Havelock Islands in Andaman and Nicobar :  Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the renaming of three islands of Andaman and Nicobar on 75th anniversary of Tricolour hoisting by Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in Port Blair.The Ross Island has been renamed as Netaji Subhas Chandra BoseDweep.Now, The Neil Island would be known as Shaheed Dweep andHavelock Island as Swaraj Dweep.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Bangladesh Elections: Awami League registers landslide victory :  Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's (71-years) Awami League has registered a landslide victory in Parliamentary elections. The ruling Awami League-led grand alliance bagged 266 seats and its ally Jatiya Party secured 21 in the 300-member House.The opposition National Unity Front (UNF) with BNP being its key partner got only seven seats and Independent candidates won in two seats.

2.The United Arab Emirates reopens its embassy in Syria : The United Arab Emirates (UAE) resumed its diplomatic services at its embassy in Damascus (Syria) after six years of suspension. In February 2012, The UAE broke ties with Syria as the repression of nationwide protests demanding regime change was escalating into a devastating war. The decision follows a careful reading of the latest developments and a conviction that the next phase requires Arab involvement to protect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Government infuses Rs 2159 Crore in United Bank of India : According to The United Bank of India, the Union government has decided to infuse Rs 2,159 crore in the bank. The government has decided to pump Rs 28,615 crore into seven public sector banks (PSBs) through recapitalization bonds soon. Bank of India is likely to get the highest amount of Rs 10,086 crore

SPORTS:

1Luka Modric wins Balkan Athlete of the year award 2018 : Croatia soccer star Luka Modric has been chosen Balkan athlete of the year 2018. Now, He became only the second soccer player to scoop the prize after Bulgaria’s former European Footballer of the Year Hristo Stoichkov in 1994. Tennis great Novak Djokovic of Serbia was second in the Balkan poll, and Romania's Simona Halep third.

2. Saurabh Chaudhary sweeps men's air pistol national trials : Indian Shooter Saurabh Chaudhary has won the 10m air pistol trials at the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range by winning the second National trial competitions in both the men's and junior boy's categories. Asian Games and Youth Olympic Games champion Earlier, Saurabh had won the first trial in both events as well and in one final shooting event way above the existing world record score.

3. 3rd Edition of Women's national boxing championships begins : The third edition of women's national boxing championships begins in Vijayanagara, Karnataka. Country's top boxers will be vying for top honours as the tournament will be held at the JSW Sports-owned Inspire Institute of Sport till 6th of the next month.

OBITUARIES:

1. Veteran filmmaker Mrinal Sen passes away : Legendary filmmaker Padma Bhushan and Dada Saheb Phalke awardee Mrinal Sen(95-years) passed away due to age-related ailments in Kolkata. He was the recipient of 12 international film awards including Cannes Film Festival. Mrinal Sen was also a member of the Indian People’s Theatre Association.

Daily GK Updates - 29th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Arunachal touches record high revenue generation : The Arunachal Pradesh government has created a record of a total revenue generation of Rs 1,598.49 crore in 2017-18, reaching a new high in the last 30 years. The revenue generation had crossed the Rs 1,000 cr mark for two consecutive years since Arunachal Pradesh attained statehood in 1987. The source of revenue generation by the state government includes share of central taxes, state taxes among others. Chief Minister Pema Khandu had said at a recent meeting, "The state has witnessed faster change, greater transparency and unprecedented development in all sectors.

2.All Indian airports set to install body scanners from 2019 : Airports in India will be able to use body scanners from next year and spare “clean” passengers physical frisking.The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) is soon going to come out with technical specifications of these scanners and then airports can install and machines meeting those norms.The scanners to be used in India will need to be customized for Indian ‘conditions’ so that it can penetrate the layers of clothes unique to the country — like chunnat (front fold) of a sari, lungiand pallus.

3. Internet access in India has crossed 50 crore milestone : The number of internet connections in India has grown by 65% from March 2016 to cross the 50 crore mark in 2018, in line with the target set by the Narendra Modi government three years ago.As per the latest information from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), by the end of September 2018, there were 56 crore narrowband and broadband connections in India.Just five states - Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh (including Telangana), Gujarat and Maharashtra — account for 20 crore or 36% of all internet connections in India.

4. Train 18 to begin operations in Jan 2019 : According to the sources, Train 18, India's fastest train, will begin operations in January 2019 at a curtailed speed of 130 kmph.Train 18, which is set to replace the Shatabdi series, has the potential to run between 160 kmph to 200 kmph.At trials, it breached the 180-kmph mark."Train 18 is likely to run in January after the report of the Chief Commissioner Railway Safety (CCRS) is approved by the board.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.India pips China in FDI inflows for the first time in 20 years : For the first time in two decades, India has been getting more foreign investment than its neighbor China. In 2018, India saw more than $38 billion of inbound deals compared with China’s $32 billion. India’s foreign direct investment (FDI) was the highest ever with 235 deals amounting to $37.76 billion this calendar year, according to data from Dealogic, a global M&A and capital markets data provider, beating China, which has historically been the favorite for emerging market bets.China’s trade standoff with the US is seen as a major reason for the slowdown.

2. Michelle Obama, America’s most admired woman : After Hillary Clinton, US former first lady Michelle Obama tops the list of America’s most admired woman.Former President Barack Obama was the most admired man for the 11th year in a row while President Donald Trump finished second for the fourth consecutive year.According to Gallup’s report of the most admired man and woman in the world, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama hold the topmost positions.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1.Bank-led resolution of NPAs set to begin : Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) has set up an oversight committee with a former deputy governor from Reserve Bank of India to kick-start bank-led resolution of stressed assets under the inter-creditor agreement. The association has now asked the 34 lenders to initiate and send the resolution proposals under the scheme. A senior IBA official said banks have been told to provide forensic reports and credit rating of the borrower along with the resolution plan “Under Project Sashakt, an overseeing committee (OC) is to be set up to look into these resolutions.

2. New ED for Corporation Bank :The Centre has appointed Birupaksha Mishra as an Executive Director of Corporation Bank. He has taken over the charge on December 26. Mishra is a Post Graduate and a Certified Associate of Indian Institute of Bankers (CAIIB). Prior to this appointment, he was General Manager in Central Bank of India.

Daily GK Updates - 28th December, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Divya Patidar Joshi Crowned Mrs. India 2018 Title : Divya Patidar Joshi of Madhya Pradesh was crowned with the prestigious India 2018 Title. The Mrs. India My Identity Beauty Pageant 2018 finale was held in Delhi on 25th Dec 2018. Divya won the crown of Mrs India this year from among 24 promising contestants. She won all the rounds of Beauty with Brain contest along with Best Cat Walk title.

2. Railways introduces technology to eliminate manual examination of trains : The mechanical branch of Central Railways' Nagpur division has introduced a new state-of-the-art technology called Automated Train Examination System (ATES) for the enhancement of train safety. The system, developed by Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, eliminates manual examination of trains and measures axle box temperature, wheel disc temperature and records the under-gear of rolling stock of running trains through infrared and other cameras.

3.Govt bans Khalistan Liberation Force : The government has banned Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) for its involvement in several killings, bombings, and other terror activities during its violent campaign for "secession of Punjab". The decision to ban the outfit under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) comes in the backdrop of agencies unearthing several KLF modules in recent months which has led to apprehensions that it is attempting to revive militancy in the state. The Khalistan Liberation Force and all its manifestations have been declared outlawed under the under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), a Home Ministry order said on Wednesday, adding it will be the 40th organization to be prescribed under this law.

4.Triple Talaq Bill passed in Lok Sabha : The Lok Sabha on 27th Dec 2018 passed The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, after a heated debate.Before the start of the voting, Congress and AIADMK staged a walkout from the House opposing certain provisions of the bill that makes instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat a criminal offense, with a jail term of up to three years with a fine.The Bill will replace the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance-2018.

5.Virudhunagar district is Tamil Nadu most improvement district: Niti Aayog : Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant released the Second Delta Ranking of the Aspirational Districts Programme. The ranking details the incremental progress achieved by the districts during June to October this year across six key development sectors.Nuapada district in Odisha ranked second. Siddarthnagar in Uttar Pradesh ranked third.

6.Madhya Pradesh: Kuno notified as a national park : Madhya Pradesh forest department notify Kuno as a ‘national park’. The state government has declared Kuno National Park with the inclusion of an area spread along 404.0758 sq.km in addition to the earlier notified area of 344.686 sq km making a total of 748.7618 sq km area. The move is expected to pave way for translocation of lions from Gir in Gujarat to Kuno.

7.The 26th National Childres's Science Congress inaugurated in Odisha : The 26th National Childres's Science Congress has been inaugurated by the Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik in Bhubaneswar.Inaugurating the Congress session, Shri Patnaik has said that the progress of science is essential for the National growth and healthy Nation. Odisha government is organizing various programmes for the development of scientific temper among students.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Colin completed Solo trek across Antarctica : Colin O’Brady, an American adventurer, has become the first person to complete a solo trek across Antarctica without the assistance of any kind. He took 54 days to complete the nearly 1,000-mile (1,600-km) crossing Antartica. He arrived at the finish point on the Ross Ice Shelf on the Pacific Ocean. In 1996-97, a Norwegian explorer, Borge Ousland, made the first solo crossing of Antarctica.

OTHER UPDATES:

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY :

1. Russia ‘successfully’ tests hypersonic missile : According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia has become the first country to complete the development of hypersonic weapons.The Intercontinental, nuclear-capable hypersonic missile system will enter service in Russia’s military next year, President Vladimir Putin added.The weapon, dubbed “Avangard,” successfully hit a target 6,000 kilometers from launch, according to a separate statement from the Kremlin. The Avangard is invulnerable to intercept by any existing and prospective missile-defense means of the potential adversary.

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.