Daily GK Updates - 11th October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. SARAS Aajeevika Mela begins in New Delhi: SARAS Aajeevika Mela has begun at India Gate Lawns, in New Delhi. It has been organized by the Ministry of Rural Development under the initiative of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission. It aims to bring the rural women Self Help Groups (SHGs) formed with support of DAY-NRLM, under one platform to show-case their skills, sell their products and help them build linkages with bulk buyers. Over 200 stalls have been set-up at the Mela venue, where nearly 500 rural SHG craftswomen from 29 States and UTs will show-case varied range of products like handicrafts, handlooms, natural food products and a food court with regional cuisines at India Gate Lawns.

2. GoI launches Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) initiative: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan has launched the Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) initiative in New Delhi. The initiative was launched during the 13th Conference of Central Council of Health and Family Welfare. The initiative aims to assure dignified, respectful and quality health care at no cost for every woman and newborn visiting the public health facility in order to end all preventable maternal and newborn deaths. It also provides a positive birth experience to both mother and infant. With the initiative, the government is committed to achieve the target of reducing the maternal mortality and child mortality.

3. First National Hindi Science writers conference begins in Lucknow: The first National Hindi Science writers conference has been started in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The Objective of the National Hindi Science writers conference is to bring all Hindi and vernacular language science writers at one platform and promote the use of Hindi in the field of science writing. More than one thousand science writers across the country are expected to take part in this 2-day long conference. A dedicated website ‘WWW.VIGYANLEKHAN.COM’ has been prepared for this event.

4. Gujarat to host conference of State Power Ministers: Gujarat will host the State Power Ministers’ Conference. It will take place at Kevadia, on the banks of Narmada River. The 2 day conference will see discussions on policies related to emerging technologies in sustainable and renewable energy sector. It will also look after the implementation of Prime Minister Kusum Yojana, Solar Roof top, renewable energy development in the border areas, projects for Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Parks, ease of doing business in solar and wind energy space and the concerning issues related to regulatory matters, land and infrastructure.

5. Railway police’s website & mobile app “Sahyatri” launched: Union Minister Nityanand Rai has launched a Government Railway Police’s website “railways.delhipolice.gov.in” and a mobile application “Sahyatri”. The database of criminals, including their photographs, active in railways’ jurisdiction all over India would be uploaded on the Railway police’s website. It will also have the facility to scan and read QR codes and make an emergency call. The Sahyatri app will help railway passengers find out the jurisdiction of a police station and the details of GRP officials by geo-tagging with Google Maps. It will also help the railway police in addressing complaints of passengers from across India and crime detection by integrating the criminal database online.

6. 38th India Carpet Expo begins in Varanasi: The India Carpet Expo (38th) has been started in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (11th to 14th October 2019). The India Carpet Expo is organized twice in a year in Delhi and Varanasi. The expo (largest handmade carpet fairs in Asia) has been organized by the Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC). The India Carpet Expo aims to promote the cultural heritage and weaving skills of Indian hand-made carpets and other floor coverings for the visiting overseas carpet buyers.

Note: India carpet expo acts as a platform for international carpet buyers, buying houses, buying agents, architects and Indian carpet manufacturers and exporters to meet and establish business relationship.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Chinese Prez Xi Jinping arrives in Chennai on 2-day visit to India: Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Chennai on a two-day visit to India. Mr. Xi Jinping will hold the Second Informal Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Mahabalipuram (a UNESCO world heritage town) in Tamil Nadu. The two leaders will first have a one to one conversation, followed by delegation-level talks. At Mamallapuram, Prime Minister Modi will personally guide Mr Xi Jinping through the ancient monuments like the Arjun's Penance, Ganesh Rath, Krishna butter ball before the two leaders drive to the Panch Rathas or the five chariots of the Pandavas.

2. 9th RCEP Intersessional Ministerial Meeting to be held in Thailand: The 9th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Intersessional Ministerial Meeting will be held in Bangkok, Thailand. This will be the final Ministerial meeting before the 3rd Leaders’ Summit which will be held on November 4, 2019 in Bangkok. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal will represent India in the meeting. He will also hold a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Japan, Singapore, China, Australia and New Zealand during the Bangkok Ministerial.

3. International Day of the Girl Child: 11 October: The International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC) is observed every year across the world on 11th October (8th- edition) to recognize girls’ rights and challenges girls face around the world. The theme of 2019 is “GirlForce: Unscripted and Unstoppable". The main aims of the day are to promote girl's empowerment and fulfilment of their human rights while also highlighting the challenges that girls all over the world face.

Note: On December 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution to declare 11th October as the International Day of the Girl Child

4. World Obesity Day 11 October: The World Obesity Day is observed annually on October 11, organized by the World Obesity Federation, a non-profit body which is in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO). The day which was first established in 2015, aims to raise awareness on obesity and ways to prevent them and also maintaining a healthy weight and reverse the obesity crisis.

Note: WHO Headquarter: Geneva, Switzerland

5. World Egg Day: 11 October: The World Egg Day which is celebrated annually on the second Friday of October was observed on October 11, 2019. The day is celebrated globally to raise awareness of the benefits of eggs and their nutritional importance. It was first established at the 1996 International Egg Commission’s (IEC) conference in Vienna, Austria where it was decided to celebrate this day on the second Friday of October. The theme for the year 2019 is “Eat your egg today and every day.”

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Australia broke their own record for most consecutive wins (18) in women’s ODI: The Australian women’s cricket team broke the record for most consecutive wins in One Day International (ODI) cricket with their 18th triumph by defeating Sri Lanka in the tri-match ODI series during Sri Lanka women’s cricket team tour in Australia” at the Allan Border Field stadium in Brisbane, Australia. They broke their own record of 17 consecutive wins achieved between 1997 and 1999.

Note: Australia Capital: Canberra; Currency: Australian dollar.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Yes Bank Ltd appoints Anita Pai as COO: Yes Bank Ltd has appointed Anita Pai as the Chief Operating Officer and Jasneet Bachal as the Chief Marketing Officer of the bank. The appointment has been made to further strengthen the top management at the bank. Anita Pai will lead the bank’s operations and service delivery and will also look after the information technology functions of the lender. Jasneet Bachal will head the marketing and communication efforts of the bank.

Note: Chief Executive Officer of Yes Bank: Ravneet Gill.

2. GeM signs MOU with Union Bank of India: Government e-Marketplace signed an MoU with Union Bank of India. As per the MoU, UBI will be able to offer an array of services including transfer of funds through GeM Pool Accounts, advising of Performance Bank Guarantees and Earnest Money Deposit to the registered users on the GeM portal. The MoU will facilitate a cashless, paperless and transparent payment system on the portal and will create an efficient procurement system for government entities.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Moody’s cuts India’s GDP growth forecast to 5.8% for FY20: Moody, the rating agency has lowered its 2019-20 GDP growth forecast for India to 5.8% from 6.2%. It stated that the Indian economy is experiencing a pronounced slowdown partly due to long-lasting factors.

2. Auto component major Minda to acquire Germany's Delvis for EUR21 million: Minda Industries (Auto component manufacturer) is acquiring 100% equity capital of Germany-based Delvis Group for 21 million euros (around Rs 163 crore). The Delvis Group is engaged in automotive lighting design and engineering. It comprises of Delvis GmBH and its two wholly-owned subsidiaries Delvis Products and Delvis Solutions. Minda has a diversified product portfolio that encompasses safety, security and restraint systems. These products cater to two- and three-wheelers, passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles and after-market.

AWARDS & HONOURS

1. The Nobel Peace Prize for 2019: The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2019 to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. He has been awarded for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea. The prize is also meant to recognise all the stakeholders working for peace and reconciliation in Ethiopia and in the East and Northeast African regions. He will receive a full cash prize, valued this year at 9-million kronor ($918,000), a gold medal and a diploma.

2. The Nobel Prize in Literature 2018 and 2019: The Nobel Prizes in Literature 2018 and 2019 were announced at The Swedish Academy in Stockholm. Both winners will receive a full cash prize, valued this year at 9-million kronor ($918,000), a gold medal and a diploma. The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2018 is awarded to the Polish author Olga Tokarczuk. She has been awarded “for a narrative imagination that with encyclopedic passion represents the crossing of boundaries as a form of life.” The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2019 is awarded to the Austrian author Peter Handke. He has been awarded “for an influential work that with linguistic ingenuity has explored the periphery and the specificity of human experience.”

OBITUARIES

1. Legendary saxophonist Kadri Gopalnath passes away: Legendary saxophonist and the Padma Shri awardee Kadri Gopalnath passed away away in Mangalore, Karnataka. The Carnatic music maestro won multiple awards in his illustrious career, including the Kendra Sangeetha Nataka Academy Award and Karnataka Kalashree. He had the distinction of being the first Carnatic musician to be invited in the BBC Promenade concert in the Royal Albert Hall at London in 1994.

Daily GK Updates - 10th October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Dearness allowance of government employees hiked by 5%: The Central government has increased the Dearness Allowance (DA) of Central government employees and pensioners. The government has hiked DA by 5%, which means the dearness allowance has been increased from 12% to 17%. The decision was approved in a cabinet meet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The hike would be effective from July 2019. The cost to the exchequer will be Rs 16,000 crore.

The cabinet also approved inclusion of 5,300 families under the development package of Jammu & Kashmir, who initially opted to move outside the state, but later returned and settled in the Jammu & Kashmir. This will enable such development package families to become eligible to get one-time financial assistance of Rs 5.5 lakh under the existing scheme.

Cabinet has also relaxed the mandatory requirement of Aadhaar-seeded data as a pre-condition for release of funds to the beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. The relaxation will be till 30th November 2019. It will enable immediate release of benefits to a large number of farmers who are not able to avail the same due this requirement.

2. “DHRUV” a Learning Programme launched from ISRO, Bengaluru: Union Minister of HRD Ramesh Pokhriyal has inaugurated the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Programme (PMILP) ‘DHRUV’ (named after a pole star ‘DHRUV TARA’) from ISRO Headquarters at Bengaluru and will conclude at IIT, Delhi. The programme aims to further sharpen innovative imagination, skills and knowledge of the students who are expected to contribute to bringing solutions to socio-economic, political and environmental issues in the country. 60 brightest and talented students from Science, Mathematics and Performing Arts have been chosen for the programme.

3. “GEMINI” system to warn fishermen of danger: GEMINI is a portable receiver developed to avoid communication blackouts. It linked to ISRO-satellites and is “fail-proof” and warn fishermen of danger. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services collaborated with Accord, a private company, to develop a box-shaped receiver that has an antenna and in-built battery that can last 3 to 4 days. GEMINI works on GAGAN, developed by ISRO and the Airports Authority of India and is an India-made global positioning system and relies on the positioning system by ISRO’s GSAT satellites. When GEMINI is connected to an app, it also lets fishermen know the probability of fish-catch in the surrounding seas.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. V Prez Naidu to embark on 5-day visit to Comoros & Sierra Leone: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu embarked on a five-day visit to African countries Comoros and Sierra Leone. It will be the first high-level visit from India to the two African countries. Mr. Naidu will reach in Moroni (the capital of Comoros) and hold a detailed bilateral meeting with country's President Azali Assoumani on the next day. The three-day visit will witness the Vice President interacting with the Indian community and calling on Abdou Ousseni (President of the Assembly of Comoros). On the second leg of his visit, Mr. Naidu will arrive in Free Town, Sierra Leone on Saturday.

Note: Comoros Capital: Moroni; Currency: Comorian franc

Sierra Leone Capital: Freetown; Currency: Sierra Leonean leone

2. Vishnu Nandan among 300 researchers to join MOSAiC Expedition: Vishnu Nandan, polar researcher from Kerala will join largest ever Arctic expedition “MOSAiC Expedition“. He will be the only Indian aboard among the 300 researchers for multidisciplinary drifting observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate expedition. Vishnu Nandan will aboard the German research vessel Polarstern, anchored on a large sheet of sea ice in the Central Arctic, drifting along with it during the pitch-black Polar winter. Led by the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany, MOSAiC, the largest ever Arctic expedition in history, will be the first to conduct a study of this scale at the North Pole for an entire year. The expedition will help the researchers better understand the impact of climate change and aid in improved weather projections.

3. World Mental Health Day: 10 October: World Health Organization observes World Mental Health Day on 10th of October every year. The day is celebrated with an objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health. The theme selected for this year’s Day: ‘Suicide Prevention’. The Day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide. This year’s Day is supported by WHO, the International Association for Suicide Prevention, and United for Global Mental Health. World Mental Health Day is organized by the World Federation for Mental Health.

Note: WHO Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; Director general: Tedros Adhanom.

4. Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2019: October: October is observed as Brest Cancer Awareness Month worldwide. The Breast Cancer Awareness Month (marked in countries across the world every October) helps to increase attention and support for awareness. This month creates awareness about the importance of early detection and treatment of breast cancer. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women worldwide, both in developed and developing countries.

5. World Space Week: 4th-10th October: The United Nations (Office for Outer Space Affairs) observes 4-10 October every year as World Space Week. It is an international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition. The theme for 2019 is: ‘The Moon: Gateway to the Stars’. During World Space Week space education and outreach events are organised by space agencies, aerospace companies, schools, planetaria, museums, and astronomy clubs around the world.

Note: The United Nations General Assembly declared in 1999 that World Space Week (WSW) will be held each year from October 4-10. The dates were in recognition of the October 4, 1957 launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. German Footballer Bastian Schweinsteiger announces his retirement: German World Cup champion Bastian Schweinsteiger has announced his retirement from soccer. Schweinsteiger spent a major part of his career with European giants Bayern Munich, where he won 8 Bundesliga titles and 7 German cups as well as the Champions league in 2013. He made over 300 appearances for the Bavarian side, scoring 45 goals from 2002-2015.

2. Mithali Raj becomes 1st female player to complete 20 yrs in international cricket: India women's cricket captain Mithali Raj (36-years) became the first female player to last more than 20 years in international cricket. She achieved the feat while leading India to an emphatic eight-wicket win over South Africa Women in the first ODI at Vadodara. Mithali (ODI debut against Ireland on June 26, 1999) completed 20 years and 106 days in the 50-over format. The right-handed batswoman has played 204 ODIs till now, the most by a female. Mithali who retired from T20 cricket last month has also played 10 Tests and 89 T20 Internationals for India. On 1 February 2019, during India's series against New Zealand Women, Raj became the first woman to play in 200 ODI matches.

Longest One-Day International careers: (Men/Women)

S. No.	Players Names	One-Day International careers
1	S. Tendulkar (Dec 1989 - Mar 2012)	22y 91d
2	S. Jayasuriya (Dec 1989 - Jun 2011)	21y 184d
3	Javed Miandad (Jun 1975 - Mar 1996)	20y 272d
4	Mithali Raj (Jun 1999 - Present)	20y 105d*

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI rejects Indiabulls Housing & Lakshmi Vilas Bank merger deal: The Reserve Bank of India has rejected the merger proposal of Indiabulls Housing Finance and Lakshmi Vilas Bank. RBI has rejected the application for voluntary amalgamation of Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd. and Indiabulls Commercial Credit Ltd. with the Lakshmi Vilas Bank Ltd. The merger was crucial for Lakshmi Vilas Bank as it is now under the prompt corrective action framework of the RBI due to a high level of bad loans and insufficient capital.

Note: Chairman of Indiabulls Group: Sameer Gehlaut.

2. RBI approves merger of DCBs to form ‘Kerala Bank’: The Reserve Bank of India has given the go-ahead to the Kerala government to amalgamate 13 district cooperative banks (DCBs) with the Kerala State Cooperative Bank to form the proposed “Kerala Bank”. Except the Malappuram District Cooperative Bank, all district banks had approved the scheme of amalgamation proposed by the State government at their respective general body meetings. Now, the government has to complete the stipulations laid for merger and submit a compliance report to the apex bank before March 31, 2020. RBI also insisted that the State government would have to consistently infuse additional capital and also put in place a well-defined governance structure by amending the KSCS Act.

AWARDS & HONOURS

1. Russia honors astronaut Nick Hague with “Order of Courage”: Russia has honoured NASA astronaut Nick Hague with one of its highest honours, “The Order of Courage“. Nick Hague survived an aborted space launch with Russian cosmonaut Aleksey Ovchinin when their Soyuz rocket failed minutes after blast-off from Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in October 2018. Hague has been awarded for his “courage and high professionalism” shown during life-threatening conditions.

2. Prez Kovind presents colours to Army Aviation Corps in Nashik: President Ram Nath Kovind presented the prestigious President’s colours to the Army Aviation Corps during a grand ceremonial parade held at the Combat Army Aviation Training School, Nashik, Maharashtra. The presentation of colour is an acknowledgement of the meritorious service rendered by the Army Aviation Corps over the years by the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. It is a visible symbol of excellence and is earned through dedication and worthy contribution both during war and peace.

Note: The Army Aviation Corps is a component of the Indian Army formed on 1st November 1986. The aviation arm is headed by a Director-General of the rank of Lt General at the Army HQ, New Delhi.

Daily GK Updates - 9th October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. AIIMS & Health ministry launches “eDantSeva”: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences in collaboration with the Union Health Ministry launched the 1st-ever website and mobile application on oral health awareness “eDantSeva“. The digital platform contains information about the National Oral Health Programme and a detailed list of all the dental facility and colleges, Information, Education and Communication (IEC) material. It also constitutes a unique feature called the ‘Symptom Checker’. The website also provides GPRS route and satellite images of the facility for easier access to the people. A Braille booklet and voice-over on oral health education for visually impaired was also released on the occasion.

2. India International Cooperative Trade Fair to be held in New Delhi: A three-day International Cooperative Trade Fair will be held in New Delhi from 11th to 13th October 2019.

The first-ever such fair is aimed at promoting cooperative to cooperative trade within India and abroad leading to enhanced rural and farm prosperity. According to Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomer, Representatives from over 150 cooperative societies and 35 countries including, Australia, Japan, China, Brazil, US, UK, Germany and Iran are going to participate in the fair. The event will offer a huge opportunity for the industry and business houses from India and abroad to build an alliance, business networking, product sourcing and interact with primary producers of a wide range of products and service providers.

3. India receives 1st Rafale fighter jet built for Indian Air Force: India has got the 1st Rafale fighter jet “RB-001” built for the Indian Air Force (IAF) in France. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh received the 1st Rafale combat jet aircraft at Production Unit of Dassault Aviation in France. However, the first batch of jets will arrive in India only in May 2020. Defence Minister also held the Annual Defence dialogue with his French counterpart Florence Parly. India had signed an agreement with France for the procurement of 36 Rafale jets at a cost of Rs. 59,000 crores.

Note: The Rafale is a twin-jet fighter aircraft able to operate from both an aircraft carrier and a shore base. It is described as a fully versatile aircraft which can carry out all combat aviation missions to achieve air superiority and air defence, close air support, in-depth strikes, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence.

4. Day Care Recreation Centre inaugurated in Leh: The 1st Government-sponsored and operated Day-Care cum Recreation Centre for senior citizens has been inaugurated in Leh. The day care Centre, co-sponsored by Government and the District Legal Service Authority will provide a raft of medical facilities including geriatric care, health consultations and check-ups, physiotherapy to the senior citizens. It would also provide legal service, the senior citizens would require on various legal issues. The premise would be a one stop-shop for entertainment, medical services and legal aid for the aged people of the Ladakh region.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India, Mexico agrees to work together on multilateral issues: The fifth round of Foreign Office Consultations between India and Mexico were held in New Delhi. The Indian side was led by Secretary (East) Vijay Thakur Singh and Mexican side was led by Deputy Minister of External Affairs of Mexico Julián Ventura Valero. The two sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral cooperation, including political, trade and economic cooperation. Both sides underscored the need to hold a regular dialogue in these areas through the established bilateral mechanisms.

2. WTO hosts first World Cotton Day celebrations in Geneva: The first-ever World Cotton Day (7 October) was hosted by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva. This event stems from the application by the Cotton-4 countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali) to the United Nations General Assembly for its official recognition of a World Cotton Day, reflecting the importance of cotton as a global commodity. Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani is representing India in the five-day event of World Cotton Day. As one of the world’s largest producers and consumers of cotton, India supports the World Cotton Day as an opportunity to recognise the significance of cotton as a global commodity.

3. Antonio Costa re-elected as the PM of Portugal: Antonio Costa has been re-elected as the Prime Minister of Portugal after winning the general elections. Antonio Costa, the Socialist leader and incumbent prime minister, got the most votes in Portugal’s general election, leaving it poised to continue leading the government for another four years.

4. World Post Day: 9 October: United Nations celebrates World Post Day every year on 9 October. The purpose of World Post Day is to bring awareness to the Post’s role in the everyday lives of people and businesses, as well as its contribution to global social and economic development. The day marks the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in the Swiss Capital, Bern. It was declared World Post Day by the UPU Congress held in Tokyo, Japan in 1969.

5. India ranks 68th on WEF’s Global Competitiveness Index: World Economic Forum has released the Global Competitiveness Index report. In total, there are 103 indicators distributed across the 12 pillars on which the performance of the countries was evaluated. As per the WEF’s released report, India has moved down 10 places to rank 68th on an annual global competitiveness index which was topped by Singapore. India is among the worst-performing BRICS nations along with Brazil which is ranked 71st this year. WEF stated that India ranks high in terms of macroeconomic stability and market size, while its financial sector is relatively deep and stable despite the high delinquency rate, which contributes to weakening the soundness of its banking system.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Simone Biles wins 15th world title: American artistic gymnast Simone Biles (22-years) has clinched a record-extending 15th World Gymnastics Championship title in Stuttgart, Germany. She collected her 21st medal at the championships to become the most decorated women's gymnast. Biles played a key role in a commanding performance by the USA, earning the most points in three of the four disciplines: the vault, balance beam and floor.

2. Surender Singh creates three world records at World Powerlifting C’ ship: India’s Surender Singh created three world records at the ongoing World Powerlifting Championship in Berlin, Germany. Surender bagged the gold medal in 110 kg category, Classic Raw and the Best Lifter Award in Classic Raw and Single Ply. Three-time World Champion Mukesh Singh went on to add another feather to his cap by winning yet another gold only to be known as 4-time World Champion.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. SBI lowers rates on non-repo-linked loans by 10 bps: State Bank of India (SBI) has announced a reduction in its marginal cost of fund-based lending (MCLR) rate by 10 basis points across all tenors (effective from 10th October 2019). This is the sixth time that the country’s largest lender has cut its MCLR or minimum lending rate in the current financial year. The rate reduction is not applicable to the repo-linked loans. With this reduction, the one-year MCLR, to which all the lending rates are linked to, is set at 8.05% as against 8.15% earlier. The cut in MCLR follows a 25-bps reduction in repo rate by the RBI last week.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Infosys bags digital transformation services deal from Volvo: Infosys has been selected as the main supplier to deliver Volvo Cars’ digital transformation services for its enterprise digital commercial operations applications and products. Infosys will offer next generation application services leveraging its global delivery model (GDM), agile delivery, automation and other service optimisation levers to deliver effective service operations. Based on the Scale Agile Framework (SAFe), Infosys will enable transformation of application management and application development deliveries to a 100% agile operating model.

AWARDS & HONOURS

1. “Spirit Of Kerala” wins People’s Choice Award: Short film from Kerala “Spirit Of Kerala” has won the People’s Choice Award at the recently concluded My Rode Reel film competition. The film won the honour beating 1,680 entries. The short film is based on a boat race and directed by Arun Joseph. My Rode Reel film competition is touted as the ‘world’s largest short film competition’.

2. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2019: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2019. The prize will be awarded jointly to John B. Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino. They have been nominated for the prize for the development of lithium-ion batteries. This lightweight, rechargeable and powerful battery is now used in everything from mobile phones to laptops and electric vehicles.

Daily GK Updates - 8th October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Indian Air Force Celebrated 87th Air Force Day: 8 October: On October 8, 2019 the Indian Air Force (IAF) celebrated its 87th anniversary on Air Force Day at Hindon Air Base in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. During the IAF parade, wing commander Abhinandan Varthaman who shot down Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) F-16 aircraft during a dogfight in February 2019 led the aircraft group of three MiG-21 Bison aircraft flying in ‘avenger’ formation. Balakot heroes Group Captains Saumitra Tamaskar and Hemant Kumar flew a Jaguar and a Mirage 2000, respectively. Former Indian cricketer and Indian Air Force’s first Honorary Group Captain from sportsfield, Sachin Tendulkar also attended the celebration. Air Chief Marshal, R K S Bhadauria, Army Chief Bipin Rawat and Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Karambir Singh paid tributes at the National War Memorial in New Delhi.

2. Telangana police becomes the first in country to integrate police patrol systems with passenger cabs: In order to provide a safe & secure environment to passengers, especially women, the Telangana police in its 1st of its kind in the country, has taken up a high tech initiative to integrate their police patrol systems with passenger cabs. This is being done using police’s ‘Hawk-Eye’ app that is connected to every taxi aggregator apps that provides a cab service facility. In case of emergency, the commuter can access the ‘emergency button’ installed in the related cab service app, the message will be transmitted to Hawk-Eye App through a back-end operational workflow. This will send the latitude and longitudinal coordinates of the passenger to the police & other details of the private cab service to the police attending to emergency services such as control room and closest patrol mobile. ii. The police will be able to respond quickly to reach the commuter by continuously tracing the movement of the vehicle on the geo-tagged map.

Note: Telangana Capital: Hyderabad; Chief minister: K. Chandrashekar Rao; Governor: Tamilisai Soundararajan

3. UP CM Yogi Adityanath intoduced Mukhya Mantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath introduced the Mukhya Mantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana which aims to empower the girl child. If a girl child is born, that family will receive Rs 15,000. Under the community marriage scheme, the support amount to poor girls for marriage was increased from Rs 35,000 to Rs 50,000.

4. Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat Launched ‘Ganga Aamantran’ Abhiyan: The Union minister of Jal Shakthi Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat launched ‘Ganga Aamantran’ abhiyan, a month long open-water rafting and kayaking expedition in New Delhi. The expedition which begins from October 10- November 11 2019, will cover an area of 25,000kms from Devprayag in Uttarakhand to Ganga Sagar in West Bengal. It is the first of its kind effort by National Mission for Clean Ganga(NMCG) to raft across the entire stretch of the river. It is also the longest ever social campaign undertaken through an adventure sporting activity in spreading the message of river rejuvenation and water conservation on a massive scale. The expedition will encompass 5 Ganga basin states. They are Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Indonesia and Vietnam Lead SE Asia’s $100bn Internet Economy: 4th E-Conomy SEA Report For 2019: The 4th Edition of the report titled “e-Conomy SEA report 2019: Powering Southeast Asia’s $100 billion Internet economy” was jointly released by Google, Singapore investment company Temasek and American consultancy Bain & Company. As per the report, Indonesia and Vietnam led the SE (SouthEast) Asia’s $100bn internet economy becoming the fastest-growing digital economies in the region. Until 2018, this report was jointly published by Google and Temasek. Total of 6 countries namely Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam were surveyed. Indonesia’s internet economy is the largest in the region, estimated at $40 billion in 2019, is expected to reach $133 billion mark by 2025. Vietnam’s internet economy is forecast to reach $12 billion in 2019 and up to $43 billion in 2025.

Note: Google Inc: Founded: 1998; Headquarters: California, US

Temasek: Founded: 25 June 1974; Headquarters: Singapore

Bain & Company: Founded: 1973; Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts, U.S

2. Remains of 5,000-year-old city unveiled in Israel’s archaeological site En Esur: Archaeologists of Israel have unveiled remains of a 5,000-year-old city believed to be the biggest in the region from the Bronze Age. The site known as “En Esur” included fortifications, a ritual temple, and a cemetery. An even earlier settlement, believed to be 7,000 years old, was discovered beneath the city. It is regarded as the ‘New York City’ of its time period.

Note: Israel Capital: Jerusalem; Currency: Israeli new shekel; Prime minister: Benjamin Netanyahu.

3. Saturn created a solar system record after the discovery of 20 new moons, surpassing Jupiter: A team of researchers led by Carnegie’s Scott S. Sheppard from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) discovered 20 new moons orbiting Saturn, increasing its tally of moons to 82. It surpassed the number of moons orbiting Jupiter planet which stands at 79. This was announced by the International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Minor Planet Center (MPC), France. They were discovered using the Subaru telescope atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii (a state in the Pacific United States) and were about five kilometers in diameter. 17 moons were found orbiting the planet backwards, in a direction opposite to that of Saturn’s rotation around its axis while 3 moons orbited in the same direction as Saturn’s rotation, which is called prograde motion.

4. Michelle Obama’s book “Becoming: A Guided Journal for Discovering Your Voice” set to release: Former First Lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama‘s second book titled “Becoming: A Guided Journal for Discovering Your Voice” is set to release on November 19, 2019. It is published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House. The journal will be published in more than 20 countries. It includes more than 150 inspiring questions and quotes that resonate with key themes in Mrs. Obama’s memoir. Her first memoir titled “Becoming” (Crown Publishing Group) was released in November 2018.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. India to host 3×3 basketball qualifying tournament for Tokyo Olympics in March 2020: As per the world governing body of the basketball, FIBA (International Basketball Federation), India will host the Tokyo Olympic Games 3×3 basketball qualifying tournament in March 2020 with a total participation of 40 teams (20 male and 20 female teams). The location of the event will be announced later. The competition will be organized under the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). Six places (3 each in both women and men) will be awarded for the Olympic 2020 in the FIBA 3×3 Olympic qualifying tournament. This competition will make its Olympic debut in Tokyo where eight teams will participate in the women’s and men’s categories.

Note: FIBA: Motto: We Are Basketball; Formation: 18 June 1932; Headquarters: Mies, Switzerland; President: Hamane Niang

2. Indian Batsman, Rohit Sharma Attains Career Best 17th In ICC Test Player Rankings 2019: As per the recently released MRF (Madras Rubber Factory) Tyres International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Test Player Rankings” as of October 7, 2019, Rohit Sharma, who became the first Indian cricketer to score a century in both innings of his first test as an opener, reached a career-best 17th position. He jumped from the 54th position to the 17th. Captain Virat Kohli has retained his second position, though he has slipped below 900 mark for the first time since January 2018.

Top 3 players & Other Indians in the batsmen rankings:

Rank	Player Name	Country	Rating points	Average
1	Steve Smith	Australia	937	64.56
2	Virat Kohli	India	899	53.12
3	Kane Williamson	New Zealand	878	49.75
17	Rohit Sharma	India	650	44.95
25	Mayank Agarwal	India	620	55.22
52	Ravindra Jadeja	India	524	33.26

Top 3 & Indian Players in the Bowler Rankings:

Rank	Player Name	Country	Rating points	Average
1	Pat Cummins	Australia	908	21.45
2	Kagiso Rabada	South Africa	828	22.25
3	Jasprit Bumrah	India	827	19.24
10	Ravichandran Ashwin	India	770	25.39
16	Mohammad Shami	India	710	28.45

All-rounders (top 3):

Rank	Player	Team	Points
1	Jason Holder	West Indies	472
2	Ravindra Jadeja	India	398
3	Shakib Al Hasan	Bangladesh	397

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Centre forms inter-ministerial panel to check money laundering: The government formed a 19-member Inter-Ministerial Coordination Committee (IMCC) chaired by the revenue secretary Mr. Ajay Bhushan Pandey to check money laundering activities. It is set up as per the powers conferred under Section 72A of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. Its objective is to facilitate policy and operational coordination among the law enforcement agencies, intelligence agencies and various regulators in matters relating to countering of terror financing and money laundering. It has 5 secretaries from the departments of Financial Services, Economic Affairs, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs and chiefs from various regulatory authorities and probe agencies. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Cell in the Department of Revenue will be the secretariat of the IMCC.

2. Revenue Secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey Inaugurated National E-Assessment Scheme of IT Department in New Delhi: The Revenue Secretary Shri Ajay Bhushan Pandey who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) inaugurated National e-Assessment Scheme (NeAS) in New Delhi. This e-Assessment scheme along with the National e-Assessment Centre (NeAC), would benefit the Income Tax(IT) department in imparting efficiency, transparency, accountability in the assessment process and would have no physical interface between taxpayers and tax officers. Section 143(3A) & (3B) of the IT Act empowered notification of E-assessment scheme. NeAC is to be headed by Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (Pr.CCIT). In this regard, the 1984 batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Krishna Mohan Prasad has been appointed for the same.

3. India gets first details of accounts of Indian citizens in Swiss banks: In the matter of getting information about black money from foreign land, India has got the first details of accounts of Indian citizens in Swiss banks under the new regular system of automatic exchange of information (AEOI). However, the exchange of information is done with the condition of confidentiality. The Federal Tax Administration (FTA) of Switzerland has exchanged details of financial accounts under 75 global standards of AEOI to 75 countries. India is also included in them. Financial accounts information would be exchanged with India again in September 2020. In total, the FTA has shared information (resident’s country, name, address and financial institution with tax identification number, balance in the account and capital income) of 31 lakh financial accounts to partner countries. At the same time, Switzerland has received information about 24 lakh accounts.

Note:  Swiss bank: Headquarters: Basel, Switzerland; Founded: 1872

AWARDS & HONOURS

1. James Peebles, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz awarded 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (RSAS) decided to award the Nobel Prize in Physics 2019 “for contributions to our understanding of the evolution of the universe and Earth’s place in the cosmos”; with one half of the prize to James Peebles of Princeton University, United States of America (USA) “for theoretical discoveries in physical cosmology” (after the Big Bang theory) and the other half jointly to Michel Mayor from the University of Geneva, Switzerland and Didier Queloz, University of Geneva, Switzerland, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom (UK) “for the discovery of an exoplanet orbiting a solar-type star”. Peebles was awarded half the 9-million-Swedish krona ($910,000) prize while Mayor and Queloz, shared the other half.

2. Arjun bansal and Ankit bose of Indian origin included in Fortune’s 2019 “40 Under 40 list”: Indian-origin Arjun Bansal (35) and Ankiti Bose (27) have made it to Fortune’s 2019 “40 Under 40 Global List”. Arjun is the Vice President of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Software and AI Lab of the US (United States) tech company Intel. Ankiti is the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) and co-founder of the fashion platform Zilingo. Amazon’s voice user interface designer Alison Atwell (31) & US Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg (37) were also on the list.

3. IFS officer Ramesh Pandey to be felicitated with 4th Asia Environmental Enforcement Award: The 1996-batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Ramesh Pandey will be felicitated with the prestigious United Nations Asia Environmental Enforcement Award 2019 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on November 13, 2019 at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC) in Bangkok, Thailand for combating trans-boundary environmental crime. It is the 4th Edition of the awards. At present, he serves as a as Chief Conservator Forests in Lucknow and Secretary of Uttar Pradesh (UP) State Bio-diversity Board (SBB).

Note: UNEP Formation: 5 June 1972; Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya; Executive Director: Inger Andersen