Daily GK Updates - 8th May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. New norms for labeling food planned : Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has released new draft regulations on food packaging.All packaged food with at least 5% content from genetically engineered sources need to be labeled so.Foods that exceed norms of sugar and fat will need to carry ‘red’ and ‘green’ labels specifying the extent to which they do so.

2. Government to expand Van Dhan Vikas Kendras : Tribal Affairs Ministry will expand Van Dhan Vikas Kendras in Tribal Districts across the country.The aim of the establishment of these Kendras is to provide skill upgradation and capacity building training to increase the incomes of tribals.Van Dhan Vikas Kendra was launched at Bijapur, Chattisgarh on 14th April 2018 for training, providing equipment and tools for primary level processing.

3. India funds flood, earthquake warning systems : India has launched a flood & earthquake early warning systems in Myanmar aimed at helping the country mitigate the effects of natural calamities that affects people every year.Under the Flood Warning System, 12 automatic water level stations and 3 automatic weather stations have been established.Under the Earthquake Monitoring System, 10 telemetered seismic stations have been added.

4. Sensitization Meeting of Stakeholders held :The ‘first sensitization meeting of stakeholders to make Delhi a model Accessible city’ was held in the national capital on May 7.The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities took this initiative to coordinate the meeting of all key stakeholders, sensitize them about the legal mandates.Delhi being the capital city of the country is proposed to be selected for this drive.

5. Pradeep Kumar Sinha got one year extension : Cabinet secretary Pradeep Kumar Sinha has got another one-year extension as the country’s top bureaucrat.Cabinet Secretary is the administrative head of the cabinet secretariat & is also the ex-officio chairman of the civil services board.The cabinet secretariat is under the direct charge of the Prime Minister.The cabinet secretariat assists in decision-making in the government.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India, Guatemala signs various agreements : India and Guatemala agreed to work together to combat terrorism.A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on enhancing cooperation in diplomatic academics.A Letter of Intent (LoI) of providing training for the English language to Guatemalan teachers was also signed under the ITEC (Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation) programme.

2. SCO Secretary-General arrived in India : Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Secretary General Rashid Alimov has arrived in India to hold talks with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj & other Union ministers.India became a full member of SCO in 2017, at the summit held in Astana, Kazakhstan.SCO is an intergovernmental international organisation aimed at strengthening mutual trust & neighbourliness among the member states.

3. Asia Media Summit to be hosted by India : The 15th Asia Media Summit (AMS) 2018 is being hosted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India from 10th-12th May​ 2018 in New Delhi.The AMS 2018, an annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) Kuala Lumpur, is a prestigious summit in the Asia Pacific Region.The theme of the summit is “Telling Our Stories – Asia and More”.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. BSE to launch commodity derivatives trading : Bombay Stock Exchange has decided to launch trading in the commodity derivatives segment from October 1.BSE will begin commodity derivatives with non-agriculture commodities like metals, energy and base metals.A derivative is a contract between two parties which derives its value/price from an underlying asset.The most common types of derivatives are futures, options, forwards and swaps.

DEFENCE:

1. US and Philippines began military exercises : US and Philippine forces have begun their largest annual military exercises named Balikatan on 7th May.The Balikatan exercises involved combat drills in mock urban settings to train special forces in battling terrorists.In 2017, Balikatan focused mainly on honing humanitarian responses to the Philippines’ frequent natural disasters.

Daily GK Updates - 7th May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Children’s theatre festival in Kolkata : Children of various theatre groups from eight countries besides host India will take part in an International Children’s Theatre Festival in the Kolkata.The eight countries are France, Slovenia, Swaziland, Mexico, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh.The festival, organised by the ‘Kolkata Eso Natak Shikhi’, is based on the theme “Safe Drive Save Life, Save Kids’ Life”.

2.Govt to set up marine observation system : India will establish a Marine Observation System Along the Indian Coast (Mosaic).At least six observatories – three along the east coast and and an equal number along the west coast – will be established.The project, to be launched later this year is intended to carry out monitoring, especially the marine coastal pollution.

3. Isro develops desi atomic clock : Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has developed an atomic clock that will be used in navigation satellites to measure precise location data.The space agency currently imports atomic clocks from European aerospace manufacturer Astrium for its navigation satellites.The atomic clock is currently undergoing a series of qualification tests

4. India to soon begin forecasting of tsunami : India would now be able to foretell the distance a destructive sea wave would travel after it breaches the coast, a prediction that can greatly reduce loss of life and property.The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services has developed a model to predict how far sea water would travel.This would be a Level-3 alert under India’s Tsunami Early Warning System.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India-Malaysia joint exercise enters phase 2 : The second phase of the Indian and Malaysian armies’ joint military exercise ‘Harimau Shakti’ was initiated on May 7.

The exercise was conducted in Hulu Langat forest of Malaysia under harsh and humid conditions.The sappers team from 3 Engineer regiment of the Indian Army are training with the Malaysian Army combat engineers as a part of their first joint exercise.

2.Australia to help save the koala : Australia unveiled a US$34-million plan to help bring its koala population back from the brink, following a rapid decline in the furry marsupial’s fortunes.The Australian Koala Foundation estimates there may be as few as 43,000 koalas left in the wild.Under the Aus$45 million plan, thousands of hectares will be set aside to preserve the marsupial’s natural habitat.

3. Putin to be sworn in as Russian President : Vladimir Putin is to be sworn in for a 4^th term as president of Russia after winning the election in March.He has been in power for 18 yrs, whether as president or prime minister & opponents have likened his tenure to reign of a tsar, or emperor.The country’s best-known opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, was barred from standing against Putin, on grounds of a conviction for embezzlement.

4. World Laughter Day observed on 6th May : Celebrated since 1998, World Laughter Day is an annual event celebrated to raise awareness about laughter and its many healing benefits.World Laughter Day takes place on the first Sunday of May of every year.The first celebration was on May 10, 1998, in Mumbai, India, and was arranged by Dr. Madan Kataria, founder of the worldwide Laughter Yoga movement.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. HPCL begins home-delivery of diesel : After Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), state-owned Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) has launched home-delivery of diesel in Mumbai.‘HP Fuel Connect’ will deliver diesel to select customers having fixed equipment, heavy machinery in their premises.IOC had in March launched home-delivery of diesel in Pune.

DEFENCE:

1. BrahMos to attain 76% localisation in 6 mths : BrahMos, the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile, will be achieving 75% localisation in the next six months. As of today 65% of the value (in BrahMos) is created in India.The Quad launcher is designed for supersonic cruise missiles in an inclined configuration on-board our navy ships.The launcher provides superior firepower as compared to the twin canniste

2. Indian naval commanders conference : Indian Navy commanders will discuss the country’s maritime security and review the naval force’s mission-based deployments in the Indian Ocean Region.The commanders would discuss the optimal utilisation of the Navy’s share of the defence budget.The conference would be addressed by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.The conference starts on May 8 and will conclude on May 11.

SPORTS:

1. Aditi finishes T-6th at the Texas Classic : Indian golfer Aditi Ashok has notched up her second successive top-10 finish by finishing Tied-sixth at the Volunteers of America LPGA Texas Classic.This was Aditi’s second top-10 in a row after her Tied-seventh at LPGA Mediheal last week. Aditi is the youngest and first Indian to win the Lalla Aicha Tour School.

2. India won 20 gold at junior athletics meet : India finished on top in the seven-nation competition with 20 gold, 22 silver and eight bronze medals at the 3rd South Asian Junior Athletics Championships in Colombo.Host Sri Lanka bagged rest of the 12 gold medals in the competition along with 10 silver and 19 bronze.The juniors will next represent India at the 18th Asian Junior Athletics Championships to be held in Gifu, Japan. 

Daily GK Updates - 6th May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. BRO to celebrate its 58th Raising Day : Border Roads Organisation will celebrate its 58th Raising Day on May 7 to mark the glorious services to the nation.BRO, a leader in the arena of infrastructural development in the border areas of the country, was established in 1960.Since its inception the organisation has gone from strength to strength, and numerous projects undertaken by them has been vital for the territorial integrity.

2. Delhi to host Festival of Bharat : Delhi will host a six-day-long Festival of Bharat between May 9 and May 14 as a 21st century tribute to the majesty and depth of India’s civilization.The event will be held at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in New Delhi.Scholars, Grammy award winning artistes, rising new stars and prominent public figures will be in attendance.

3. ‘Star Khel Mahakumbh’ Launched At HP : BJP MP Anurag Thakur and cricketing great Sachin Tendulkar has launched ‘Star Khel Mahakumbh’ at Dharamshala in Himachal Pradesh.The initiative has been designed in a manner as to attract participation of at least one lakh youth from across 5000 villages and 800 panchayats.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Korean Unification Flag signed at ITFF : The Korean Unification flag was signed by members of the joint Korean women’s table tennis team at the World Team Table Tennis Championship.The flag features a blue Korean Peninsula against a white background.The flag is being used in such tournaments where a unified Korean team is fielded off to participate

2. China Launches ‘APSTAR-6C’ Communication Sat : China has launched a new communication satellite “APSTAR-6C” at the southwestern Xichang Satellite Launch Center.The satellite will provide TV transmission, communication, Internet and multimedia services to customers across the Asia-Pacific region.Both the satellite and the rocket were developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. India seeks $4 bn assistance from ADB : India has requested Asian Development Bank to expand its sovereign and non-sovereign operations in the country by providing financial assistance worth $4 billion a year.India also requested ADB President Takehiko Nakao to support its endevour towards an inclusive & sustainable growth accompanied by rapid economic  transformation.ADB aims to promote social and economic development in Asia.

2. ADB projects India’s growth at 7.3% in 2018 : Asian Development Bank President Takehiko Nakao has noted that India’s growth in 2018 would pick up to 7.3%.

The Bank has also projected that India will remain the fastest growing Asian nation with 7.6% growth in 2019-20.The size of India’s economy is about USD 2.5 trillion currently, making it the sixth largest in the world.

3. India topped list of fastest growing economies : According to a Harvard University report, India topped the list of the fastest growing economies in the world for the coming decade.According to the report, India is projected to grow at 7.9% annually, ahead of China & US.The researchers also found India to be the best on Complexity Opportunity Index, which measures how easy it is to redeploy existing knowhow to enter new complex product

DEFENCE:

1. Royal Navy receives its minesweeping system : Britain’s Royal Navy has taken the delivery of its first unmanned autonomous minesweeping system.The system will restore the Royal Navy’s sweep capability, enabling it to tackle modern digital mines that may not otherwise be discovered in challenging mine hunting conditions/It can be operated from a land or ship-based control station & can be deployed from a suitable ship or port.

2. Dakota aircraft joined IAF again : A restored Dakota aircraft has joined the Indian Air Force more than 4 decades after the fleet was phased out following an illustrious service record.Dakota popularly known as Gooney Bird was the 1^st major transport aircraft inducted in the Indian Air Force.Restored Dakota rechristened as Parashuram will join Vintage Fly of one each of Tiger Moth & Howard raised at Hindan air force station

SPORTS:

1. Neeraj breaks own National record : Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has broke his own national record by clearing a distance of 87.43m to finish 4^th at the Diamond League series.Chopra, who recently won a gold at Commonwealth Games was up against the likes of Olympic champion Thomas Rohler & World champion Johannes Vetter.Chopra had set the earlier record of 86.48m when he won a gold medal in 2016 World Junior Championships.

OBITUARIES:

1.Renowned Marathi singer Arun Date dies : Veteran Marathi singer Arun Date, known for his popular song Shukratara has passed away.Date, famous for non-film ‘bhavgeet’ (lyrical poetry) songs, had crooned numbers like Shukratara & Ya Janmavar, which became very popular among people.He contributed to the Marathi music industry for more than 50 yrs.Date was the first recipient of the state government’s ‘Gajananrav Vatave Puraskar’.

Daily GK Updates - 5th May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. GST Council simplifies return filing process : The GST Council in its 27th meeting decided on a new, simplifed method of filing GST returns, based on the recommendations of the Group of Ministers on IT simplification.All taxpayers excluding a few exceptions like composition dealer shall file one monthly return.

Goods & Services Tax Council is a constitutional body & is chaired by the Union Finance Minister

2. Chhattisgarh to recruit transgender in police : To promote gender equality, Chhattisgarh govt has decided to recruit transgender in the police force.

Chhattisgarh is the first state to recruit transgenders for police while Tamil Nadu is the first state to hire India’s first transgender police officer.In 2014, Supreme Court declared transgender people as the 3^rd gender & ruled that they have equal privilege over the fundamental rights.

3. New snake found in Western Ghats : The snake, currently observed only in the forests of the Anaikatty hills in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore district, has been named Uropeltis bhupathyi.The reptile belongs to a family of snakes found only in peninsular India and Sri Lanka.They are non-venomous, burrowing and mostly earthworm-eating.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. California’s economy is world’s 5th biggest : California’s economy has surpassed that of the United Kingdom to become the world’s fifth largest economy.

California’s GDP of $2.7 trillion has overtaken the UK’s $2.6 trillion.

California’s economic output is now surpassed only by the total GDP of the United States, China, Japan and Germany.All economic sectors except agriculture contributed to California’s higher GDP.

2.A new nuclear reactor for space : NASA has developed a new kind of reactor to be used for space exploration missions.NASA’s Kilopower project works to build the kind of technology that could be used for an affordable fission nuclear power system so astronauts can have longer trips to planets.

3. World’s rarest ape on the edge of extinction : Tapanuli Orangutan – the rarest ape species on the planet – could lose its battle for survival, unless decisive steps are taken to rescue it.Fewer than 800 members of the species survive, and they are under assault from mega-projects, deforestation, road building, and poaching.

The ape survives only in areas with virtually no roads.

4. India, Sri lanka agree on information exchange : India & Sri Lanka have agreed on cooperation on exchange of information & other aspects to tackle smuggling of drugs in both countries.The decision was taken at the 3^rd bilateral meeting between India’s Narcotics Control Bureau & Sri Lanka’s Police Narcotics Bureau.Use of sea route to smuggle drugs & sharing of best practices & training needs were also a part of the discussion.

5. Informal meeting of SAARC FMs held in Manila : The twelfth informal meeting of SAARC Finance Ministers was held in Manila, on the sidelines of the 51st Annual Meeting of Asian Development Bank (ADB).The meeting was chaired by the Finance Minister of Nepal Yuba Raj Khatiwada.The Finance Ministers/Heads of Delegation briefed the meeting about the current status of economic progress achieved by their countries.

6. No Nobel Prize in Literature this year : The Swedish Academy has postponed the 2018 Nobel Prize in Literature following sex-abuse allegations and other issues within its ranks that have tarnished the body’s reputation.The 2018 winner will be presented alongside the 2019 winner next year.It is the first time since wartime 1943 that the prestigious award will not be given.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. RBI asks banks to share data with DRI :The Reserve Bank of India has asked banks authorised to deal in foreign exchange to share data with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).Under the new rules, in the case of inward remittances, the agency can seek information relating to a remittee’s details like name, address etc.In the case of outward remittances, the agency can seek information relating to a remitter’s detail.

SPORTS:

1. Saina returns to top 10 : Commonwealth gold medalist Saina Nehwal climbed up to return into the top-10 of the Badminton World Federation women’s singles rankings.Commonwealth mixed team gold medalist Kidambi Srikanth climbed from fifth to the third spot, while HS Prannoy jumped to a career-best eighth spot. Meanwhile, Rio Olympic silver medalist PV Sindhu retained the third spot.

Daily GK Updates - 4th May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. AK Mittal to be acting CJ of Punjab & Haryana : Justice AK Mittal has been appointed as the acting Chief Justice of Punjab & Haryana High Court, Chandigarh.Appointment of Justice Mittal, who is the first puisne Judge of the HC, has been notified by centre because of the retirement of CJ Vazifdar.Collegium had recommended the appointment of Justice Krishna Murari as the CJ of High Court but the Centre did not act on this recommendation.

2. MT Vasudevan Nair wins ONV Literary Award : Legendary writer M T Vasudevan Nair has been selected for the ONV Literary Award instituted by the by the ONV Cultural Academy. The award carries Rs 3 lakh.The ONV award for young promising writer has gone to ‘Amma urangunnilla’, a poetry collection by Anuja Akathoottu.The awards were presented by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

3. Ashok Lahiri appointed full-time member : Former Chief Economic Adviser Ashok Lahiri has been appointed as full-time member of the 15th Finance Commission.He is at present the part-time member of the commission, headed by N.K. Singh.He will be accorded the status of the Minister of State.The 15^th finance commission’s chairman is N. K. Singh, with its full-time members being Shaktikanta Das and Anoop Singh.

4. Sushma to chair session on Act East Policy : External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will be chairing an interactive session on Act East Policy in New Delhi.Chief Ministers of 8 North Eastern states – Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Sikkim, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura have been invited to attend this meeting.They will be accompanied by senior officials from the States who deal with policy issues related to the subject.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India to organise cultural festival in Egypt : India is organising a 5 day cultural festival in Egypt to commemorate the 157^th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore.Festival is being organised by Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture, the cultural wing of Indian Embassy in Cairo.An exhibition of paintings of Tagore titled ‘Rabindranath Tagore: Rhythm in Colours’ will be held at Museum of Ahmed Shawky at Giza.

2. Pakistan reopend major trade route with Afghan : Pakistan has reopened a major trade route with Afghanistan, the Ghulam Khan pass after four years.Authorities had closed Ghulam Khan border crossing in 2014, after the launch of military operation in North Waziristan.Pakistan’s army claims that 95% of the area is now militant-free and all the militants’ hideouts have been destroyed.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. 4th Regional Conference of AIIB : The 4th Regional Conference of AIIB on Futuristic, Resilient and Digital Infrastructure was organised in Bengaluru on May 3.It was organised by the Ministry of Finance, Confederation of Indian Industry, and Research and Information System for Developing Countries.The 2-day Conference is a lead-up to the 3rd Annual Meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

2. EPFO introduces View Pension Passbook service : EPFO introduced ‘View Pension Passbook’ Service for the pensioners through ‘UMANG app’.On clicking ‘View Passbook’ option, it requires PPO Number and Date of Birth information to be entered by the pensioner.Other e-services of EPFO already available through UMANG app includes EPF Passbook, Raise claim, Track Claim, eKYC services etc.

DEFENCE:

1. First meet of Defence Planning Committee : The new Defence Planning Committee (DPC) met for the first time under the chairmanship of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.The DPC will draft National Security Strategy (NSS) and other doctrines as well as ushering reforms in the country’s higher defence management and planning.The Chief of Integrated Staff in the Ministry of Defence will be the member secretary of DPC

SPORTS:

1. Kidambi Srikanth became Deputy Collector in AP : Indian shuttler Kidambi Srikanth formally took charge as the Deputy Collector of Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, his native town.In June 2017, Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu had offered Srikanth a Group 1 officer post after he won the Indonesian and Australian Open titles.Recently, Srikanth bagged his maiden singles’ silver medal at Commonwealth Games.

2. Mary named ambassador for TCS World marathon : Former tennis star Mary Pierce has been named the International Event Ambassador for TCS World 10K 2018 Marathon.The marathon, scheduled to be held in Bengaluru for May 27.Mary Pierce reached her career high ranking of World No. 3 in 1995, post her first Grand Slam Singles title – that of the Australian Open in January 1995.

OBITUARIES:

1. Freedom fighter Keyur Bhushan passed away : Well-known Gandhian, freedom fighter & writer Keyur Bhushan passed away.Bhushan took part in the 1942 Quit India movement as a student in Raipur and was incarcerated.He penned novels, collections of short stories and poems. He also edited `Sapthahik Chhattisgarh’ and `Antyoday’.During the 1980s, when terrorism ragged in Punjab, he undertook a foot march to promote peace.

Daily GK Updates - 3rd May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Online system for grant of security clearance : An online system for grant of security clearance to international conferences, seminars and workshops organised in India was launched by the Home Ministry.The online portal  “https://conference.mha.gov.in” was launched by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba.Obtaining clearances for organising a conference, issue of conference visa to foreign delegates was an offline procedure till now.

2. ‘Go to Village’ mission launched in Manipur : Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh launched ‘Go to Village’ mission throughout the state of Manipur.The mission was launched on May 2 in 60 villages of all the 60 Assembly constituencies.The mission is aimed at identifying the eligible and deserving beneficiaries in every corner of the state anddelivering  government services at their doorstep.

3. Govt doubles PMVVY pension investment limit : The government has doubled the investment limit to Rs 15 lakh under the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandan Yojana (PMVVY) pension scheme and extended the subscription period by two years till March 31, 2020.PMVVY is for senior citizens and was available from 4th May 2017 to 3rd May 2018.The scheme provides an assured pension based on a guaranteed rate of return of 8% per annum for ten years.

3. Jagdish sworn-in as acting Manipur Governor : Jagdish Mukhi has been sworn in as the acting Governor of Manipur by the acting Chief Justice of Manipur High Court, Justice N Kotiswar Singh.Mukhi, who is the governor of Assam & Meghalaya, will hold office in the absence of Governor Najma Heptullah.Article 153 states that nothing shall prevent the appointment of the same person as Governor for two or more States.

4. Cabinet renames minority development programme : Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has renamed the Multi-sectoral Development Programme as Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram.The restructured programme aims to provide better socioeconomic infrastructure facilities to minority communities, particularly in the field of education, health & skill development.The scheme would extend to 308 districts compared to 196 districts at present.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India, US discuss maritime security : India and the US held their third maritime security dialogue in Goa from 30th April to 1st May.The two sides discussed developments in the maritime domain in the Indo-Pacific Region and exchanged views on ways to further strengthen bilateral maritime security cooperation.They also reviewed the implementation of the decisions taken during the previous Maritime Security Dialogues.

2. World Press Freedom Day observed on 3rd May : World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 1993.Since then, 3 May, the anniversary of the ‘Declaration of Windhoek’ is celebrated worldwide as World Press Freedom Day.It is an opportunity to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom.

The theme for 2018 is “Keeping Power in Check: Media, Justice and The Rule of Law”.

3. Pakyong to become 100th functional airport : The Pakyong airport in Sikkim is set to become the 100th operational airport in the country when it will be commissioned in June.

Sikkim was the only state without an airport in the country.SpiceJet has been granted permission to fly to Pakyong in Sikkim from Kolkata under the Civil Aviation Ministry’s Regional Connectivity Scheme.

4. India, China militaries to set up hotline : Militaries of India & China have agreed to set up a hotline between their headquarters after the informal summit between PM Modi & President Xi in Wuhan.Hotline is regarded as a major confidence-building measure as it would enable the militaries of both countries to intensify communication to avert border tensions.India already has a hotline with Pakistan that was first used in 1991.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Government aid to reduce sugarcane dues : The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has given its approval to provide financial assistance of Rs. 5.50 per quintal of cane crushed in sugar season 2017-18 to sugar mills.This will help sugar mills to clear cane dues of farmers.The assistance shall be paid directly to the farmers on behalf of the mills.

2. ICICI Bank named Nair as Independent Director : Former IRDAI member Radhakrishnan Nair has been appointed to ICICI Bank’s board as an Additional (Independent) Director.His appointment will be for a period of five years and is subject to shareholders’ approval.He is already an independent director of 3 subsidiaries of ICICI Bank — ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Company, ICICI Prudential Trust and ICICI Securities Primary Dealership.

DEFENCE:

 1. India among top 5 defence spenders : According to a Swedish arms watchdog, India & China were among the 5 biggest military spenders which together accounted for 60% of the total global defence expenditure of $1.739 trillion in 2017.India spent $63.9 billion in 2017 to expand, modernise & enhance the operational capability of its armed forces.The 5 top military spenders in 2017 were US, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia & India.

SPORTS:

1. England jump up to number one in ODI rankings : England has replaced India at the top of International Cricket Council one-day rankings.England, who last topped the ODI rankings in Jan 2013, has gained 8 points & moved to 125 points.India with 122 points is at the 2^nd position followed by South Africa & New Zealand.England’s rise up the table is because the forgettable 2014-15 season was dropped from the latest calculations.

Daily GK Updates - 2nd May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.14 Cities In India are World’s most polluted : Delhi and Varanasi are among the 14 Indian cities that figured in a list of 20 most polluted cities in the world in terms of PM 2.5 levels in 2016, according to the data released by the WHO.Other Indian cities were Kanpur, Faridabad, Gaya, Patna, Agra, Muzaffarpur, Srinagar, Gurgaon, Jaipur, Patiala and Jodhpur. PM 2.5 includes pollutants like sulfate, nitrate and black carbon.

2. eOffice system launched by Hyderabad police : The Hyderabad city police launched the ‘eOffice’ System in the city Police Commissionerate office as a citizen-friendly initiative. eOffice is a ‘product suit’ developed by NIC and it aims at handling files in a more efficient and transparent manner to improve the responsiveness to citizens. The system helps in faster clearance of files and it envisions a paper-less office.

3. Vibrant North East 2018’ from May 3 :  The ‘Vibrant North East 2018’, an event in which people would be made aware of central government’s schemes and programmes, will be held in Guwahati from May 3. The main purpose of the event is to disseminate information about the schemes, grants and projects of the Central government. This will be the fourth edition of the ‘Vibrant North East’ expo in Guwahati.

4. Government extends MEIS export benefits : Over 35 handicraft products such as candles, paper and clay articles would be entitled for export benefits.These export benefits are provided under Merchandise Export from India Scheme (MEIS).Under this scheme, the government provides duty credit scrip to exporters.The rates vary from product to product and the export destination, as envisaged in the foreign trade policy.

5. Government to host farmers welfare workshops :  In an outreach to farmers, the Government is organising ‘Kisan Kalyan Karyashala’ at the block level across the country on 2nd May.The workshops will be part of the ongoing ‘Gram Swaraj Abhiyan’.‘Gram Swaraj Abhiyan’ is a rural-centric campaign that had started on April 14, the birth anniversary of Dalit icon B R Ambedkar, and will end on May 5.

6. Subhash Chandra appointed as IRDAI Chairman : Former IAS Officer Subhash Chandra Khuntia was appointed as the new Chairman of Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India (IRDAI) for three-years.Khuntia will succeed T S Vijayan, who completed his five-year term in February.

His appointment was approved by Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).

IRDAI regulates Insurance sector of the country.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. NASA to track Earth’s ice and water : NASA is gearing up for the upcoming launch of its Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO) mission.The mission will map changes in water and ice around the world by detecting variations  in Earth’s gravity & it involves 2 identical spacecraft that will orbit the Earth.The mission is a joint project between NASA and the GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences, Germany.

2. India & Japan to work together : India and Japan have agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in energy development space as well as contribute to worldwide energy security and solutions to climate change issues.Both countries agreed to initiate the discussion towards development of Electric Vehicles.They will work together in promoting well-functioning energy markets.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Core sector growth slows to 4.1% in March : The growth of eight core sectors slowed to a three-month low of 4.1% in March due to weak performance in six sectors including coal, crude oil and natural gas.The other sectors which showed slower growth rates were refinery products, steel and electricity.The Index of Eight Core Industries consists- coal, steel, cement, crude oil, natural gas, fertilizers, electricity & refinery products.

2. Telecom sector to get ombudsman : In a move aimed at empowering mobile consumers, the Telecom Commission cleared a proposal for creation of an Ombudsman under the. sector regulator to resolve subscriber complaints.As per the decision of Telecom Commission, the Ombudsman will be created by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).The TRAI will be free to set up as many Ombudsman as per requirement

DEFENCE:

1. Vijay Prahar exercise under way in Rajasthan : More than 20,000 troops of strike formations of the Indian Army’s South Western Command were engaged in “Vijay Prahar”exercise near Suratgarh in Rajasthan. The aim of the exercise is to fine-tune jointmanship with the Indian Air Force.The other aspects which were focused were fighting capabilities through armed helicopters and fighting and operate in the nuclear environment.

SPORTS:

1. Harendra Singh to coach men’s hockey team : Hockey India has appointed Harendra Singh as coach of India’s men’s team, while Sjoerd Marijne will take over as chief coach of women’s side.Harendra led the junior men’s hockey team to the World Cup title in 2016.Before joining the Indian women’s team, Marijne had a successful tenure with the Netherlands’ women’s team.

2. Salah named writers’ Footballer of the Year : Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah has been named the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year.The Egypt star – the first African winner of the award – also won the Professional Footballers’ Association player of the year award in April.Salah has scored 31 goals in 34 league appearances for Liverpool this season.