Daily GK Updates - 29th May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ‘Santokbaa Humanitarian’ award : Child rights activist and Noble Laureate Kailash Satyarthi and space scientist A S Kiran Kumar, Chairman of Indian Space ResearchOrganisation (ISRO), were given ‘Santokbaa Humanitarian Award’.The award was presented by the President of India.The award is instituted by Shree Ramkrishna Knowledge Foundaton (SRKKF).

2. Trai to tap blockchain to curb spam calls : In a first of its kind initiative, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued draft guidelines to curb pesky calls and SMSes by using blockchain technology.Blockchain will ensure two things—non- repudiative and confidentiality.Only those authorised to access details will be able to access subscriber details and only when they need to deliver service.

3. Study centre on Brahmaputra river : The Central government announced that a Brahmaputra Study Centre would be set up at Gauhati University to conduct research on the causes of and how to prevent frequent floods in the river.The fund for setting up the study centre will be provided by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region.The study centre would offer an opportunity for research in different aspects of the river.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Pakistan names former chief justice as interim prime minister : Pakistan's former chief justice Nasir ul Mulk named as the caretaker Prime Minister until general elections on July 25, 2018.The present government will complete the tenure on May 31 and the caretaker government will remain in office until a new government is elected.The announcement came after weeks of deadlock between the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Opposition over the name of the caretaker prime minister.

2. Hamburg to host 2018 Global Wind Summit : The first edition of the 2018 Global Wind Summit will be held in Hamburg, Germany in September 2018.

Speakers from about 100 countries, including India, China, the US, Spain and Denmark are expected to participate in the event.The conference on wind is the largest and most important meeting of the wind industry worldwide. The event combines two conferences, WindEnergy Hamburg and WindEurope.The event will provide a platform for experts from across the globe to discuss innovative and green technologies for harnessing wind energy making.

3. Nepal celebrates 11th Republic Day : Nepal is celebrating its 11th Republic Day today.President Bhandari and Prime Minister Oli have greeted people of Nepal on the occasion of Republic Day.Prime Minister Oli in his message said that Republic is not limited to a word, it is a journey of prosperity and development to bring happiness in the lives of common people.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Virat Kohli emerged as International Cricketer of Year at CEAT ratings : India skipper Virat Kohli has emerged as the International Cricketer of the Year at the CEAT Cricket Rating awards.Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan was presented the International Batsman of the Year Award, while New Zealand pace sensation Trent Boult won International Bowler of the Year Award.

2. China won the 10th Thomas Cup title : China won the Thomas Cup for the 10th time after defeating Japan by 3-1 in the final in Bangkok.China had won five straight Thomas Cup titles between 2004 and 2012.

OBITUARIES:

1. Alan Bean: the Fourth man to walk on Moon passed away : Alan Bean, the fourth man to walk on the moon passed away at the age of 86.Alan Bean flew twice into space, first as the lunar module pilot on Apollo 12, the second moon landing mission, in November 1969.In July 1973 he was commander of the second crewed flight to the United States’ first space station, Skylab.

Daily GK Updates - 28th May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. EC plans to discuss about unpublished roll : The Election Commission will soon examine the New Zealand model, which allows eligible people to vote even if their names are not on the printed roll for valid reasons.The concept of a ‘unpublished’ (confidential) roll will also be discussed.‘Unpublished’ roll is for those who fear making their details available on the printed roll for security reasons.

2. ‘Clean Air India Initiative’ launched : Prime Minister of Netherlands Mark Rutte launched the ‘Clean Air India Initiative’ in Delhi.The campaign aims to curb air pollution in Indian cities by promoting partnerships between Indian start-ups and Dutch companies.The Clean Air India Initiative is a project between Get In The Ring, a platform for start-ups, the Government of the Netherlands, Start-up India, and INDUS Forum

3. Bill to allow Hindu widows to remarry : A landmark Bill allowing Hindu widows to remarry has been passed by the assembly of Pakistan’s Sindh Province.The bill allows Hindu widows to remarry out of their own free will but only after a period of six months has lapsed after their husband’s death.The bill also grants Hindu women the right to file a petition for dissolution of a marriage if they want to terminate their marriage.

4. UP-Mumbai freight corridor open from August : The first phase of India’s longest freight corridor connecting Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai is set to be inaugurated on August 15, 2018.This was disclosed by the chairman of the Railway Board Ashwani Lohani, who inspected the 190km-long Ateli-Phulera section of the dedicated railway freight corridor between Dadri in UP and Mumbai.It is part of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor.

5. Tripura govt to phase out plastic carry bags : The Tripura government has set August 15 as the deadline to phase out plastic carry bags.The government, as part of the ‘Himalayan Cleanup’ programme, urged people to replace their plastic bags with biodegradable ones.The Himalayan Cleanup campaign has been launched by a Delhi-based organization in 12 mountain states in the country to end plastic pollution in the hilly areas.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Nasir Ul Mulk to be the interim Prime Minister : Pakistan has appointed former Chief Justice Nasir Ul Mulk as interim Prime Minister until general elections are held on July 25, 2018.Mulk has also served as the interim chief of the Election Commission of Pakistan.The interim administration usually does not make any major decisions until the new government is elected.

2. Queen Maxima of Netherlands arrives India : Queen Maxima of the Kingdom of the Netherlands who is also the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development arrived in New Delhi on a four-day visit to India.Netherlands is the 5th largest investor in India.During Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s visit to India, the former became an official partner of the International Solar Alliance.

3. China invites Iran to attend SCO summit : China has invited the Iranian President to participate in the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit being organised in June 2018.The summit will be the first after the inclusion of India and Pakistan as members of the organisation in 2017.Iran, Mongolia, Afghanistan, and Belarus have been granted observer status.

4. India to attend WTO members meet in Paris : India and other key members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) will discuss ways to combat growing protectionism across the world at an informal meeting of select Trade Ministers at the OECD meet in Paris.India has been invited to participate in the informal Ministerial meeting hosted by Australia in Paris.The OECD meet is taking place between May 31 and June 3.

5. India launches its second IT corridor in China : India has launched its second IT corridor in China to cash in on the booming Chinese software market.NASSCOM has now set up one more digital collaborative opportunities plaza, also known as the SIDCOP platform, in China’s Guiyang.In December 2018, the NASSCOM established its first SIDCOP platform in the Chinese port city of Dalian, which is India’s first IT hub in China.

6. Oldest Indian woman to scale Mount Everest : Sangeeta Bahl, at the age of 53 has become the oldest Indian woman to scale the Mount Everest.She scaled the peak on May 19, 2018, with the help of 2 Sherpas and was felicitated at the Indian embassy in Kathmandu.She carried a banner to the peak advocating early detection of breast cancer in women & funding for the same.She has already conquered 6 out of the 7 highest peaks of the world.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. RBI appoints Sudha as its first CFO : National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL) executive Sudha Balakrishnan has been appointed as the first chief financial officer (CFO) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).Balakrishnan, a chartered accountant, was until recently a vice-president at the NSDL, India’s first and largest depository.She will be the 12th executive director at RBI, and will serve a three-year term.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1. Mountain ranges discovered beneath Antarctica : Mountain ranges and valleys have been discovered by scientists deep beneath the Western Antarctic ice region.This discovery will contribute to the rising global sea levels.Three valleys were discovered by the researchers linking the two major parts of Antarctica, out of which, one is 217 miles long.

SPORTS:

1. Chennai Super Kings lift their 3rd IPL title : Chennai Super Kings lifted their third Indian Premier League title after defeating Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets in Mumbai.Shane Watson’s century helped Chennai to defeat Hyderabad.Shane Watson was declared as Man of the Match

2. BCCI, UN Environment sign agreement : The BCCI and UN Environment have signed an agreement to promote ‘green’ Cricket in India.The partnership aims to spread greater awareness about key environmental challenges facing the country, and highlight alternate and more sustainable solutions.The partnership will also focus on phasing out single-use plastic across stadiums in the country.

Daily GK Updates - 27th May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Intra-state e-way bill comes into force : Maharashtra, Manipur & 5 union territories have rolled out intra-state e-way bill system for movement of goods worth over Rs 50,000 within the state.With this, the number of States, where the system is being implemented will go up to 27.E-Way Bill is an electronically generated document which is required to be generated for the movement of goods of more Rs. 50,000 from one place to another.

2.PM Modi launches Eastern Peripheral Expressway : PM Narendra Modi inaugurated India’s first highway to be lit by solar power in Bagpat, Uttar Pradesh.Eastern PeripheralExpressway is 135 km long, stretching from Kundli on NH 1 to Palwal on NH 2.The highway has provisions of rainwater harvesting on every 500 metres on both sides and would showcase 36 national monuments and 40 fountains.It has been built in a record time of 17 months.

3.India’s highest decorated general passed away : India’s most decorated General, Lt Gen Zorawar Chand Bakshi, also known as Zoru Bakshi passed away.Decorated with Maha Vir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Param Vishisht Seva Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal, Bakshi was instrumental in the historic capture of strategic Haji Pir pass from Pakistan army. He also took part in the World War II in the Burma in which he earned a Mention-in-Despatches.

4. Modi to inaugurate India’s 1st 14-lane highway : Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 1^st phase of Delhi-Meerut Expressway.The Delhi-Meerut Expressway would be India’s first 14-lane highway.The expressway will do away with 31 traffic signals on the Delhi-Meerut road, the busiest highway in the region, and make it “signal free”.The project is being built in four segments and is expected to be fully completed by March 2019.

5. MHA creates new division for women safety : Ministry of Home Affairs has created a new division to deal with all issues of women safety in coordination with relevant ministries, departments and state governments.Punya Srivastava has been appointed as the Joint Secretary to head this division.The division will deal with all schemes under NIRBHAYA fund and Crimes against women, SCs & STs, children & elderly persons among others.

6. Insurance cover for all Telangana farmers : Telangana government has announced that it would provide life insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh each to all farmers in the state.The Telangana government has tied up with LIC for implementation of the scheme.Irrespective of the reasons due to which a farmer dies, the insured amount of Rs 5 lakh shall be paid to the nominee proposed by the insured farmer within 10 days of the claim.

7. Manipur gets first solar toilet : Manipur has become the 1^st state in Northeast & the 3^rd state in India to have solar toilets.It was inaugurated at Ibudhou Marjing hill Heingang by Tourism Director, Waikhom Ibohal.The solar panel, connected to the toilets, absorb heat to generate power & are efficient to transform waste material.Besides Manipur, these toilets have been installed in Tamil Nadu & Andhra-Pradesh.

                                  INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi, Hasina inaugurate Bangladesh Bhavan : Prime Minister Modi & his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Bangladesh Bhavan in Santiniketan, West Bengal.Bangladesh Bhavan features a museum that showcases renowned poet Rabindranath Tagore’s association with that country, the Liberation War of Bangladesh & Indo-Bangla relations.It has been built at a cost of Rs. 25 crores, which was provided by Bangladesh government.

2. Colombia formally joins NATO : Colombia has decided to formally join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).With this Colombia becomes the 1^st Latin American nation to join NATO as a global partner.Colombia will join as a global partner, which means it will not necessarily have to take part in military action & will be fully accredited in Brussels.Other global partners include Mongolia, Iraq, Japan & Pakistan.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. EPF interest rate hits 5-year low at 8.55% :The government has notified 8.55% interest rate on EPF for 2017-18, lowest in 5 years since the 2012-13fiscal.Employees’ Provident Fund is a mandatory contribution from the salary of an individual that every company which has more than 20 employees has to deduct.EPF accounts are overseen by the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation, which is under the Ministry of Labour & Employment.

2. Hariri wins third term as Prime Minister: Lebanon’s Saad Hariri has won a new term as Prime Minister after he won the backing of the majority of parliamentarians.

It will be 3^rd term for Hariri, who has held the position since December 2016 and was also Prime Minister between 2009 and 2011.Under Lebanon’s sectarian power-sharing system, Prime minister must be a Sunni Muslim, Speaker a Shia Muslim & President a Maronite Christian.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Yes Bank empanelled as ‘Settlement Bank’ : Yes Bank has received approval from National Stock Exchange to be empanelled as Settlement Bank for National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC), a wholly owned subsidiary of NSE.NSCC is responsible for clearing and settlement of all trades executed on NSE.The Bank is already an empanelled Clearing Bank for BSE, NCDEX & MCX.

DEFENCE:            

1. Rustom-2 drone to be delivered by 2020 : The Rustom-II Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, which is being developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), will be delivered to the armed forces by 2020.The drone is being developed for use by all 3 services of Indian Armed Forces, primarily for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations.It can fly at around 280 km/h and carry a variety of payloads

SPORTS:

1. Real Madrid won the 2017–18 Champions League : Real Madrid have claimed yet another Champions League title by beating Liverpool FC 3-1 in the final.It is the third consecutive year that Real Madrid have won the tournament and the fourth such in five years, taking their total tally to a record 13 titles.Madrid’s Gareth Bale became the first player ever to come on as a substitute and score twice in a European Cup/Champions League final.

Daily GK Updates - 26th May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. President appoints Odisha, Mizoram governors : President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed new Governors of two states – Odisha and Mizoram.President Kovind appointed Professor Ganeshi Lal as the Governor of Odisha while Kummanam Rajasekharan has been appointed as the Governor of Mizoram.Rajasekharan will replace incumbent Lt Gen Nirbhay Sharma.

2. Indian Navy commissioned the fourth LCU : Indian Navy has commissioned IN LCU L54, the 4^th ship of Landing Craft Utility MK-IV, into its fleet at Port Blair.It has been indigenously designed & built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers.It can be deployed for multi-role activities like disaster relief operations and evacuation from distant islands.A total of 8 vessels in the class are planned to be built for the Indian Navy

3. Panel for health sector : The 15th Finance Commission has constituted a high level group to explore and give recommendations for a balanced expansion of the health sector.The group will be headed by AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria.It will suggest ways to optimize the use of existing financial resources & to incentivise state governments’ efforts towards fulfillment of well-defined health parameters in the country.

4. Sushil Chandra gets another one-year extension : Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) chairman Sushil Chandra has got a one-year extension up to May 31, 2019.He took over as chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) in 2016.This is the second extension that he has got.CBDT has six members, apart from the chairman, and is responsible for framing policy related to direct taxes and the Income Tax Department.

5. RSM 2018 to be celebrated in Uttarakhand : Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav 2018 will be organised by Ministry of Culture in Tehri, Uttarakhand under the Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat.It is the 19^th edition & will be organised from May 25-27 2018, with its important thrustbeing presenting uniqueness & rich diversity of Indian cultureTehri Lake Festival will be a part of RSM 2018, where Uttarakhand Tourism organizes water sports for people

6. IRCTC partners with ixigo : In order to exclusively power hotel bookings, IRCTC has partnered with the ixigo, a travel marketplace.Under this partnership, wide range of accommodations from ixigo would be available on the mobile and web platforms of IRCTC.ixigo is a Gurugram based travel search engine and also a mobile travel application available for all OS.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Netherlands signed framework agreement of ISA : Netherlands has signed the framework agreement of International Solar Alliance (ISA) following a bilateral summit between PM Modi & his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte.ISA was launched by Modi and then French President Francois Hollande at the Paris climate summit in 2015.The objective of the alliance is to work for efficient exploitation of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

2. PM Modi to visit Indonesia : PM Modi will be visiting Indonesia on May 29-31 with an aim of working together with Indonesia to strengthen the strategic partnership between both the nations.During the visit, major areas of cooperation will be in the field of space, security & defence.An agreement on cooperation between India and Indonesia on kite museums in both the countries may also take place.

3. World Environment Day to be hosted by India : India will be the host country for this year’s celebrations of World Environment Day.World Environment Day is celebrated annually on June 5th.This year’s theme is “Beat Plastic Pollution: If you can’t reuse it, refuse it”.World Environment Day was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. First company to achieve Rs 7 lakh crore m-cap : Tata Consultancy Services’ market valuation briefly crossed the Rs 7-lakh crore mark on May 25, 2018, making it the first company to achieve this milestone.TCS is the country’s most valued firm, followed by Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank and Hindustan Unilever Limited.TCS recently became the first Indian company to close the trading session with over USD 100 billion market valuation.

2. MobiKwik launches UPI on platform : MobiKwik has announced the launch of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) on its platform via its own Virtual payment address (VPA) handle @ikwik.Users can simply scan and generate UPI QR functionality to send and receive money using VPA and phone number from the contact list.MobiKwik is the first in the industry to offer UPI access to a huge base of three million merchants on its app.

3. Customs duty on wheat raised by 30% : Customs duty on wheat has been raised by the government from 20% to 30% in order to protect domestic growers and curb cheaper imports.This has been done to restrict overseas purchase so that the farmers get their MSP (Minimum Support Price) and also to avoid pressure coming under domestic prices of wheat.Walnut shell has also seen an increase in the import duty from 30% to 100%.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Direct funding facility to VLEs in CSCs : Small Industries Development Bank of India has signed an MoU with Common Service Centres Special Purpose Vehicle for providing financial support to CSCs.SIDBI will extend financial support to Village Level Entrepreneurs of CSCs, with minimum 1 year of operation, under the Direct Financing Window of SIDBI.The MoU aims to bring more citizens under the ambit of financial inclusion.

DEFENCE:

1. World’s longest surface-to-air missile : World’s longest surface-to-air missile test was conducted by Russia quietly.This S-500 surface-to-air missile successfully struck a target that was 299 miles away.Russia claims that this missile system is capable of destroying objects flying in space 62 miles above the Earth’s surface.It is also capable of intercepting aircrafts, drones and hypersonic missile.

Daily GK Updates - 25th May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Govt appoints non-executive chairpersons : Finance ministry has appointed non-executive chairpersons at Punjab & Sindh Bank, Dena Bank & Central Bank of India, as part of its agenda to reform public sector banks.Charan Singh, Anjali Bansal & Tapan Ray were appointed as non executive chairperson of Punjab & Sind Bank, Dena Bank & Central Bank of India, respectively.These banks have been plagued by mounting bad loans & massive losses.

2. Collaborative programme on HIV/AIDS research : Governments of India & Netherlands have launched a collaborative research programme on HIV/AIDS between India, Netherlands & Sweden.Programme aims to harness research strengths & diverse expertise across 3 nations to develop better tools to understand HIV epidemic.It will enable a multitude of cross-learning opportunities in HIV/AIDS research to address unmet needs & emerging challenges.

3. India to host the ASEAN India Film Festival : Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting, Rajyavardhan Rathore will inaugurate the ASEAN India Film Festival in New Delhi on May 25, 2018.It will be a platform for people of the film industry of member countries to explore areas of cooperation in domain of cinema & cultural cooperation.The tagline of the Festival is proposed to be ‘Friendship through Films’.

4. ‘Nidaan’ software for disease monitoring : A new software, ‘Nidaan’, has been launched in Rajasthan for presumptive diagnosis and monitoring of seasonal and non-communicable diseases.“Nidaan” will facilitate online entries of as many as 46 diseases and healthcare services available for their treatment in different institutions.

5. Biodiversity award for Arunachal reserve : An NGO, Singchung Bugun Community Reserve, won the India Biodiversity Award 2018 in the category of ‘Conservation of wildlife species’The NGO bagged the prize for its unique endeavor & contributions towards conserving the rare wildlife resources of that area.The prize was presented by Union Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change & was conferred by National Biodiversity Authority.It is expected to help in formulation of specific action plans for control of diseases.

6. Chandramauli appointed as Chairman of PCI : Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad, who was the former Supreme Court Judge has been appointed as the Chairman of the Press Council of India (PCI) for the second time.The decision was taken by a committee of three members, headed by Vice President Venkaiah Naidu.Justice Prasad had taken over from Justice Markanday Katju in ​November, 2014.

7. Samagra Shiksha scheme for school education : HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar has launched Samagra Shiksha scheme for school education from pre-school to senior secondary levels.The scheme focuses on improving quality of education, enhancing learning outcomes & using technology to empower children & teachers.The scheme will enhance the use of digital technology in education through smart classroom & digital boards.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. North Korea dismantled its nuclear test site : North Korea has carried out demolition of its Punggye-ri nuclear test site in a series of huge explosions.Destruction of the nuclear testing tunnels at Punggye-ri is a tangible step toward denuclearization goal that Kim Jong-un agreed to at the 27 April Panmunjom Summit.North Korea permitted a group of journalists from Britain, China, Russia, South Korea and US to watch the destruction.

2.1st drone-carried meteorological data monitor : China has successfully tested its first drone-carried meteorological data monitor to undertake atmospheric observations.Dropsonde also known as meteorological data monitor will gather data such as temperature, humidity, and wind direction and transmit them to ground receiving devices in real time.Dropsondes can be widely used in meteorological emergency, disaster & ecological monitoring.

3. Nepal: First country to eliminate Trachoma : Nepal became the 1^st country in south-east Asia to eliminate Trachoma.Trachoma is a kind of chlamydial infection that happens due to unclean water supply & lack of hygiene and spreads through contact with nose, throat or eye of infected person.Nepal government took important measures like providing incentives to districts & local communities to build latrines in order to improve sanitation

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. MCX launches India’s first silver options : India’s Multi Commodity Exchange has launched the country’s first silver options contracts.Five contracts expiring in June, August, November, February and April with a lot size of 30 kg were launched.India is the world’s biggest consumer of silver, which is mainly used for jewellery making in the county.The exchange had recently launched crude oil and copper options.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. HDFC bank to offer Digital Loans : HDFC Bank has launched its Digital Loans against Mutual Funds in partnership with transfer agent CAM.Customers will be able to leverage their mutual fund portfolio to avail funds for any emergencies without liquidating their investments.The ticket size of the loans will range from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1 crore at an interest rate of 10.5 -11%.

2. Anubrata Biswas appointed as MD & CEO : Airtel Payments Bank has announced the appointment of Anubrata Biswas as its Managing Director & CEO.Anubrata will be responsible for driving Airtel Payments Bank’s mission of taking convenient and innovative digital banking services to the doorstep of every Indian.Airtel Payments Bank was the first payments bank to start operations in India.

DEFENCE:

1. INSV Tarini Team gets Nari Shakti Puraskar : Nari Shakti Puraskar 2017 was presented to INSV Tarini Team in Delhi by Maneka Sanjay Gandhi, Minister of Women & Child Development.Team comprising of 6 Lady Officers, led by Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi from Indian Navy received the award from the Minister.Tarini is a part of Navika Sagar Parikrama, a unique project of Indian Navy which promotes ocean sailing activities in the Navy.

2. India, Nepal to conduct a military exercise : Armies of both the nations, India and Nepal will conduct a 2-week long military exercise ‘Surya Kiran’ in Uttarakhand.The focus of the exercise will be to enhance cooperation in conducting counter-terrorism operations in mountainous terrain.Around 300 soldiers from both the nations will be participating in this exercise.

3. New Vice Chief of Army Staff : Lt. Gen. Devraj Anbu has been appointed as the new Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS).He is presently GOC-in-C (General Officer Commanding-in-Chief) Northern Command.He will replace Lt. Gen. Sarath Chand who retires on May 31.Lt. Gen. Anbu is expected to be replaced by Lt. Gen. Ranbir Singh who was the Director General Military Operations (DGMO) at the time of surgical strikes.

SPORTS:

1. First national sports university in Manipur : The Union Cabinet has approved an ordinance to set up the country’s first national sports university in Manipur.The varsity will be spread over 325 acres in Imphal West district with a cost of Rs 524 crore.The proposal to set up the national sports university in Manipur was initially announced by PM Modi, while Rs 100 crore funds for it were allocated in the 2014-15 budget.

Daily GK Updates - 24th May, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India ranks 44th in terms of competitiveness : India has moved one notch higher, to the 44^th place in terms of competitiveness, in the annual rankings compiled by International Institute for Management Development.US is the most competitive economy globally followed by Hong Kong and Singapore in the second and third place.India is ranked the 12^th most competitive economy out of the 14 Asian countries on the list.

2. App to help voters to share malpractice proof : Election Commission will launch multi-lingual mobile application called “Model Code of Conduct Violation Reporting App” ahead of the 2019 elections.It aims to share evidence of malpractice by political parties, their candidates & activists directly with the electoral body.It was made available for the 1^st time in Bengaluru in the run-up to the recently concluded Karnataka Assembly polls.

3. Niti Aayog and ABB India join hands : ABB India & Niti Aayog have inked a pact to help India reap benefits of new technologies including robotics & artificial intelligence.The two institutions signed a Statement of Intent to work together in preparing key sectors of the economy for digitalisation, artificial intelligence, robotics & industrial automation.The initiative also covers the fast-growing segment of electric mobility.

4. ‘My MP Rojgar Portal’ launched : Madhya Pradesh CM, Shivraj Singh Chauhan launched the “My MP Rojgar Portal” in Bhopal under ‘Pahal’, which is a Mukhyamantri Career Counselling programme.This portal will provide jobs to youth as per their skills, interests and educational qualifications.The portal has been developed under Youth Empowerment Mission by the Madhya Pradesh Skill Development and Employment Generation Board.

5. H D Kumaraswamy sworn in as Karnataka CM : JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy has been sworn in as Karnataka’s 24th chief minister.This will be Kumarawamy’s second term as the chief minister of Karnataka since 2007, when he last held the post for 20 months.G Parameshwara, the state Congress chief and the party’s Dalit face, was sworn in as the deputy chief minister.

6. Smart Cities India 2018 : The 4^th Smart Cities India 2018 Expo has kicked off in New Delhi.The event, consisting 5 expos is being held with a vision to help develop attractive and safe cities that evoke pride, passion and a sense of belonging among citizens.The 5 expos are, Building India Expo, Solar India Expo, Transport India Expo, Smart Cities India Expo and Water India Expo. 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. US disinvites China from major naval exercise : US has withdrawn an invitation from China to participate in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) drills over China’s expanded military footprint in disputed areas of South China Sea.RIMPAC is world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise.China began participating in the exercise in 2014, as part of an effort during the Obama administration to stabilize military relations with China.

2. World’s Largest Bird Sculpture ‘Jatayu’ : Kerala tourism will soon inaugurate the world’s largest bird sculpture, Jatayu Earth’s Centre, in Thiruvananthapuram.The replica of bird ‘Jatayu’, a character in the Ramayana is 65 feet tall & is positioned right at the top of a rock situated 1,000 feet above sea level.The rock, ‘Jatayupara’, where the structure is based, is the place where Jatayu fell after its wings were slain by Ravana.

3. MoU on cooperation in food security approved : Union Cabinet has given its ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding between India & Denmark regarding cooperation in the area of food safety.It will help improve food safety standard setting by getting access to best practices & facilitating food trade of important commodities.It will also promote understanding of best practices in areas of food safety in both countries

4. India to attend SCO anti-terror talks in Pak : India has confirmed its attendance in Shanghai Cooperation Organisation-Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure Legal Experts meeting to be held in Islamabad, Pakistan.Pakistan will be hosting its 1^st SCO meeting, since the country along with India became a member of the organisation in June 2017.Experts will discuss the terror threat faced by the region & ways to enhance counter-terror efforts.

OTHER UPDATES:

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:

1. Twin spacecraft to track Earth’s water cycle : A joint U.S./German space mission to track the global water cycle was successfully lifted off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On, GRACE-FO, is a joint mission by NASA & German Research Centre for Geosciences.GRACE-FO will monitor the movement of mass around the earth by measuring where & how the moving mass changes Earth’s gravitational pull.

DEFENCE:

1. Navy conducts “Prasthan” exercise : Indian Navy has conducted an exercise called ‘Prasthan’ in the Western Offshore Development Offshore area in Mumbai.The exercise is held every 6 months & aims at integrating maritime stakeholders, including, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, ONGC, Customs & Port Trust.The drill focused on things like fire on an oil platform, Oil spill, search and rescue for crashed helicopters and more.

SPORTS:

1. World’s most popular athlete : Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo was named the most popular athlete in the world as he topped the ESPN World Fame 100 list for a third straight year.Three-time NBA champion Lebron James retained his second spot on the list, while Messi came third.11 Indian athletes including Virat Kohli, Saina Nehwal and Saina Mirza have made it to the list of ESPN World Fame 100 of 2018.

2. De Villiers retires from international cricket : Former South Africa Test captain AB de Villiers has announced his retirement from international cricket.De Villiers made his international debut in Test series against England in 2004.He scored 8,765 Test runs and has a batting average of over 50 in both Test & ODI cricket.AB de Villiers holds the records for scoring the fastest fifty, hundred and 150 in ODIs.