DAILY GK UPDATES - 28TH JULY 2015

DAILY GK UPDATES - 28TH JULY 2015     

NATIONAL UPDATES:

I. R.I.P, “The Missile Man”: Former President of India A.P.J Abdul Kalam, widely acclaimed as the ‘people’s president’, passed away after collapsing during a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management in Shillong. He was the 11^th president of India and Chief of the Defence staff between 2002 and 2007. He had the unique honour of receiving honorary doctorates from 30 universities and institutions.

II.  IT Secretary R S Sharma appointed as TRAI chairman.

III. Renault India ropes in RanbirKapoor as Brand Ambassador: Automobile manufacturer Renault India celebrating its 4^th anniversary in India appointed RanbirKapoor as its brand ambassador.

IV.  Maharashtra Government to develop six solar cities targeting solar capacity of 7,500 MW: The state government has placed a comprehensive plan to develop six solar cities to add solar capacity of 7,500 MW in the state.

V.  Bharti Realty tied-up with Eros Group to develop housing project: Bharti Realty, a Bharti Enterprises’ real estate firm tied up with Eros Group to develop a housing project at Surajkund, Delhi.

VI. Gujarat becomes the 1^st state to ink mandatory voting rule:  The Gujarat government issued a notification making voting in local body elections compulsory under the controversial Gujarat Local Authorities Laws (Amendment), Act 2009 (2014).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

I.  Rajesh Exports buys world’s largest gold refining company Valcambi for Rs 2,560 cr: Jewellery Company Rajesh Exports Ltd bought Valcambi, the world’s largest gold refining company, in an all cash deal worth $400 mn.

II. Bangladesh part of Sundarbans witnessed rapid decline in tiger population between 2004 and 2015: As per the Tiger Census 2015, the number of tigers in Bangladesh part of the Sundarbans declined sharply from 440 in 2004 to 106 in 2015.

III.  28^th July celebrated as The World Hepatitis Day.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

I.  ADB to give $300 mn loan to India: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will extend a loan of $300 mn to India for improving road connectivity and increasing the domestic and regional trade along the North Bengal- North Eastern Region.

II. Axis Bank signs $200 mn loan agreement with ADB: Axis Bank signed a $200 mn, seven year bilateral loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank. The loan will help bolster Bank’s efforts to improve farm efficiency by extending customised and affordable agriculture credits.

SPORTS:

III. Mexico defeat Jamaica 3-1 in Gold Cup Final: A. Guardado became the 1^st player to score in three Gold Cup finals and Mexico defeated Jamaica in the North American regional football tournament, stretching their record trophy total to seven.

IV.   Indian women wrestling team wins silver medal in the Kazakhstan Presidential Cup: Indian women’s wrestling team has won the silver medal after finishing second in the 5^th Senior International Wrestling Tournament (also known as cup of the President of Republic of Kazakhstan).

V. S.Shreesanth freed from all charges of spot fixing during the IPL tournament and now wants his ban to be lifted.

VI. R.Oltmans appointed as India Hockey coach till Rio Olympics: He has been appointed the coach of the Indian Hockey team replacing Paul Van Ass.

AWARDS:

I. BEL bags Dun Bradstreet’s India’s Top PSUs Awards 2015: The defence PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd became the front runner in the Dun & Bradstreet’s ‘India’s top PSUs Awards 2015 in the category of electrical and electronic equipment sector.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS:

I. The book titled ‘Ghosts of Calcutta’ written by Sebastian Ortiz was released.

OBITUARIES:

I.  Physicist P. Hariharan passed away in Berkeley, California.

II.   S. Kadirgamar, the veteran Sri Lankan historian passed away.

DAILY GK UPDATES - 27TH JULY 2015

DAILY GK UPDATES - 27TH JULY 2015

NATIONAL UPDATES:

I.Union Government approves Rs 1000 crores for India-Bangladesh rail link: The Government of India approved a hefty sum of Rs 1000 crores for the 15-km India-Bangladesh rail link that will connect Agartala with Akhaura junction in Bangladesh. The entire link will be constructed by IRCON.

II.Gujarat HC constituted panel to ensure amenities to labourers at Alang ship-breaking yard: Gujarat High Court constituted a four-member panel to ensure basic amenities like housing and hospitals for labourers at Alang ship-breaking yard in Bhavnagar district following a public interest Litigation.

III.Delhi High Court allowed Red FM to participate in Stage-3 of FM auctions: Delhi High Court allowed Digital Radio Broadcasting Ltd, which runs Red FM to participate in the Stage-3 of the FM Radio waves auctions.

IV.Central Government constitutes a committee to suggest measures for selection of the most meritorious to teaching profession: The committee constituted by the UGC and the Union Government is chaired by Prof. Arun Nigavekar, former chairman of UGC to give recommendations on various provisions for regulating recruitment of teachers and academic staff in universities and colleges and their development advancement in UGC funded institutions.

V.Union Government, in collaboration with 3 State Governments to start artificial breeding of Great Indian Bustard: Under an integrated collaborative effort, the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change along with the state governments of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra will soon undertake an artificial breeding programme for the Great Indian Bustard, one of the critically endangered flying bird species in the world, to boost the population of the species.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

I.World’s largest flower Amorphophallus Titanium bloomed at Jindai Botanical Gardens in Tokyo: World‘s largest flower Amorphophallus Titanum bloomed for the 1^st time in 5 years at Jindai Botanical Gardens in Tokyo, Japan. The flower Titan arum measuring 2-meter (6.5 feet) in height rarely flowers and is notoriously difficult to propagate.

II.EU banned marketing of around 700 generic medicines of GVK Biosciences: The medicines will be banned in 28 member countries of European Union. This is the last suspension imposed on the sales and distribution of generic drugs and it will come into effect from August 2015.

III.China launches two new Navigational Satellites into space: The satellites, designated BDS (Short for BeiDou Navigation Satellite System) M1-S and M2-S were put into a medium-earth orbit about 13,700 miles above Earth.

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

I.Shah Panel submitted report on MAT: The Panel headed by Law Commission chairman A P Shah has submitted its 66-page report to Finance Ministry. The Government had in May appointed the Shah Committee to examine the matter relating to levy of Minimum Alternate Tax (MAT) on FIIs prior to April 2015.

II.Amazon overtakes Walmart to become largest U S retailer.

SPORTS:

III.Ferrari Driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany won Hungarian Formula one Grand Prix which was held in Budapest: This was Vettel’s second win of the season and it came only days after the funeral of the Mercedes French former test driver Jules Bianchi.

IV.Team Sky cyclist Chris Froome of Britain won 102^nd Tour de France: With this, Froome became the 1^st Briton to win the Tour De France for the second time.

V.The 2015 Special Olympics World Summer Games that will involve 6,500 athletes with intellectual disabilities from around the world started in Los Angeles, California.

OBITUARIES:

I.P R Chari, the nuclear disarmament advocate died: The ardent nuclear disarmament advocate was known for promoting a consensual approach on the nuclear issue.