DAILY GK UPDATES 23RD MAY 2016

DAILY GK UPDATES 23RD MAY 2016

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India’s first reusable space shuttle, RLV-TD launched from Sriharikota: ISRO has successfully launched its maiden indigenous winged Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) from Sriharikota spaceport in Andhra Pradesh. The Reusable Launch Vehicle-Technology Demonstrator is considered as the first step towards realising a Two Stage to Orbit (TSTO) fully reusable vehicle.

 

2. India and Iran sign 12 bilateral agreements in various areas: Both the countries have signed 12 MoUs and agreements in various fields including building and operating the Chabahar port by India. Theother agreements include cooperation in culture, science and technology, library sciences, cooperation between the EXIM Bank of both the countries etc.

 

3. India and Oman signed 4 MoUs/Agreements on defence cooperation: India and Oman have signed 4 MoUs in Muscat during the visit of Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to Oman. The MoUs are in the field of Defence Cooperation between Ministry of Defence of Sultanate of Oman and Ministry of Defence of India, MoU between the Royal Oman Police (Coast Guard) and Indian Coast Guards in the field of Marine Crime Prevention at Sea, etc.

 

4. Government constitutes IEPF Authority: Government has constituted the Investor Education and Protection Fund (IEPF) Authority, moving ahead with efforts to further strengthen the framework for safeguarding the interest of investors.

 

5. AIADMK Chief J Jayalalitha sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for the 6th term.

 

6. Himachal Pradesh launches artificial propagation programme of Mahseer fish for conservation: Himachal Pradesh fisheries department has started an artificial propagation programme for rehabilitation and conservation of Golden Mahseer Fish. Under the programme, a hatchery has been set up in the state with an outlay of Rs 6 crore to rear Mahseer fish and release its fingerlings into the wild.

 

7. Gujarat CM launches ‘Smart Village’ program: The state government will select 300 villages for Smart Village Program that will get 80 lakh to 2 crore rupees cash assistance to improve public facilities in the village.

 

8. Kiran Bedi appointed as the Lt Governor of Puducherry.

 

9. Five Indian cars namely Renault Kwid, MarutiSuzuki Celerio and Eeco, Mahindra Scorpio and Hyundai Eon failed crash tests by the Global New Car Assessment Programme (Global NCAP).

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India-Pakistan school Students Exchange Program gets innovation award: India-Pakistan school Students Exchange Program has won innovation award as in the program, the students have been interacting with each other through handwritten letters, audios and visual recording that are reflective of a shared history of the two neighbours before partition.

 

2. Ken Loach’s film ‘I, Daniel Blake’ wins Palme d’Or at the 69th Cannes Film Festival held in France.

  

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Ajay Shirke elected as BCCI Secretary as Former secretary Anurag Thakur was elected as the BCCI President.

 

2. China wins Uber Cup Badminton tournament for the 14th time defeating South Korea 3-1.

 

3. Mohun Bagan football club beats Aizwal FC 5-0 to lift 14th Federation Cup title for the 14th time.

 

4. Denmark wins first Thomas Cup Badminton tournament defeating Indonesians 3-1.

 

5. R Ashwin jumped to 2nd place in ICC Test Bowlers ranking while England’s Stuart Broad leads the ranking.

 

6. Pankaj Advani creates history by winning Asian 6-Red Snooker title.

 

AWARDS:

7. Sikkim CM Pawan Chamling conferred with Nepal’s literary award ‘Yug Kavi Siddhicharan’ for his commendable contribution in promoting Nepali literature in India.

 

OBITUARIES:

8. World’s oldest Olympic champion, Sandor Taricspassed away at the age of 102: He was born in Budapest, Hungary but later shifted to San Francisco where he worked as a University Professor.

 

DAILY GK UPDATES 21ST MAY 2016

DAILY GK UPDATES 21ST MAY 2016

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 27th India and Indonesia CORPAT concludes in Belawan: The 27th edition of the India-Indonesia CORPAT (Coordinated Patrol) has concluded in Belawan, Indonesia. The exercise is being carried out to keep the vital part of the Indian Ocean Region safe and secure for commercial shipping and international trade.

 

2. After liquor, Bihar government bans gutka and pan masala: The ban on both packaged and unpackaged edible items containing tobacco content will remain effective for a period of one year.

 

3. Indigenous faecal incontinence management device ‘Qora’ launched: The technology for the medical device was developed by Consure Medical, New Delhi, to address ‘a new level of care for patients outside the ICU’.

 

4. World Bank arm IFC to invest $68 million in Apollo health: World Bank subsidiary arm International Finance Corporation (IFC) is planning to invest US$68 million (about INR 460 crore) in Apollo Health and Lifestyle Ltd.

 

5. International Finance Corporation (IFC) will invest $20 million in Future Consumer Enterprise Ltd through equity-linked instruments.

 

6. Cairn India CEO Mayank Ashar quits because of personal reasons.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. G-7 Summit: Finance Minister and Central Bank Governors meet in Sendai: Finance Ministers and central bank governors from the group of seven developed nations kicked off the first day of their meeting in Sendai, Japan.

 

2. US House of Representatives gave nod to bolster defence ties with India on par with NATO: In this regard, an amendment to the National Defence Authorisation Act (NDDA) was approved by the house. The amendment is dubbed as ‘Enhancing Defence and Security Cooperation with India’. 

 

3. Binali Yildirim all set to become the Prime Minister of Turkey.  

 

4. United Nations appoints Irish President Mary Robinson and Kenyan Diplomat Macharia Kamauas special envoys for El Nino climate.

 

5. 42 year old woman Lhakpa Sherpa has become the 1st lady to climb the Mount Everest for the seventh time.

 

6. HIFire hypersonic superjet technology successfully tested in Australia.  

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. HSBC Bank to shut down half of its branches in India, 300 jobs to go.

 

SPORTS:

2. Belgian Mourad Laachraoui wins European Taekwondo title.

 

3. Rodger Federar withdraws from French Open after failing to recover from a back injury.

 

OBITUARIES:

4. Emmy Award winning actor Alan Young died at the age of 96.

DAILY GK UPDATES 20TH MAY 2016

DAILY GK UPDATES 20TH MAY 2016

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Five State Assembly Elections 2016 Results: The 2016 Kerala Assembly Elections has won by the CPI (M) led Left Democratic Front (LDF) by the absolute majority by winning 91 seats (44.94% votes) of the total 140 seats. So, as a result Pinarayi Vijayan is set to become the next CM of Kerala. In Assam, BJP and its alliance partners have won an absolute majority by winning 87 seats out of 126. Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal is all set to become the CM. In West Bengal, the ruling TMC has won the elections. Ruiling AIADMK Party under the leadership of J Jayalalitha has emerged victorious. The Congress managed to wrest power in the union territory of Puducherry in alliance with the DMK winning 17 of the 30 assembly seats.

 

2. President inaugurates Intelligent Operations Centre in Rashtrapati Bhavan: He also launched a mobile application ‘Monitor’ for transformation of President’s Estate into a smart township. The President announced that the estate will work around the ‘4H’ theme of humane, Hi-Tech, Heritage and Happy Township.

 

3. Cyclonic storm ​ROANU to strike Andhra Pradesh coast as per IMD.

 

4. Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare launched Centre for Environmental Health in New Delhi to access environmental impact on health.

 

5. Himachal Pradesh CM Virbhadra Singh launches PEHAL Programme: The programme aims to expedite development works and government schemes through effective implementation at grass-root level.

 

6. ‘Medicine with the Red Line’: A public awareness campaign was launched by the Union Government to curb irrational use of anti-biotics.

 

7. India and Slovenia signed Double Taxation Avoidance convention in the capital city of Ljubljana.

 

8. TATA Power acquires 30 MW wind farm in Sangli district of Maharasthra.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Buddhist Conference begins in Nepal: A two day international Buddhist Conference has begun in Nepal to celebrate the 2,560th birth anniversary of Lord Buddha. The theme of the conference is ‘Lumbini, Nepal: the birth place of Lord Buddha and the fountain of Buddhism and world peace.

 

2. Beijing-New Delhi Yoga Conference opens in China: The five day conference is featuring activities including courses from Indian yoga masters and yoga introductions for communities. 

 

3. Indian Journalist Philip Abraham elected as Deputy Mayor of Loughton town in United Kingdom.  

 

4. Tsai Ing-wen sworn in as the first woman President of Taiwan.  

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS:

1. India loose to China in the semi-final of UberCup: Indian women’s team settled for a bronze medal after suffering a 0-3 defeat at the hands of defending champions China in the semi-finals of the Uber Cup Badminton Championship held at Kunshan in China.

 

AWARDS:

2. Mukesh Ambani awarded with Othmer Gold Medal for Entrepreneurial Leadership.

 

OBITUARIES:

3. CBS News Journalist Morley Safer passed away at the age of 84.

 

4. Veteran Gujarati folk singer Diwaliben Bhil passed away at the age of 80.