Daily GK Updates - 8th November, 2017

Daily GK Updates - 8th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India successfully conducted a test of its indigenously designed and developed long-range sub-sonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’ at Chandipur, Odisha: Nirbhay missile carries warheads of up to 300 kg and capable of carrying 24 kinds of war weapons. Nirbhay is very maneuverable and can fly at tree-top level, making it difficult to detect on radar, and strikes targets of 1,000 km away carrying nuclear warheads. India successfully conducted a flight test of its indigenously designed and developed long-range sub-sonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’.

2. The 20th International Children’s Film Festival of India (ICFFI) has been started at Shilpa Kala Vedika in Hyderabad with “New India”- as the main theme this time would last from 8 to 14 November: 317 films from over hundred countries will be screened in about 40 theatres in Hyderabad and also at the district headquarters across the state. Children's Film Society, India (CFSI) and Telangana State Government are jointly organizing the biennial children’s event. They include - Sweeden film ‘SIV Sleeps Astray' Russian film Pitch', Netherlands film 'Sky', the film from Germany Nelly's Adventure, Canada film ‘Anthems: A Journey Around The World’, film from Egypt-Wintry Spring. Children's Film Society of India (CFSI) is a nodal organization of the Government of India that produces children's films and television programmes in various Indian languages. CFSI promotes films which provide healthy and wholesome entertainment for children.

3. Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani flagged off Digital Rath in New Delhi to create awareness among people for the cashless transaction: UPI transactions have increased from 3.8 million in April to 77 million in October this -year. The digital Rath will travel (20 thousand kilometer) from Delhi to Lucknow, then Kolkata, Puducherry, Mumbai, and Bhopal till 31st Dec 2017.

4. Prince of Wales Charles Philip Arthur George accompanied by Duchess of Cornwall  Camilla has arrived on a 2-day visit to India:This visit is a part of their ten days tour to Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, and India. This visit will be the 9th visit of the Prince of Wales to India. India-UK trade is at 12.19 billion dollars. India is the 3rd largest investor in the UK and the 2nd largest international job creator in the United Kingdom(UK).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. NATO to boost Afghan mission by 3,000 troops: NATO will boost its training mission in Afghanistan by 3,000 troops, chief Jens Stoltenberg said today as Kabul reeled from the latest deadly attack on civilians. Around half the new troops will come from the United States, and the overall size of NATO's training and support mission in the unrest-hit country will increase from 13,000 to 16,000, he said.Speaking a day before NATO defence ministers meet in Brussels, Stoltenberg said the alliance would boost its presence "to help the Afghans break the stalemate, to send a clear message to Taliban to the insurgents that they will not win on the battleground".

2. Trump's China visit - US defends 'Indo-Pacific' concept: As US President Donald Trump began his China visit, a top American official on Wednesday defended Washington's use of the new phrase 'Indo-Pacific' as a "useful construct" and pressed Beijing to join the campaign to target ISIS and the Taliban.

3. 'Storm in a tea cup' - Catalonia is no repeat of euro crisis:  Even though Catalonia's bid for independence may be Spain's worst political crisis in decades, it has been no Grexit, Brexit or even Frexit for foreign investors. Overseas holders of Spanish stocks and bonds -- and indeed owners of euro zone assets in general -- have been quick to dismiss comparisons with a succession of rolling sovereign debt crises that hit the euro zone between 2010 and 2012. Even though Spain's wealthiest region has a bigger economy than Greece, Portugal and Finland, relatively unfazed Spanish and Catalonian assets to date shows markets are treating the crisis ovr Catalonia as a largely domestic issue with few if any systemic sovereign, banking or euro wide threats. On one level the scale of financial risk more than gross domestic output of the area is of a different order. Catalonia's debt level -- at around 77 billion euros -- is around quarter that of Greece. In addition, 52.5 billion euros of that— just over two-thirds — is owed to Spain, a further 8.175 billion euros to resident financial institutions, 6.018 billion euros to the rest of the world and 10.035 billion euros to others, according to the data from the Spanish central bank.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. India beat New Zealand by 6 runs to win T20 Cricket series: India beat New Zealand by six runs to win the three-match T20 Cricket series 2-1 at Thiruvananthapuram. The host India made 67 for 5 in 8 overs as the rain-affected match was reduced to an eight-overs-a side game. New Zealand could manage only 61 for 6 in the stipulated 8 overs. Jasprit Bumrah claimed two wickets while Manish Pandey was the highest scorer with 17 runs. 

2. Mitchell Starc makes history with two hat-tricks in one game: left-arm paceman bowler Mitchell Starc (Australia) has become the first man to take two hat-tricks in the same first-class game in Australia as he hit ominous form ahead of the Ashes Test series against England. The left-arm paceman became only the eighth player in first-class cricket history and the first in 39 years to achieve the feat as he spearheaded New South Wales to victory over Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield in Sydney. Starc finished with the match figures of seven for 97 in NSW's 171-run victory.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. India signs loan agreement with World Bank for 119 million dollars for OHEPEE project: India has signed a loan agreement of 119 million dollars with World Bank for the Odisha higher education programme for excellence and equity project. The objective of the project is to improve the quality of students' equitable access to selected institutions and enhance governance of the higher education system in Odisha. 

2. Apollo Munich Health Insurance wins ‘General Insurance Company of the Year’: Apollo Munich Health Insurance Company has been conferred with the 21st Asia Insurance Industry Awards in the “General Insurance Company of the Year” category. Its joint venture between integrated healthcare provider, Apollo Hospitals Group, and the Munich Re Group.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Twitter says it is ending its 140-character limit & giving nearly everyone 280 characters: According to the Twitter, it is ending its iconic 140-character limit and giving nearly everyone 280 characters. The expanded limit will get more people tweeting more, helping its lackluster user growth. 9% of tweets written in English hit the 140-character limit. Users tweeting in Chinese, Japanese and Korean will still have the original limit as writing in those languages uses fewer characters. Twitter is an online news and social networking service where users post and interact with messages. Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams and launched in July of that year.

2. Paytm Introduces BHIM UPI for seamless money transfer: Digital payment platform ‘Paytm’ has introduced payments using “BHIM UPI” BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money) UPI (Unified Payment Interface) on its platform. Now, users can create their own Paytm BHIM UPI ID on the app, which will be issued by Paytm Payments Bank. They will also not have to share their bank account details and IFSC code with anyone to receive money. As per the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) guidelines, users can send up to Rs. 1 lakh a day using BHIM UPI; while there's no receiving limit.

SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY:

1. Most ancient spiral galaxy discovered: Scientists have discovered the most ancient spiral galaxy in the universe that existed 11 billion years ago and could provide insights into the early cosmos. The galaxy, known as A1689B11, existed just 2.6 billion years after the Big Bang, when the universe was only one fifth of its present age. Researchers used a powerful technique that combines gravitational lensing with the Near-infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) to verify the vintage and spiral nature of the galaxy. Gravitational lenses are nature's largest telescopes, created by massive clusters composed of thousands of galaxies and dark matter.0 The cluster bends and magnifies the light of galaxies behind it in a manner similar to an ordinary lens, but on a much larger scale.

HONOURS/AWARDS:

1. Indian short film 'The School Bag' has won the Best Short Film Award at the South Asian Film Festival of Montreal (SAFFM): The movie’s plot is based in Peshawar (Pakistan) and tells a story about the relationship between a mother and her seven-year-old son who wants a new school bag on his birthday, but fate has something else in store for him. The film is directed by Dheeraj Jindal.

Daily GK Updates - 7th November, 2017

Daily GK Updates - 7th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Punjab Govt starts Campaign for constructing toilet in every household: The Punjab water supply and sanitation minister Tript Rajindra singh Bajwa has started a ‘Mass Construction Campaign’ for constructing the toilet in every household at Dabanwal village in Gurdaspur district. He also flagged off 90 promotional teams who will create awareness among the people to make their area free from open defecation.

 2. Odisha govt announces the package of Rs. 124 crores for farmers affected by pest attack: The Odisha state cabinet chaired by the chief minister Naveen Patnaik has announced a package of 124 Crore rupees for the farmers affected by pest attack in different areas of the state during this year’s Kharif season.

The state’s cabinet has also revised earlier decision and announced the farmers who had set fire to their crop field out of frustration for not being able to control pests, would also get the relief.

3. Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia (1981 batch IAS officer - Gujarat cadre) has been designated as the new Finance Secretary: The Finance Secretary is the Permanent Secretary-level civil servant, who plays a leadership role in the bureaucracy of the Finance Ministry, Government of India. The vacancy was caused following the superannuation of Ashok Lavasa. The Ministry of Finance is composed of five departments the Department of Economic Affairs, the Department of Revenue, the Department of Expenditure, the Department of Financial Servicesand Department of Investment and Public Asset Management.

Each of the departments is headed by a secretary.

4. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has commissioned a new Instrument Landing System (ILS) for a runway at the Chennai airportat a cost of Rs. 5 crores: The ILS provides the necessary guidance to the pilots while they approach for landing at the runway. The new ILS commissioned for runway 07 will facilitate smooth landing of the aircraft at the Chennai airport even during rain, low clouds, smog etc and provide an improved guidance to the aircraft.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India, Nepal, Bangladesh to sync tiger count: The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) is responsible for conducting the exercise in India, has proposed major changes including uniformity in counting of big cats in all tiger reserves, national parks and wildlife sanctuaries in the country at the same time. India, Nepal & Bangladesh will conduct the 2018 tiger census in close coordination in their respective territories at the same time. The field directors, divisional forest officers and range officers from the states (UP, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh) will be given expert training for the census in all six forest zones of the country, from 2nd week Nov 2017). The census will be held under the supervision of NTCA and the Wildlife Institute of India. The first phase of tiger census will be completed by December end, the second phase by January 2018 and the final phase will go on from February to October next year.

2. India - Bangladesh joint military combat exercise ‘SAMPRITI-7’: The Indian & Bangladeshi army are taking part in the 7th edition of joint training exercise ‘SAMPRITI-7’ in Meghalaya and Mizoram (6th-18th November). The exercise will be conducted at India's Jungle Warfare School at Vairengte in Mizoram and at the Joint Training Node at Umroi in Meghalaya The objective of the exercise is to conduct counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in peace-keeping activities in the United Nations (UN).

3. Saudi prince died in helicopter crash near Yemen border: A Saudi prince Mansour bin Moqren (Deputy governor of Asir province) died when a helicopter with several officials on board crashed near the kingdom's southern border with war-torn Yemen. Prince Mansour was the son of Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, a former intelligence service director and a one-time crown prince of the kingdom. Prince Muqrin was removed as crown prince in April 2015 by his half-brother King Salman in favour of Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, a counterterrorism czar and interior minister.

4. Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe fired Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa: Mugabe's move came after high drama between Mnangagwa and Grace after which Mugabe appeared to finally back his wife in the succession race. In 2014, Mnangagwa was appointed vice president, taking over from Joice Mujuru.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. India finish with 20 medals at Commonwealth Shooting Championships: India ended the Commonwealth Shooting Championships with a rich haul of 20 medals after Satyendra Singh won a gold and Sanjeev Rajput (silver) in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions event. The Indian squad won a total of gold (6), silver (7) and bronze (7) medals during the competition. The Commonwealth Shooting Federation Championships is a shooting championship for Commonwealth countries, often held as a test event for the Commonwealth Games.

AWARDS/HONOURS:

1. Srirangam temple wins UNESCO award: Sri Ranganathaswamy temple in Srirangam (Tamil Nadu) has won the UNESCO Asia Pacific Award of Merit 2017 for cultural heritage conservation. The international body praised the temple for undertaking renovation and beautification work worth over Rs 20 crore without harming its centuries-old heritage. Sri Ranganathaswamy temple considered the foremost of the 108 divyadesams, is situated on an islet between the Cauvery and the Coleroon rivers. It has seven prakaras and 21 towers, including the majestic 236-feet-high rajagopuram.

SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY:

1. China launches two BeiDou-3: China has launched the two BeiDou-3 satellites into space through a single carrier rocket from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan. The two newly-launched satellites represent the third phase of the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System. China will become the third country in the world after the US and Russia to operate its own navigation system. It began to serve China in 2000 and the Asia-Pacific region at the end of 2012.

Daily GK Updates - 6th November, 2017

Daily GK Updates - 6th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Guru Nanak Jayanti: Nanak was the founder of Sikh religion and the first of the ten Sikh Gurus. His words are registered in the form of 974 poetic hymns in the holy text of Sikhism. It is the 548th birth anniversary of 1st Sikh Guru Nanak Dev jee is being celebrated across the country. It was on this day, Guru Jee was born at Rai Bhoi di Talwandi (Nankana Sahib) in Pakistan. Devotees are attending the Gurudwaras to pay obeisance and are also taking bath in 'Pavitar Sarovar'. Guru 3. 

2. No tax on cash sales of agricultural produce for less than 2 lakhs rupees: According to the Income Tax (IT) Department circular, the cash sales of agricultural produce by a cultivator to a trader for less than 2 lakh rupees will not attract tax under the Income Tax Act. The cultivator and the trader will also not have to provide their Permanent Account Number or furnish Form 60.vThe clarification came following representations from stakeholders about applicability of income tax provision to cash sale of farm produce by farmers to traders.

3. Cauvery tribunal gets extension of 6 months for report: The union govt. has given a six-month extension to the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) to submit its report on Cauvery water sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. on 2nd June 1990, The CWDT was constituted under section 4 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 for the adjudication of the water dispute. On 5thFebruary 2007, the tribunal had asked Karnataka to release 192 thousand million cubic feet water to lower riparian Tamil Nadu every year from June to January.

4. India’s first black buck conservation reserve at Allahabad: The Uttar Pradesh state cabinet has decided to make India's first conservation reserve for blackbuck at the Meja forest division near Allahabad. The wildlife conservation reserve will come up on over 126 hectares in Meja forest division undulating and arid terrain. Indian Blackbuck is an antelope and is the only living species of the genus Antilope.

5. The Union Minister Mahesh Sharma has inaugurated the three days North-East Festival, in New Delhi, aims to promote northeast India: The festival, will see performances by artistes like rapper Borkung Hrangkhawl, heavy metal bands Pulse Pandits, Girish & Chronicles (GATC) and Traffic Jam.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  Colombia signs USD 300m UN deal to fight cocaine production: Colombia has signed a USD 300 million agreement with the United Nations (UN) aimed to reduce the production of cocaine. This agreement is opportunity to turn the tide against Colombia's coca cultivation and help farmers embrace alternative development. This initiative will provide compensation to farmers if they revert to producing safer crops like coffee and cacao. Colombia is ranked as one of the main drug-growing nations in the world by the UNODC.

2.  ‘Fake News’ named Word of the Year 2017:  A term ‘Fake news’ has been named the word of the year by Collins dictionary due to its widespread use around the world. According to the Collins Dictionary’s lexicographers (U.K.-based), the use of ‘fake news’ registered a 365% rise in the last 12 months. 'Fake news' takes over from Brexit which was named the definitive word last year after the June 2016 referendum in favour of the U.K.’s exit from the EU.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. FIFA suspend Peru striker Guerrero for failing doping test: The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) has provisionally suspended Peruvian Football striker Paolo Guerrero (Peru captain) for 30 days after failing a doping test. Guerrero tested positive on 5th October after the World Cup qualifying match against Argentina. Doping is the taking of banned substances or using prohibited methods to enhance or maintain sporting performance.

BUSINESS/ ECONOMY:

1. Etikoppaka toys from Andhra Pradesh get GI tag: The Geographical Indication Registry (GIR) has given Geographical Indication (GI) tag traditional Etikoppaka toys from Andhra Pradesh. These traditional toys are made by artisans in Etikoppaka village in Visakhapatnam district. The Geographical Indication (GI) is name or sign used on certain products which correspond to specific geographical location or origin. These goods and products having tag are recognised for their origin, quality and reputation and gives it required edge in the global market.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. Sovereign Gold Bond rate fixed at 2,934 rupees per gram: The price of the new series of Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGBs) has been fixed at 2,934 rupees per gram. The union govt. has decided to offer a discount of 50 rupees per gram to investors applying online and making payments digitally. The subscription opens from Monday to Wednesday every week between 9^thOctober and 27^th. This round is part of the SGB calendar announced till December and is spread over 12 weeks. The Bond is issued by Reserve Bank on behalf of Government of India.SGBs are government securities denominated in grams of gold, substitutes for holding physical gold. Investors have to pay the issue price in cash and the bonds will be redeemed in cash on maturity.

2. India Post Payment Bank to become operational in 650 districts by April 2018: India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) will become operational in all 650 districts of the country by April next year. These banks will be linked to 1.55 lakh rural post offices and carry out banking services. The two such banks are already operational in Ranchi and Raipur.

AWARDS / HONOURS:

1. Eminent Hindi Litterateur Krishna Sobati will get the Jnanpith Award for 2017 (53rd) for her path breaking contribution to Indian literature:  She is known for experimenting with new writing style and creating bold and daring characters in her stories. She has earlier won the Sahitya Akademi Award (1980) for her novel ‘Zindaginama’ and was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship (in 1996). The Jnanpith Award is an Indian literary award presented annually by the Bharatiya Jnanpith to an author for their 'outstanding contribution towards literature'.

Daily GK Updates -5th November, 2017

Daily GK Updates -5th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.The Indian Army launched an Independent and Fully-Integrated Joint Training Node(JTN) at Umroi cantonment in Shillong, Mehghalaya: The concept was envisaged keeping in mind the conducive weather terrain offering optimal training environment.

2.India to have middle income country by 2047 - World Bank:Praising India’s increasing per capita income, World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva said she has no doubt India will be a high-middle income country by 2047,when it completes 100 years of Independence. She further lauded India for the 30-rank jump in Ease of Doing Business ranking, terming it the biggest leap ever in the history of the survey.

3.Parliamntary panel to submit report on Sino-Indian ties - Shashi Tharoor: The parliamentary committee on external affairs plans to submit a comprehensive report on Sino-Indian ties next year, and is currently looking at the “extremely topical” Doklam issue, panel chairman Shashi Tharoor has said. “Just as this year we submitted to Parliament a report on Indo-Pakistan relations, similarly for next summer we want to submit a report on Sino-Indian relations,” he said.

4. Goa to host Nobel prize event in February 2018: The Goa government signed trilateral MoU with the Department of Bio-Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India and Nobel Media, Sweden to hold the ‘Nobel Prize Series-India 2018 to be hold form Feb 1-2018 in Goa. The Nobel series has earlier been organized in Gujarat.

5. Glide Bomb successfully test-fire by DRDO: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully tested an indigenously-built lightweight ‘glide bomb’. It was launched at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha. The ‘glide bomb’ is named as Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon (SAAW). It was released from the IAF aircraft and guided through precision navigation system.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Lebanese PM Saad al-Hariri resigns: Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri resigned unexpectedly. Saad al-Hariri has said after his resignation that, he sensed a plot to target his life and feared the same fate as his assassinated father if he remained as leader. Saad al-Hariri became Lebanon’s Prime Minister in 2016 and headed a 30-member national unity cabinet.

2.Saudi Arabia intercepts missile targeted at Riyadh airport: Saudi Arabia’s military forces intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the international airport in Capital Riyadh. The 800-Km range missile was destroyed over the capital and fragments landed in the airport area.

3. Asia’s largest Island-Building Vessel: China unveiled Asia’s largest artificial island-building ship. The 140-metre-long vessel, which has been dubbed as “magic island maker”, is capable of digging 6,000 cubic metres an hour. The boat named Tian Kun Hao is equivalent of three standard swimming pools.

4.China to build world’s highest planetarium in Tibet in 2018: China will begin construction of the world’s highest planetarium next year in Tibet, which is often dubbed “Roof of the World”, being 4,000 meters above sea level. Planned to be completed in 2019, the planetarium in Tibetan capital Lhasa would benefit from clear skies due to altitude and have the region’s largest optical astronomical telescope.

5. World Tsunami Awareness Day – November5: The World Tsunami Awareness Day was observed across the world on 5 November. The theme for 2017 WTAD is ‘Reduce the Number of Affected People’. The day is celebrated to spread awareness among people across the world in matters related to the dangers of tsunami. It was observed across the world in 2016 with the theme ‘Effective Education and Evacuation Drills’.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1.Mary Kom named Women’s Youth World Championship Ambassador: Five time world champion and Olympic bronze medalist MC Mary Kom has been named as the ambassador of the upcoming AIBA Women’s Youth World Championships. The event is being held in Guwahati, Assam is scheduled to be held from November 19 to 26.

2.Indian Women’s hockey team wins Asia Cup after 13 years: The Indian women’s Hockey team defeated Two-time Asia Cup champion China to clinch the Hockey Asia Cup for the second time. The match had ended in a 1-1 stalemate after regulation time and India went to win the match 5-4 in the penalty shootout.

BUSINESS/ ECONOMY:

1.AU small finance bank gets scheduled commercial bank status: AU Small Finance bank has received Reserve Bank of India(RBI) approval to operate as schedule commercial bank. Now AU Small Finance bank will be able to do borrowing and lending with RBI under Liquidity Adjustment Facility(LAF) and Marginal Standing Facility(MSF).

2. Air New Zealand named Airline Of The Year for 5th time: Air New Zealand has been named Airline Of The Year for the fifth consecutive year byAirlineRatings.com. It has also topped the top 10 airlines for 2018 list, followed by Quantas Airways, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Australia and Virgin Atlantic.

Daily GK Updates – 4th November, 2017

Daily GK Updates – 4th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Indian Naval Ships Tir & Sujatha visit to Sri Lanka: The Indian Coast Guard ship Sarathi arrived at the Colombo port on 02nd Nov 2017 on a goodwill and training visit. Two another Indian naval ships Tir & Sujatha are on a 5-days goodwill visit to Sri Lanka to participate in the training exercises. The crew will also take part in a series of friendly sports events and community service activities organised by the Sri Lanka Navy.

2. Andhra to convert 29,000 fair price shops into village malls: The mini-malls will offer subsidised grains along with over 500 grocery items and fast moving consumer goods. The initiative is aimed at improving the rural population’s lifestyle.

3. India to witness ‘Beaver Moon’ tonight: The moon would appear around 14% larger in diameter and 30% brighter than usual as the Moon comes closer to Earth. November’s Full Moon is called ‘Beaver Moon’ after beavers who build their winter dams at this time of the year.

4. IAF, DRDO successfully test-fire ‘Glide’ bomb: They test-fired indigenously developed lightweight ‘Glide’ bomb named SAAW(Smart Anti-Airfield Weapon) in Odisha. Three tests were conducted with different release conditions and were all successful.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Trump to be 1st US President in 25 yrs to visit South Korea: Donald Trump has begun his 12-day trip to five Asian nations. Trump and South Korean President Moon-Jae are expected to discuss North Korean nuclear issue among other things.

2. US launches first airstrike against Islamic State in Somalia: General Joseph Dunford announced that the US saw Africa as a new frontline against ISIS. The US had previously carried out drone strikes against al Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab militant group in Somalia.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Mary Kom assured of a medal in Asian Women’s Boxing Championships: Mary Kom defeated Chinese Taipei’s Meng-Chieh Pin in a split verdict in the quarterfinals to make the last four stage of the light flyweight (48kg) category. The 34-year-old, who has won four gold, a silver in her five previous appearances at the event, will face Japan’s Tsubasa Komura in the semifinals.

2. French laboratory suspended from anti-doping activities: World Anti-Doping Agency carried out this suspension because of analytical issues. The laboratory was provisionally suspended on September 24th due to issues self-reported to WADA by the laboratory.

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1. New Orangutan Species Found :A new species of orangutan ‘Pongo tapanuliensis’ was discovered in the Sumatra island of Indonesia, which has become the world’s most endangered great ape. The species, called ‘Tapanuli orangutan’, lives in the Batang Toru forest on Sumatra island of Indonesia. They are only 800 in number totally. This has made them the most endangered great ape in the world.

2. Fake version of WhatsApp surfaces in Google play store: The app is named ‘Update WhatsApp Messenger’ under the developer name ‘WhatsApp Inc’. The fake app has been downloaded one million times while the original WhatsApp has one billion users.

3. Longest dolphin in captivity died : Nana, a female bottlenose dolphin, died at the Shizuoka Prefecture aquarium, in Japan. Dolphin Nana recently broke a national record of staying captive at the aquarium for 15,666 days, or 42 years and 11 months. Nana was captured off the coast of Ito in 1974. She had lived at the aquarium since then. She had given birth to eight calves and also had taken part in dolphin shows.

BUSINESS/ ECONOMY:

1. Broadcom plans to acquire Qualcomm for $100 billion: The acquisition of Qualcomm would make Broadcom the third-largest chipmaker after Intel and Samsung Electronics. Broadcom has a current market capitalisation of about $110 billion.

2. RCom to shut voice call service from December 1: TRAI has directed RCom to not reject any porting out request of its subscribers and customers can move to other networks by December 31. This comes after RCom called off its merger with Aircel in October.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. India jumping 30 spots in ease of doing business rare - World Bank: World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgiva has said that this jump for India is very rare and that it is an extraordinary achievement. Georgieva further said that the GST regime has created an opportunity for India to grow.

Daily GK Updates - 3rd November, 2017

Daily GK Updates - 3rd November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Allahabad to get India’s first black buck conservation reserve:UP cabinet decided to make India’s first conservation reserve for Black Bucks in Allahabd’s Meja. The decision taken for the protection of black deer will also help in wooing tourists.

2.Prime Minster Narendra Modi inaugurated the most anticipated International Mega Food Event- World Food India 2017: It is the the biggest congregation of global investors and businesses leaders of major food companies. The event is organized by the Food Processing Industries Ministry in Delhi.

3.India-Kazakhstan joint exercise “Prabal Dostyk 2017” begins: A fourteen day joint training exercise “Prabal Dostyk 2017” between the Indian Army and the Kazakhstan Army commemenced with the opening ceremony at Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh. The joint exercise is aimed at enhancing the military ties between two countries and also at achieving interoperability between the two armies.

4. 9th Global Green film festival to be host by Delhi: The ninth edition of CMS Vatavaran – an international film festival on environment and wildlife – will begin in Delhi, showcasing 113 films, including four from Kashmir, one of the most ecologically sensitive zones facing the threat of global warming. The “Conservation 4 Water”-themed five-day gala at Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Samiti will also have seminars, workshops, exhibitions and an award ceremony focusing on the environmental, social and economic aspects of water conservation.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. The former chief of Colombia’s FARC rebel group, Rodrigo Londono, has announced his run for the presidency next year:Londono had led the negotiations with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos to end the 53-year-old conflict between FARC rebels and the Colombian government.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1.FIR against Sharapova for endorsing Gurugram housing project: A Delhi court has ordered an FIR against Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova, who was part of a complaint by a homebuyer who had invested in a housing project in Gurugram. The project was named after the Russian but the construction never took off.

SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY:

1.Ford develops trucker hat that wakes driver up with sound:American automaker Ford has developed a hat that senses a driver’s head movements associated with sleepiness and wakes them up using sound, light and vibration. Ford develop the hat in partnership with Brazil based creative agency GTB.

2 Apple briefly touched $900bn market capitalization: Apple is the world’s most valuable company followed by Google which has a market value of $718bn.

BUSINESS/ ECONOMY:

1.AIIB grants Rs.13,000crore loan to Andhra Pradesh: China sponsored, AIIB(Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank) has granted a loan of Rs.13,000crore for five projects in Andhra Pradesh. Five projects includes two roads and buildings department, one each for rural safe drinking water department, municipal and urban development department and Panchayat Raj department.

2.Walmart India launches India’s first fulfillment centre in Mumbai: Walmart India launched its first fulfillment centre in Mumbai. The fulfillment centre is a new fromat of its cash-and-carry store model that will focus exclusively on FMCG products and staples and will not stock fresh food or electronics. The company has also planned another fulfillment centre in Lucknow. Krish Iyer is the President and CEO of Walmart India.

Daily GK Updates - 2nd November, 2017

Daily GK Updates - 2nd November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Gender Vulnerability Index in Indian States: According to the Child development NGO Plan India released index, Goa state ranked top and Bihar featured at the lowest in Gender Vulnerability Index (GVI). The index, which provides a state-wise ranking, has been calculated by analyzing four issues pertinent to the situation of girls — child safety/protection, poverty, health, and education. In the ranking, Goa is followed by Kerala, Mizoram, and Sikkim. Bihar ranked the lowest at 30, with Delhi faring only slightly better at 29 and Uttar Pradesh at 28.

2.  Inauguration of 21st World Congress of Mental Health by President Ram Nath Kovind:President Shri Ram Nath Kovind has inaugurated the 21st World Congress of Mental Health in New Delhi. The World Congress of Mental Health is taking place in India for the first time. The World Congress is being organized by the World Federation for Mental Health in partnership with Caring Foundation and other institutions. National Mental Health Survey 2016 found that around 14% of India’s population required active mental health interventions.

3. Lifetime pensions for 'Hindi Satyagrahis – Haryana Government:The Chief Minister of Haryana ‘Manohar Lal Khattar’ has announced the lifetime monthly pension of Rs 10,000 for 'Hindi Satyagrahis' (jailed during the Emergency) of the state. The state government also announced that it would be providing enhanced financial assistance to World War-II veterans and their widows (from Rs 4,500 to Rs 10,000). Earlier, the state govt. has identified 194 'Satyagrahis' who were imprisoned during the 'Hindi Satyagraha' launched by the Punjab Arya Pratinidhi Sabha in 1957 to promote the language.

4. Recently appointed India's high commissioner to Pakistan - Ajay Bisaria:Senior diplomat Ajay Bisaria (1987-batch IFS officer) has been appointed India's High Commissioner to Pakistan. He will succeed Gautam Bambawale (posted to China last month). Currently, Mr. Bisaria is India's Ambassador to Poland.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. US shares list of 20 terrorist groups with Pakistan: USA shared the list containing names of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed that they believe are operating from Pakistan’s soil to target India and Afghanistan. This comes after the US said it is going to test Pakistan by giving them a chance to act against terrorism.

2. US First Lady not on Forbes Powerful Women list: The list was topped by German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the 12th time. It features 23 new entrants including Ivanka Trump.

3. Russia to help build India-Iran natural gas pipeline: Russia and Iran will prepare a legal framework for the 1,200 km long pipeline project which is expected to begin next year. Russian Energy Minister said that it will involve the participation of Iranian, Pakistani and Indian firms.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Gagan Narang wins silver medal in 50m rifle shooting  prone event in Commonwealth Games: Olympic bronze-medallist Gagan Narang has won a silver medal in the men's 50m rifle prone event of the Commonwealth Shooting Championships. Dane Sampson of Australia won the gold and Swapnil Suresh Kusale (India) bagged the bronze in the same event, India's Suraj Singh won the bronze in women's 25m pistol final, while the gold and silver went to host country's L Yaumleuskay and E Galiabovitch respectively.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. SBI cuts home, auto loan rates by 5bps: The State Bank of India (SBI) has announced to reduce the interest rates on home and automobile loans by five basis points (bps). SBI’s home loan rates will be 8.30% for the loan (up to Rs 30 lakh). Car loan amount ranges from 8.70% to 9.20% compared to an earlier range of 8.75% to 9.25%. Home loan rates have been reduced for 5 bps across all brackets. The exact rate depends on the amount of loan and the credit score of the individual.

AWARDS/HONOURS:

1. K Satchidanandan selected for Ezhuthachan Puraskaram: Noted Malayalam Poet and literary critic ‘K Satchidanandan’ has been selected for this year's Ezhuthachan Puraskaram for his contributions to Malayalam literature and poetry. Ezhuthachan Puraskaram is the Kerala government's highest literary honour, carries a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh and a citation. Satchidanandan' began his literary career with the publication of 'Kurukshetram', a collection of essays on poetry (1970) and 'Anchusooryan', a collection of poems (1971). He was also a former editor of Indian Literary Journal and former secretary of Sahitiya Akademi.

2. Asia's Richest Person – Mukesh Ambani: According to Forbes’ real-time billionaire’s list, Mukesh Ambani (Chairman & MD of Reliance Industries Limited, RIL) has become the Asia’s richest person with a total wealth of USD 42.1 billion. He overtook Hui Ka Yan (China). Ambani, whose total estimated wealth is USD 42.1 billion (boost of USD 466 million) courtesy 1.22% rise in shares of Reliance Industries to Rs 952.30. Businessman Hui Ka Yan, whose total estimated wealth went down by USD 1.28 billion to USD 40.6 billion.

Daily GK Updates - 1st November, 2017

Daily GK Updates - 1st November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Suresh Chukkapalli appointed as Consul General of Korea: Suresh Chukkapalli, Chairman of Phoenix Group of Hyderabad, has been appointed as Honorary Consul General in Hyderabad by the Republic of Korea.

2. Five states celebrate their Foundation Day: Five states — Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, and Karnataka — are celebrating their foundation day today, Wednesday, November 1. 

3. ERO-Net launched in Rajasthan: Rajasthan’s Chief Electoral Officer Ashwini Bhagat launched the Election Commission’s web-based project, ERO-Net. By using this, voters can register their names on electoral rolls. It could not identify multiple entries of a voter.

4. India tops list of new TB cases in 2016: According to ‘Global TB Report 2017’ released by World Health Organization (WHO), India has topped the list of seven countries, accounting for 64% of the 10.4 million new tuberculosis cases worldwide in 2016. Tuberculosis is a contagious disease which affects the lung and is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. The World Bank Releases Doing Business Report 2018: According to the World Bank’s released report, 'Doing Business 2018: Reforming to Create Jobs', India ranked 100th (earlier 130th) among the 190 countries, assessed by the Doing Business Team. The Doing Business Report assesses covers 10 indicators which span the lifecycle of a business. India is the only country in South Asia and BRICS economies to feature among most improved economies of the DB Report this year. India's rank has improved in 6 of the 10 indicators and Distance to Frontier (DTF) has improved in 9 of the 10 indicators.

2. World Vegan Day 2017 observed: In 1994, the Chair of the Vegan Society Louise Wallis decided to set November 1 as World Vegan Day. Veganism is practiced both as a diet (to abstain from all food items using animal products) as well as a philosophy (which rejects the commodity status of animals). One who practices either of the two is said to be a vegan.

3. Jackson named top-earning dead celebrity: Michael Jackson, who died in the year 2009 is still generating millions of dollars. Jackson named top-earning dead celebrity for the 5th time. He was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. TV Narendran appointed as Global CEO of Tata Steel: Tata Steel Ltd promoted T V Narendran as chief executive officer and managing director globally. Narendran is 52 years old. He was serving as Managing Director (India and South East Asia) for the past four years.

SPORTS:

1. Diya Chitale wins silver medal at ITTF World Cadet Challenge: Indian table tennis player Diya Chitale won a silver medal in the girls’ doubles category of the 2017 ITTF World Cadet Challenge, in Suva, Fiji.  Diya also won a gold medal in the Team event, as part of Team Asia.

2. Heena Sidhu wins Gold at Commonwealth Shooting Championships: Ace Indian shooter Heena Sidhu has bagged gold in women’s 10m Air Pistol event at Commonwealth Shooting Championships in Brisbane, Australia. Heena shot a score of 240.8 in the finals to beat Australia’s Elena Galiabovitch, who has to settle for silver after posting 238.2. India also got its second medal through Deepak Kumar as he won bronze in men’s 10m Air Rifle event.

3. Birendra re-elected as President of IWLF: Birendra Prasad Baishya was re-elected as President of the Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) in the Annual General Body Meeting. The newly formed Executive Committee of IWLF consists of seven vice-presidents, and Sahdev Yadav has become the secretary general.

OBITUARIES:

1. Kannada writer and journalist, Khadri Achyuthan, dies at 71: Veteran Kannada writer and journalist Khadri Achyuthan died after a brief period of illness at 71 years age. He has also contributed to the coinage of new Kannada words. He is a veteran journalist, author, academic and translator of various literary works.He has written a book in Kannada on ISRO. He has worked on Kannada translations of Sardar Patel and Dr. Ambedkar.

Daily GK Updates - 31st October, 2017

Daily GK Updates - 31st October, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Run For Unity on National Unity Day:  PM Modi Flags Off 'Run For Unity' On Sardar Patel's birth anniversary. Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) is being celebrated to mark Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary (142nd), who has played a huge role in unifying the country. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the ‘Run for Unity’ from Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi. In 2014, Rashtriya Ekta Diwas was introduced by the Government of India and inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India in 1947. Vallabhbhai Patel was born on October 31, 1875 in Nadiad village of modern day Gujarat to Zaverbhai and Ladbai. He was a lawyer & a political activist and played a leading role during the Indian Independence Movement. After independence, he was crucial in the integration of over 500 princely states into the Indian Union.

2. PM Modi inaugurated Bidar-Kalaburagi new railway line in Karnataka: PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the Bidar - Kalaburagi New Railway track (110-KM) to the Nation by unveiling a plaque at Bidar Railway Station, in Karnataka. Bidar-Kalaburgi railway track is in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region. The distance between Bengaluru and New Delhi by 380km (travel time by six to eight hours). PM Modi also flagged off the DEMU (Diesel Electric Multiple Unit) Service between Bidar and Kalaburagi.

3. India to host UN wildlife summit CMS COP13 in 2020: India will host the next United Nations (UN) global wildlife conference in 2020. According to the official announcement, India to be the host of the next CMS Conference of the Parties CMSCOP13. CMS COP is a triennial summit that brings together States through which migratory animals pass through held once in three years.

4. Union Minister Ramdas Athawale launches Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana in Mumbai: The Union Minister of state for social justice and empowerment, Ramdas Athawale has launched the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana in Mumbai. The Objective of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana, making quality medicines available at affordable price to all, particularly to the poor and underprivileged through exclusive outlets. Jan Aushadhi Medical store is set up with an aim to reduce out of pocket expenses in healthcare. This will be a revolutionary step in healthcare and they will also urge doctors to prescribe for generic medicines.

5. India tops list of new TB cases in 2016: According to the Global TB Report 2017 released by WHO, India has topped the list of seven countries, accounting for 64% of the over 10 million new tuberculosis (TB) cases worldwide last year. India was followed by Indonesia, China, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria and South Africa. Last year, an estimated 1.7 million people died from TB. India along with China & Russia accounted for almost half of around 5 lakh multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) cases registered in 2016.Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB). Tuberculosis is spread through the air when people who have active TB in their lungs a cough, spit, speak, or sneeze.

6. Delhi HC asks Navy to consider transgender for alternate job:During the course of the hearing, the bench said, "the mindset should change. In today's situation, a medical condition like this cannot be suppressed." The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Centre to consider giving an alternate job to a transgender sailor who was removed from service after sex change, terming it an “out of the box situation”. “You can punish her for indiscipline, but at the same time you can accommodate her,” a bench of Justices G S Sistani and V K Rao suggested to Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Jain, who appeared for the Centre and Navy. Calling for a change in mindset, the bench said the instant case was probably the only one of its kind in the armed forces and asked the Navy to consider the transgender for some other job. 

7. Removal of Article 370 only viable solution to J-K issue-BJP: Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram's remark on Saturday that "when the people of Jammu and Kashmir ask for "azadi", most of them mean greater autonomy" had invited sharp criticism from the BJP. Amid a raging debate over autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP’s state unit on Monday said removal of Article 370, which grants special status to the state, was the only viable solution to the decades-old problem. “Removal of Article 370 and bringing Jammu and Kashmir on par with other states is the only viable solution to the issue,” BJP state spokesperson Professor Virender Gupta said in a statement in Jammu. He said this would be a befitting reply to separatists and Pakistan who are supporting and nourishing terrorism in the state and will pave the way to bring the people of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly those of the Valley, into the national mainstream.

8. India, Pakistan DGMOs discuss LoC firing: Lt Gen A K Bhatt emphatically stated that retaliatory firing by Indian troops has only been carried out in response to unabated support given by Pak Army to armed terrorists. In an unscheduled hotline conversation requested by Pakistan army, Indian Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen A K Bhatt spoke to his Pakistani counterpart on Monday afternoon and discussed firing along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. According to an official statement released by the Defence Ministry, “Pak DGMO alleged that Indian security forces had resorted to unprovoked firing along the Line of Control. Lt Gen A K Bhatt emphatically stated that retaliatory firing by Indian troops has only been carried out in response to unabated support given by Pak Army to armed terrorists who infiltrate across the border and target Indian Army posts with heavy calibre weapons.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  World Cities Day being celebrated today: The World is observing Cities Day on 31^st Oct with the commitment to work together for a planned and sustainable urban life in the wake of rapid growth of population and problems. This year, the United Nations (UN) has selected the theme ‘Innovative Governance, Open Cities’ to highlight the important role of urbanization as a source of global development and social inclusion. The general theme of World Cities Day is Better City, Better Life.

2. Saudi Arabia to allow women into sports stadiums from 2018: According to the Chairman of the General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia ‘Turki Al-Asheikh’, Saudi women will be able to attend sports events in stadiums starting from 2018.

Now, the authority will start the repair works at three main stadiums in Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah to accommodate families starting in 2018. Restaurants, cafes and monitor screens will be set up inside the stadiums. The move is aimed at empowering and engaging women in the society as an integral part of the development process. In September 2017, the General Sports Authority allowed women to enter King Fahd Stadium in Riyadh for the first time to celebrate Saudi Arabia's National Day.

3. India sends the first shipment to Afghanistan via Iran’s Chabahar port: India has flagged off a shipment of wheat from Kandla port (Gujarat) for Afghanistan through Chabahar port (Iran). It was flagged off by Union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Afghan counterpart Salahuddin Rabbani through video conferencing. It paves way for operationalization of Chabahar port as an alternate, reliable connectivity for landlocked Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan. Chabahar port is strategically located in Sistan-Balochistan province on energy-rich Iran’s southern coast in Gulf of Oman near its border with Pakistan and can be easily accessed from India’s western coast.

4. Uhuru Kenyatta wins controversial Kenyan poll rerun: Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has been declared the winner of a controversial re-run of the Presidential election. According to country's Election Commission, Uhuru Kenyatta has won 98% of the votes with a turnout at just under 39% - less than half that was recorded in August's vote. Earlier, Mr. Kenyatta was also declared the winner in August which was annulled because of irregularities. Now, The Opposition has seven days to mount a legal challenge.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS:

1. Indian Junior team win the bronze medal of Johor Cup Hockey: Indian Junior Men’s Hockey team beat hosts Malaysia 4-0 in the Bronze medal match of the 7th Sultan of Johor Cup 2017 at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium, in Malaysia. Goals from Vishal Antil (15’, 25’), Vivek Prasad (11’) and Shilanand Lakra (21’) were enough for India to finish their tournament with the Bronze medal.

2. India & Tunisia agreed to jointly combat terrorism: India and Tunisia have agreed to jointly combat terrorism while ramping up co-operation in the field of security. A review of bilateral ties was undertaken at the 12th India-Tunisia Joint Commission Meeting in New Delhi. A roadmap for India-Tunisia partnership has been also initiated by Mrs. Swaraj and Mr. Jhinaoui to give a new impetus to bilateral relations. Six agreements in the fields of judicial co-operation, co-operation in youth issues, information and communications technology, trade and business, were signed.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. India and World Bank signed USD 200 Million loan agreement for Assam: The World Bank and Government of India have signed a USD 200 million loan agreement for the Assam Agribusiness and Rural transformation project. The Project will support the state to facilitate agri-business investments, increase agricultural productivity and market access. Over five lacks farming households will directly benefit from the Project in over 16 Districts of Assam.