Daily GK Update 31th May 2017

World No Tobacco Day: 31 May 

i. World No Tobacco Day is observed around the world every year on May 31. The theme for World No Tobacco Day 2017 is "Tobacco – a threat to development." 
ii. This theme has been set by the World Health Organization, WHO. The campaign aims to demonstrate the threats that the tobacco industry poses to sustainable development, including the health and economic well-being of citizens in all countries.

Static Takeaways-

• Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will be the New head of WHO  after replacing Margaret Chan.
• Headquarter of WHO is in Geneva, Switzerland.
• The member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) created World No Tobacco Day in 1987.

India and Fiji Sign MoU on Defence Cooperation

i. The Minister of Defence and National Security of Fiji, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola accompanied by his delegation signed a MoU with the Minister of Defence, Finance and Corporate Affairs, Shri Arun Jaitley in New Delhi.
ii. An MoU on defence cooperation envisaging several areas of cooperation including in defence industry, military training and humanitarian assistance & disaster management was signed. 

Static Takeaways-

• Fiji Capital is Suva and its Currency is Fijian Dollar.
• Frank Bainimarama is the PM of Fiji.

India, Germany sign 12 agreements

i. India and Germany inked twelve memoranda of understanding and agreements following bilateral delegation-level talks presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel. 
ii. The agreements inked included nine joint declarations of intent (JDIs) and three memoranda of understanding. The agreements include collaboration in the field of digitalization, skill development, and cooperation in cyber policy. Besides, the two nations also agreed to resume the free trade talks between India and the European Union.

Static Takeaways-

• The Capital of Germany is Berlin and its Currency is  Euro.

43rd G7 Summit held in Sicily, Italy

i. 43rd G7 Summit was held on 26-27 May, 2017 in Taormina, Sicily, Italy. The 43rd G7 summit was the first summit for British Prime Minister Theresa May.
ii. The Group of 7 (G7) is a group consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The European Union is also represented within the G7.  The theme of the Italian G7 Summit 2017 is-" Building the Foundation of Renewed Trust." 

Static Takeaways-

• The first occasion of G7 Summit was in 1980 in Venice, Italy
• Next G-7 Summit will be held in Canada in 2018.
• This is the sixth time that Italy has taken over the rotating G7 Presidency
• PM of Italy is Paolo Gentiloni and the capital and currency is Rome and Euro respectively.

New pink-green one rupee notes to be in circulation soon

i. The Reserve Bank of India will soon put into circulation currency notes in one rupee denomination. New one rupee notes with predominantly pink-green on obverse and reverse in combination with other colours will be soon put into circulation.
ii. The notes bearing the rupee symbol have been printed by the Government of India. At present, one rupee coins are minted. The note will bear signature of Shaktikanta Das, Secretary in the Ministry of Finance.
iii. The numbering will be in black at right-hand bottom portion of the note. On the reverse side, the year ‘2017’ is mentioned. There is also a representation of One Rupee coin with rupee symbol having floral design and the surrounding design consists of the picture of ‘Sagar Samrat’ the oil exploration platform.

Static Takeaways-

• BP Kanungo is the New Deputy Governor of RBI after replacing of R Gandhi
• Urjit Patel is the 24th Governor of RBI and its headquarter is in Mumbai
• RBI was nationalised in 1949.

 India ranks 120th among 131 nations in women workforce: World Bank report

i. According to India Development Report released by World Bank,  India had one of the lowest female participation in the workforce, ranking 120th among 131 countries.
ii. As per the report, the participation level has been dropping since 2005, despite having 42% women who are graduates. Jobs for Indian women remain primarily in the agriculture sector.
iii. The share of women in services and industry is less than 20%. Indian women’s workforce participation is closer to Pakistan (24.6 percent) and the Arab world (23.3 percent) while neighboring Countries Nepal (79.9 percent) and China (63.9 percent) are leagues ahead.

Static Takeaways-

• World Bank President is Jim Yong Kim and its headquarter is in Washington D.C. USA
• World Bank was founded in 1944.

Pentagon successfully tests ICBM defense system for first time

i. United States has for the first time successfully tested its defence system against an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). 

ii. A ground-based interceptor was launched at a California air base and shot down a mock ballistic missile. As per the Pentagon, the test comes after Pyongyang fired its ninth missile this year. 

iii. It was the first live-fire test against a simulated ICBM for the Ground-Based Missile Defense.

Static Takeaways-

• The Pentagon headquarters in Washington, D.C. U.S.A.
• The Pentagon is situated across the Potomac River.

India’s Health Minister JP Nadda gets WHO’s special recognition for tobacco control

i. World No-Tobacco-Day is observed on 31st May globally. On this day people are encouraged to observe abstinence of 24 hours from all forms of tobacco consumption.
ii. This year Union Health Minister of India Jagat Prakash Nadda is chosen for WHO Director-General Special Recognition Awards for accelerating India’s tobacco control initiatives and taking bold measures to protect people against hazards of tobacco use.

Static Takeaways-

• The theme for World No Tobacco Day 2017 is "Tobacco – a threat to development"

India to have its own GPS system from 2018

i.Coming next year, you won't have to rely on heavily accented lady for directions on Google Maps. Instead India will be having its own GPS system. 'NavIC' will be operational early 2018. 

ii. NavIC or 'Navigation with Indian Constellation' the name given by PM Narendra Modi after the launch of Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System IRNSS-1G, is designed to provide accurate position information to users within the country. 

Static Takeaways-

• Full Form of NavIC is Navigation with Indian Constellation.

Harmanpreet Kaur become the first Indian woman to play in Kia Super League

i. Harmanpreet Kaur, the captain of India's T20 team has become the first Indian Women cricketer to play in Kia Super League, the England T20 League.

Static Takeaways-

• The Kia Super League is also known as the Women's Cricket Super League.

Kohli only Indian in top 10 of ICC ODI rankings

i. India captain Virat Kohli is the lone cricketer from the country to feature in the top 10 of the ICC Players Rankings for ODIs as he managed to hold on to his third spot in the batsman's chart.
ii.  The top three batsmen  South Africa's AB de Villiers (874 rating points), Australian David Warner (871) and Kohli (852) are separated by just 22 points.

Static Takeaways-

• Virat Kohli received the prestigious Polly Umrigar Award during BCCI’s International Cricketer of the Year awards 2017.
• Virat Kohli is the first to receive the Polly Umrigar Award award thrice. He had won the award in 2011-12 and in 2014-15.

Lionel Messi wins fourth Golden Shoe

i. Barcelona striker Lionel Messi won the European Golden Shoe for a record-equaling fourth time having scored 37 goals in the Spanish league.
ii. He drew level with Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo with the fourth honor

Static Takeaways-

• Lionel Andrés "Leo" Messi is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club FC Barcelona and the Argentina national team.

Daily GK Update 30th May 2017

Govt to launch new campaign called Darwaza Band

i. The government launched new campaign called Darwaza Band for promotion of toilet usage in the rural areas across the country.
ii. Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan, who leads the campaign, is proposed to be joined by Union Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation Narendra Singh Tomar and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at the formal launch event to be held in Mumbai.
iii. The campaign also features actor, Anushka Sharma, who will be seen encouraging women to stand up for this issue in their villages and assume a leadership role.

Static Takeaways-

• Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is a campaign by the Government of India to clean the streets, roads and infrastructure of the country's 4,041 statutory cities and towns.
• It is launched on the occasion of  Gandhi Jayanti 02nd October 2014.

Prakash Javadekar launches UGC App to fight ragging

i. Union Human Resource Development Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar launched an Anti-Ragging Mobile App introduced by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in New Delhi.
ii. This mobile app will help students register complaints to counter the menace of ragging.
iii. This app will work on android system on which students can log in and register their complaints immediately. Accordingly all concerned will be informed immediately and action will start immediately.

Static Takeaways-

• The University Grants Commission of India is a statutory body set up by the Indian Union government in accordance to the UGC Act 1956. 
• It comes under the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

EPFO gives nod to hike in stock investment to 15 per cent 

i. The Employees Provident Fund Organisation has approved hike in investment limit in exchange traded funds (ETFs) to 15%, from the existing 10%, Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya stated it.
ii. The decision was taken during the meeting of the Central Board of Trustees (CBT). In 2016, the investment was raised to 10%.

Static Takeaways-

• EPFO came into existence under the pormulgation of the Employee's Provident Fund Ordinance on the 15th November,1951. 
• It was replaced by the Employee's Provident Fund Act, 1952.

Banks Board Bureau gets 2 more members

i. The government has expanded the Banks Board Bureau (BBB) headed by former comptroller and auditor general Vinod Rai by adding two more members.
ii. Former Allahabad Bank chairperson and managing director Shubhalaxmi Panse and private equity player Pradip Shah have been inducted into the board as independent members.

Static Takeaways-

• Banks Board Bureau (BBB) headed by Vinod Rai 
• The Bureau started functioning from April 01, 2016 as an autonomous recommendatory body.

Prasar Bharati signs MoU with Morocco's SNRT

i. Government-run Prasar Bharati has got into an agreement with Morocco's Societe Nationale de Radiodiffusion et de Television (SNRT) to step up cooperation in the broadcasting sector.
ii. The MoU was signed during the fifth India Morocco Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) in Rabat, Morocco's capital.

Static Takeaways for Dena Bank PO Exam-

• SNRT full form is Societe Nationale de Radiodiffusion et de Television
• Morocco currency is Moroccan Dirham and its capital is Rabat.

Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla appointed Jamia Millia Islamia Chancellor

i. Manipur Governor and former Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptulla has been appointed as the Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.
ii. 77-year old Heptulla succeeds Lt. Gen. (Retd.) M.A. Zaki, who completes his five-year term this month. Ms. Heptulla will also serve for the term of five-years.

Static Takeaways-

• Talat Ahmad is the Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia
• Jamia Millia Islamia, an institution originally established at Aligarh, in 1920 it became a Central University by an act of the Indian Parliament in 1988
• In Urdu language, Jamia means ‘University’, and Millia means ‘National’.

Amul inks MoU with ISRO for fodder acreage estimation

i. Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF)  has signed an agreement with ISRO for fodder acreage assessment using satellite observation and space technology.  

ii. Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), ISRO will help in identification between food crops and fodder crops at village level and also locate suitable areas of current fallows and cultivable wastelands at village level for green fodder cultivation. 

Static Takeaways-

• Managing Director of GCMMF is R S Sodhi
• Chairman of ISRo is A S Kiran Kumar
• ISRO was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka
• Vikram Sarabhai was the founder of ISRO

India is second most complex tax jurisdiction: Deloitte

i. Indian tax laws are perceived to be second most complex in the Asia-Pacific region, becoming even less predictable over the last three years, according to Deloitte survey. 

ii. India ranks only after China in having most complex jurisdiction for taxation and most complicated requirements of tax, the Asia Pacific Tax Complexity Survey conducted by Deloitte.Japan, Australia, Indonesia and South Korea trail India in the complexity index.

Static Takeaways-

• CEO of Deloitte is Punit Renjen.

Former Greek Prime Minister Constantine Mitsotakis dies

i. Constantine Mitsotakis, a former prime minister of Greece remembered for fierce confrontations with Greece's liberal and socialist parties has died.
ii. He served in several Cabinet posts, including finance minister, in liberal governments in 1951-52 and 1963-65.

Static Takeaways-

• Greece Capital is Athens and its Currency is Euro
• PM of Greece is Alexis Tsipras.

Fencer Bhavani Devi, First Indian to win gold in International Event

i. Indian fencer C A Bhavani Devi struck gold in the Turnoi Satellite Fencing Championship at Reykjavik (Iceland).
ii. Bhavani Devi, who hails from Chennai, defeated Great Britain’s Sarah Jane Hampson 15-13.
iii.With this win, Bhavani Devi has also become the first Indian to win a gold medal in an international fencing event. She had previously won a silver medal.

Static Takeaways-

• Fencing, also called Olympic fencing, is a sport in which two competitors fight using 'rapier-style' swords.

Sebastian Vettel wins Monaco Grand Prix

i. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel won the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco, La Condamine and Monte Carlo, Monaco. 

ii. The second place in the race was secured by Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen, while the third place was secured by Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo.

Static Takeaways-

• Sebastian Vettel is a German racing driver currently driving in Formula One for Scuderia Ferrari.

Daily GK Update 29th May 2017

PM Narendra Modi to embark on 4-nation tour today

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a four nation tour beginning today. He will visit Germany first. Trade and commerce, economic cooperation and counter terrorism will be high on the agenda during the Prime Minister’s visit to Germany, Spain, Russia and France.
ii. He will take part in the 4th Indo-German Inter-governmental Consultations. Mr. Modi will be the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Spain in almost 30 years.

Static Takeaways-

• Capital of Germany is Berlin and its President is Frank-Walter Steinmeier
• Madrid is the Capital of Spain and its PM is Mariano Rajoy
• The Capital of Russia is Moscow its Currency is Russian rubleand President is Vladimir Putin
• The Capital of France is Paris, its President is Emmanuel Macron and Prime minister is Edouard Philippe.

International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers: 29th May

i. 29 May is celebrated as the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers.
ii. The day was established to Honour the memory of the UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives in the cause of peace and pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in UN peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication and courage.
iii. The theme for the 2017 International Day of UN Peacekeepers is “Investing in Peace Around the World".

Static Takeaways-

• The first UN peacekeeping mission was established in 1948
• The name "United Nations", coined by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt was first used in the Declaration by United Nations of 1 January 1942
• On 24 October 1945, The United Nations officially comes into existence
• Antonio Guterres is the Secretary-General of United Nations
• United Nations is headquartered in New York.

Vadodara creates Guinness record for most people sweeping street

i. Vadodara, which was declared the 10th cleanest city in the country made a new Guinness world record for the maximum number of people sweeping a single venue.
ii. About 5,058 residents of the city came together to achieve the feat at the venue which was a bridge that connected Akota, an urban area.
iii. The large-scale event saw about 50,000 people in attendance as they cheered and rendered their support to the participants.  The event was organised as a tribute to prime minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ initiative.

Static Takeaways For SBI PO Mains Exam-

• Indore was the the Cleanest city in India
• Gonda was the dirtiest city in India
• The capital of Gujarat is Gandhinagar
• Om Prakash Kohli is the current governor of Gujarat.

Pune city police receive FICCI Smart Policing Award 2017

i. The Pune city police have received the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FICCI) Smart Police Award for the year 2017.
ii. Pune Police Commissioner Rashmi Shukla received the award from BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi during a program organized by FICCI and Vivekanand International Foundation on Homeland Security in Delhi.
iii. The program focused on the use of modern technology for countering internal security issues.

Static Takeaways-

• FICCI full form is Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries
• President of FICCI is Pankaj R Patel.

Dailong village in Manipur declared Biodiversity Heritage Site

i. The Manipur government has declared Dailong village of Tamenglong district as a Biodiversity Heritage Site of the state. Dailong village, covering an area of 11.35 sq km, has been declared as Biodiversity Heritage Site under Section 37(1) of Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
ii. The declaration was made after the recommendation of Manipur Biodiversity Board, the state government has stated in the notification.

Static Takeaways-

• CM of Manipur is N. Biren Singh and the governor is Dr. Najma Hptulla
• The Keibul Lamjao National Park is situated in Manipur.

ISRO set to launch monster rocket into space

i. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is all set to launch its most powerful launch vehicle, Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) Mark III into space.
ii. ISRO will be launching the GSLV Mark III, earlier named Launch Vehicle Mark (LVM)-3, a heavy launch capability launcher, on June 5, 2017 from Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. 

Important Points about GSLV-Mark-III:

1. GSLV Mark-III enables ISRO to launch from India heavier communication spacecraft to geostationary orbits of 36,000 km. 

2. GSLV Mark III will launch the GSAT-19 satellite, which is a high throughput communication satellite. It will help in India’s efforts to increase internet connectivity in the country. 

3. The GSLV is a three-stage vehicle with two solid motor strap-ons, a liquid propellant core stage (L110) and a cryogenic stage (C25). 

4. GSLV-Mk III-D1 is the first developmental flight carrying the GSAT-19 satellite.

China launches satellite navigation positioning system

i. China launched a national satellite navigation and positioning system which will provide positioning service to transportation, emergency medical rescue and city planning and management. It is the largest in the country and boasts the widest coverage.
ii. The system consists of 2,700 base stations, a national database centre and 30 provincial level database centers.
iii. The system, featuring faster speed, higher accuracy and wider coverage, will be compatible with other satellite navigation systems, such as the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System and Global Position System (GPS).

Static Takeaways-

• PM of China is Li Keqiang and President is Xi Jinping
• Currency of China is Renminbi and Capital is Beijing
• The Great Wall of China is situated at Huairou in China.

IOC overtakes ONGC to become India's most profitable PSU

i. Indian Oil Corporation has overtaken Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) to become India’s most profitable state-owned company.
ii. IOC, which has for decades been India’s biggest company by turnover, posted a 70 per cent jump in net profit to Rs. 19,106.40 crore in the financial year ended March 31, 2017.
iii. Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries retained the crown of being India’s most profitable private company for the third year in a row, posting a net Rs. 29,901 crore in financial year 2016-17. Tata Consultancy Services, India’s largest software services exporter, with a net profit of Rs. 26,357 crore was the second most profitable private company in the country.

Static Takeaways-

• Mr. B. Ashok is Chairman of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.
• Dinesh K. Sarraf is the Chairman & Managing Director of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd.
• Natarajan Chandrasekaran is the Chairman of TCS.

 Defence Minister inaugurates DRDO’s Aeronautical Test Range in Karnataka

i. Union Defence and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley inaugurated the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO)’s new Aeronautical Test Range (ATR) in Karnataka.
ii. The ATR is a facility under the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) which works on a range of UAVs (unmanned air vehicles). It will be an integrated test center for the DRDO’s cluster of aeronautical laboratories, most of them based in Bengaluru.

Static Takeaways-

• CEO of DRDO is S. Christopher and its headquarter is in New Delhi. 

Satyabrata Rout gets Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar

i. Satyabrata Rout, a professor from the Department of Theatre Arts, S N School of Arts and Communication, University of Hyderabad (UoH) has been awarded Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar for the year 2016.
 ii. He is one of the pioneers of ‘visual theater’ in India, and has ‘Scenography: An Indian Perspective’.

Static Takeaways-

• The Sangeet Natak Akademi created by a resolution of the Ministry of Education, Government of India on 31 May 1952.

BSF officer summits Mount Everest a record 6th time, 1st Indian to clinch feat

i. Uttarakhand Mountaineer Love Raj Singh Dharmshaktu has become the first Indian to summit Mount Everest a record six times. 
ii. Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, the premier institute of mountaineering under the ministry of defence in Uttarkashi, has confirmed that Dharmshaktu is the first Indian to summit the peak six times.

Static Takeaways for SBI PO Mains Exam-

• Mount Everest, also known in Nepal as Sagarmāthā and in China as Chomolungma, is Earth's highest mountain.
• Mount Everest height is about 8,848 meters.

Sudirman Cup 2017: South Korea beat China to clinch the title after 14 years 

i. South Korea won Badminton's Sudirman Cup for the first time in 14 years with 3-2 victory over 10-time champions China at Australia's Gold Coast. 

ii. Before 2017, South Korea won the Sudirman Cup in 1991 and 1993, fought back from 2-1 down in the final to claim victory.

Static Takeaways-

• South Korea capital is Seoul and currency is South Korean Won.

 Priyanka Chopra bags Dadasaheb Phalke Award 

i. Actress Priyanka Chopra will be honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award for being an international icon. 'Internationally Acclaimed Actress' category at a ceremony.
ii. The board of trustees for Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Awards include Johny Lever, Pahlaj Nihalani, Mithun Chakraborty and TP Agrawal. The award ceremony will be held on June 1, 2017 in Mumbai.

Static Takeaways-

• The Dadasaheb Phalke Award is India's highest award in cinema and it was established in 1969. 
• The first recipient of this award was Devika Rani.

Daily GK Update 27th and 28th May 2017

India announces $500 mn assistance to Mauritius

i. India announced a $500 million line of credit to Mauritius as the two countries resolved to deepen ties in a range of areas including the maritime domain. The two countries also signed a maritime security agreement after extensive talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Mauritian counterpart Pravind Jugnauth. 

ii. In a statement, Modi stated he and Jugnauth agreed that effective management of conventional and non-conventional threats in the Indian Ocean is essential to pursue economic opportunities.

Goldman, Citigroup among 5 bankers selected for IOC stake sale 

i. The government has selected five merchant bankers, including Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, to manage the government's 3 per cent stake sale in IOC (Indian Oil Corporation) which could fetch about Rs 6,000 crore to the exchequer. The other bankers who have been selected by the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) for managing the stake sale are Deutsche Equities, SBI Capital Markets and ICICI Securities. 

ii. As many as 10 merchant bankers had made presentations before the DIPAM yesterday, out of which five were selected. 

Apple opens first official store in Southeast Asia

i. Apple opened its first Southeast Asia store in Singapore, drawing hundreds of excited fans to the swanky two-storey site in the city’s upmarket shopping district. Located on the affluent Orchard Road, the new shop — easily distinguished by its iconic glass facade — is expected to be one of the most popular Apple stores in the world according to the US tech giant.

ii. Merchandise such as the iPhone and MacBook were strategically placed on display across the spacious first floor, while the upper level acted as a classroom for customers to participate in hands-on sessions. 

Nagpur gets India's first fleet of electric vehicles 

i. The Orange City (Nagpur) has become India’s first city to have electric mass mobility system. It will have a fleet of 200 electric vehicles including taxis, buses, e-rickshaw and autorickshaws, all of which will be fully owned by cab aggregator Ola. 

ii. Road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari, along with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has inaugurated India’s first multi-modal electric vehicle project at the Nagpur Airport Complex. 

India-Mauritius sign four agreements

i. Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth is on a three-day visit to India. This is his first port of call after assuming office and India laid out a red carpet welcome to make it a truly historic and memorable first visit. Apart from announcing a 500 million USD line of credit, India offered unconditional cooperation in the key area of maritime security in the Indian Ocean region. 

ii. Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured Mauritius of continued Indian support in other important sectors including skill development and human resource development. Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth had extensive delegation level talks with Indian PM Narendra Modi. At the conclusion of the talks, both the countries inked four important agreements in the field of education, maritime security, marine science and technology.

Daily GK Update : 27th May 2017

National & International Appointment 

1. Rajan Anandan appointed chairman of IAMAI

• Rajan Anandan has been appointed as the new chairman of Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).
• Currently, Mr. Anandan is the vice-president of Google for South East Asia and India.
• He will succeed Kunal Shah (co-founder and chief executive officer FreeCharge).
• The vice-chairman of IAMAI will be Deep Kalra (Chairman of MakeMyTrip).
• Subho Ray will continue to be the president of IAMAI.

Note:

• IAMAI is a not-for-profit industry body registered under the Societies Act, 1986.
• Its aim is to improve and expand the value-added services pertaining to mobiles and several online services.

National Affairs

2. India, Mauritius sign four agreements including bilateral maritime security

• India and Mauritius have signed four agreements (in the field of education, training, and research) after delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Mauritius counterpart Pravind Kumar Jugnauth in New Delhi.
• The bilateral Maritime Security Agreement will further strengthen mutual cooperation and capacities between the two nations.
• The agreements extending a 500-million Dollar line of credit to Mauritius.

3. Centre bans sale & purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter

 

• The union environment and Forests ministry has notified new rule, banned the sale and purchase of cattle from animal markets for slaughter by notifying a stringent Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Rules 2017 under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
• The rules prohibit the sale of cattle for slaughter at animal markets, effectively barring this nationwide, including in states such as Kerala which allow the slaughter of cows.
• The member secretary of an animal market committee will have to ensure that no person brings a young animal to the animal market.

Obituaries

4. Former Punjab DGP KPS Gill passes away

• Former DGP of Punjab KPS Gill (82-year) passed away in Delhi.
• Gill had served twice as the DGP of Punjab and credited with bringing insurgency under control in Punjab.
• In 1989, Gill was awarded the Padma Shri for his work in the civil service.
• Gill was also president of the Institute for Conflict Management and president of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF).

Science & Defence

5. NASA’s Juno spacecraft discovers earth-sized storms on Jupiter

• Juno spacecraft of NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) has discovered Earth-sized cyclones at the poles of the Jupiter and unveiled the presence of the storm systems that travel deep into the heart of the planet.
• The Juno spacecraft flew for about 4,200 kms of Jupiter’s swirling cloud top.
• The findings were the result of the Juno probe’s first data-collection.
• The findings suggest the presence of ammonia clouds over the planet which are quite variable and continue to increase up to a few hundred miles or kilometres.

Books & Authors

6. Virat Kohli's Winning Formula Revealed in New Book

• A new book “Winning like Virat: Think & Succeed like Kohli” has revealed by Abhirup Bhattacharya.
• The book unravels the secrets of Virat Kohli's consistent form, while attempting to decode his philosophy towards life.

 7. Kiren Rijiju unveils world's first philosophical novel on God

• The Union Minister Kiren Rijiju unveils world's first philosophical novel on God in New Delhi.
• Haulianlal Guite (IAS officer from Manipur) has published a book titled "Confessions of a dying mind: the blind faith of atheism"
• The book is touted as "the world’s first philosophical novel for God".

Honours & Awards

8. Taj Mahal ranks 5th on top 10 global landmarks

• The 'Taj Mahal' has become the Indian monument to figure in the world's top 10 Travellers' Choice awards for Landmarks.
• The historic monument Taj Mahal has ranked at the fifth position in the list.
• The top spot clinched by the world’s largest religious monument 'Angkor Wat' in Cambodia.
• The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the south bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian city of Agra.
• It was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

Note:

• 1st - Angkor Wat (Cambodia).
• 2nd - Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center (Abu Dhabi)
• 3rd - Mezquita Cathedral de Cordoba (Spain)
• 4th - St Peter's Basilica (Vatican City)
• 5th - Taj Mahal (India)

Daily GK Update 26th May 2017

Uttar Pradesh Govt. launches JE vaccination drive in 38 districts

i. In Uttar Pradesh, a massive immunisation drive has been launched in 38 districts to eradicate Japanese Encephalitis (JE). Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has launched the drive from Kushinagar district. The government also launched a toll-free number to get or provide any information about encephalitis. The number is 18001805544. His several cabinet colleagues also participated in the launch programmes in different districts. Drive will be continued by June 11th, 2017.

ii. Initiating the drive from a slum locality in Kushinagar district, Mr Yogi issued an appeal to all the public representatives starting from MPs to village Pradhans to give their full cooperation in the drive. 

Static Takeaways-

• Ram Naik is Governor of Uttar Pradesh
• Dudhwa National Park is a national park in Uttar Pradesh
• Uttar Pradesh is India's most populous state.
• As per details from Census 2011, Uttar Pradesh has the population of 19.98 Crores.
• Mumbai is second most crowded city in the world: WEF

 Mumbai is second most crowded city in the world: WEF

i. Two Indian cities — Mumbai and Kota — have been named among the world’s most crowded in a list topped by Dhaka, according to World Economic Forum (WEF) citing UN-Habitat data. With a population density of 44,500 people per square kilometre, Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is the most crowded city on the planet, followed by India’s financial capital Mumbai, home to 31,700 people per square kilometre at the second place.

ii. Kota in Rajasthan with 12,100 people per square kilometre was ranked seventh. Others in the list include Medellin in Columbia ranked third with 19,700 people per square kilometre, Manila, Philippines (4th, 14,800), Casablanca, Morocco (5th, 14,200), Lagos, Nigeria (6th, 13,300), Singapore (8th, 10,200) and Jakarta, Indonesia (9th, 9,600).

Static Takeaways-

• World Economic Forum (WEF) was established in 1971.
• WEF is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
• The Gateway of India is a monument built during the 20th century in Mumbai City of Maharashtra state in Western India.

PM Modi inaugurates India's longest bridge in Assam

i. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the country’s longest bridge - the Dhola-Sadia Bridge in Assam on. Mr Modi walked a short distance over the bridge and enjoyed two minutes of solitude amidst his hectic schedule, with a strong wind above him and gushing waters below him as his companions. 

ii. Mr Modi named the bridge after legendary singer Bhupen Hazarika. This three-lane, the 9.15-kilometre bridge has been built over the Brahmaputra river. It links Dhola to Sadia, both in Assam. The bridge will reduce the distance from Rupai on NH- 37 in Assam to Meka-Roing on NH-52 in Arunachal Pradesh by 165 KM. The travel time between the two places will come down from the current six hours to just one hour, a total five-hour reduction. 

Static Takeaways-

• Banwarilal Purohit is Governor of Assam.
• Sarbananda Sonowal is Chief Minister of Assam.
• The Kamakhya Temple also Kamrup-Kamakhya is a Hindu temple dedicated to the mother goddess Kamakhya is in located in Kamakhya, Guwahati in Assam.
• Bhupen Hazarika was an Indian playback singer, lyricist, musician, singer, poet and film-maker from Assam.
• US Senate confirms Indian-American Amul Thapar to key judicial post

US Senate confirms Indian-American Amul Thapar to key judicial post

i. The United States Senate has confirmed Indian-American Judge Amul Thapar to a key judicial position on the powerful US court of appeals. Thapar, the first Indian-American to be nominated by US President Donald Trump for the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals, was confirmed by the Senate 52-44, a vote on party lines. 

ii. With this, 48-year-old Thapar will become the second South Asian judge to be on the US Circuit Court of Appeals, which hears appeals from Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio and Michigan. Thapar, currently a US District Court Judge, was nominated by Trump on 21st March. Thapar received his undergraduate degree from Boston College and his law degree from the University of California, Berkeley.

Static Takeaways-

• Since 1976 the US Senate Historical Office has conducted interviews with senators and staff. 
• Office of Senator is in Washington, D.C. 
• Donald John Trump is the 45th and current President of the United States.
• The Federal Reserve System is the central banking system of the United States.

President receives book on PM Modi's 'Mann Ki Baat'

i. President Pranab Mukherjee has received the first copy of two books 'Mann Ki Baat-A Social Revolution on Radio' and 'Marching with a Billion-Analysing Narendra Modi’s Government at Mid term' at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. Speaker of Lok Sabha, Sumitra Mahajan formally released the books at a function in Rashtrapati Bhavan. The book Mann Ki Baat: A Social Revolution on Radio by Rajesh Jain is a compilation of Prime Minister Modi’s addresses to the nation on All India Radio every month under the programme Mann Ki Baat.

ii. It contains a comprehensive, qualitative and academic analysis of programme - the themes, the choice of topics, the salient features. It illustrates how this programme has connected with the New India - the youth in particular. It also presents a coherent narrative about the manner in which 'Mann Ki Baat' has created mass movements, including cleanliness, safer roads, and drugs free India.

iii. The book Marching with a Billion- Analysing Narendra Modi’s Government at Mid-term written by eminent journalist Uday Mahurkar analyses the monumental changes that PM Narendra Modi has brought on multiple fronts as Prime Minister on India's governance landscape by ushering in an unprecedented culture of transparency to create a level playing field.

Static Takeaways-

• ‘Mann Ki Baat’ is a unique initiative of the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to reach the masses across the country through the Radio. 
• PM Modi's Mann Ki Baat programme was first aired on October 03rd 2014.

Google India head Rajan Anandan appointed IAMAI chairman

i. Google’s vice-president for South East Asia and India, Rajan Anandan has been appointed the new chairman of Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). 

ii. He will take over from FreeCharge’s co-founder and chief executive officer Kunal Shah. MakeMyTrip Chairman & Group CEO Deep Kalra has taken over as vice-chairman from music app Saavn co-founder and president Vinodh Bhat; Facebook’s managing director - India & South Asia, Umang Bedi has been elected as the new treasurer of the association, while Subho Ray continues to be the president. The tenure of the new Council is for two years.

Static Takeaways-

• The Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) is a not-for-profit industry body registered under the Societies Act, 1896.
• Founded in January 2004 by leading portals in India, IAMAI is the only specialised industry body in India representing the interests of online and mobile value added services industry.