DAILY GK UPDATE 9TH MARCH 1. Nicolas Maduro sworn in as the Interim President of Venezuela i.

Venezuelan Vice- President Nicolas Maduro on 8 March 2013 was sworn in as Venezuelas acting president, despite the Opposition resistance as it is being considered to the violation of the countrys constitution. NOTE: i. Late President Hugo Chavez who died on 5 March 2013 after two year long fight against cancer named Maduro as his successor before undergoing the latest surgery in December 2012. ii. He picked Nicolas Maduro as the presidential candidate of Chavezs socialist party. 2. Uhuru Kenyatta To Be New Kenya President i. In Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta has won presidential election with a slim margin of 50.03 percent of votes. ii. He defeated his rival Raila Odinga. iii. Kenyans hope this election would restore their reputation as one of Africa's most stable democracies after the tribal slaughter that followed the disputed 2007 vote. iv. Kenyatta is the son of Jomo Kenyatta the first prime minister (1963-1964) and president (1964-1978), who is considered the founding father of the Kenyan nation. 3. RBI Sign first Currency Swap Agreement with Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan i. The Reserve Bank of India - RBI today signed the first Currency Swap Agreement with the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan. ii. A notification issued by RBI said the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan can draw US Dollar, Euro or Indian Rupee in multiple tranches up to a maximum of 100 million US dollars or its equivalent. iii. The agreement signed by RBI with Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan is expected to further economic co-operation between the two countries. iv. The agreement will be valid for a period of three years. NOTE: i. During the SAARC FINANCE meeting last year, RBI Governor Dr. D. Subbarao had announced that RBI would offer swap facilities aggregating 2 billion US dollars, both in foreign currency and Indian rupee to SAARC countries. ii. The swap arrangement is intended to provide a backstop line of funding for the SAARC member countries to meet any balance of payments and liquidity crises till longer term arrangements are made. iii. The agreement can also be used to tide over short-term liquidity crunch due to market turbulence. 4. Pakistan PM Raja Pervez Ashraf arrives Jaipur i. Pakistan Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf arrives in Jaipur for day-long private visit and will drive down to Ajmer to offer prayers at the Ajmer Sharif Dargah. ii. The premier was seen off at the airport by Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabharwal and senior Pakistani officials. iii. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will host lunch for the premier in Jaipur. NOTE: i. No official meeting is scheduled during his visit. ii. This is likely to be Ashraf's last foreign visit before the term of his government ends on 16th March. 5. Tibetan blogger gets Women of Courage Award i. Tsering Woeser, Tibetan author, poet and blogger was honoured with the prestigious International Women of Courage Award but the activist was unable to attend the ceremony as China denied her a passport necessary for her to travel to the US to receive the prize. ii. "For courageously striving to improve human rights conditions for China's Tibetan citizens by illuminating their plight through her writings, and thus giving eloquent voice to those whose stories might otherwise never be heard, Tsering Woeser is a woman of courage," Secretary of State John Kerry said

reading her citation at the awards ceremony held at the State Department. 6. BlackBerrys India Managing Director Sunil Dutt resigned i. Blackberry India Managing Director Sunil Dutt, who joined the company in December 2011, quit from the company in the month of March 2013 within a month after leading the launch of BlackBerry 10 OS and the Z10 in India ii. Rick Costanzo, Executive Vice President for Global Sales, will take over the leadership of the talented management team in India . NOTE: i. India is an extremely important market for BlackBerry and aim of company is to continue to build on recent momentum with the launch of BlackBerry 10. ii. BlackBerrys marketshare in India has been seeing a steady fall, despite strong brand value. 7. Sonia lays foundation stone of ANANDA i. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi laid the foundation stone of a residential, educational-cum- vocational training centre for persons with autism spectrum disorders at village Gairatpur Bass on Friday. ii. She said it is first centre of its kind not only in India but perhaps in South Asia and that such people should be dealt with special care and sensitivity by the society. iii. The centre will be developed by an NGO named Action for Autism on about 10 acres of land in village Gairatpur Bass in Gurgaon. 8. The Test of My Life'- Yuvraj's memoir to be auctioned online i. The first twenty copies of Indian batsman Yuvraj Singh's memoir, 'The Test of My Life', will go up for bid online on Saturday. ii. The memoir chronicles Yuvraj's trials and tribulations as he successfully battled cancer following the euphoria of the 2011 World Cup win. iii. In this exclusive offer, bids open at a base price of Rs. 5000 and the 20 highest bidders will each win a copy of the book, personally dedicated and autographed by Yuvraj. 9. Azlan Shah Hockey: India to take on Aus in opening match i. Team India will take on world champions Australia in its opening encounter of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament in Malaysia. ii. It will be a test of character for a young and new-look Indian team when it takes on the world champions Australia in its opening encounter of the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament in Malaysia on Saturday. iii. The match between six-time champions Australia and five-time winners India is being billed as the clash of the day. a 10. Saina Nehwal enters semifinals in All England Championship i. Olympic bronze medalist Saina Nehwal inched closer to her dream of winning the prestigious All England Championship as she advanced to the semifinals with a thrilling three-game victory over former world number one Shixian Wang of China in the women's singles competition in Birmingham. ii. The world number three Saina retrieved everything thrown at her and engaged her rival into long rallies to eventually prevail 23-21 19-21 21-16 over Shixian in an hour and 14 minutes match to equal her exploits at the 2010 edition of the $400,000 Super series event. iii. The Hyderabadi will next take on the winner between fourth seed German Juliane Schenk and eight seed Thai Ratchanok Intanon on Saturday.

aseeb Ahsan (73) - Former Pakistan off-spinner and selector Haseeb Ahsan, credited with picking legend Wasim Akram in 1984, died after prolonged illness. 2. Hugo Chavez - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Passes away 3. SK Varma - SK Varma, the former news editor of The Indian Express passes away. 4. Mukesh Gadhvi - Mukesh Gadhvi, the Congress MP from Banaskantha passes away 5. Hari Shankar Singhania, - Hari Shankar Singhania, the leading industrialist died at the age of 79 years. 6. Radhakishan Malviya - Radhakishan Malviya, the former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha Member from Madhya Pradesh died 7. Shanu Lahiri - Shanu Lahiri, the Renowned Bengali Painter Passes away 8. Ayesha Haroon - Ayesha Haroon, the Renowned Pakistani Journalist Died of Cancer 9. P.Shanmugam. - Veteran Congress leader and former Puducherry Chief Minister P Shanmugham died. in his Karaikal residence. 10. Jasuben Shilpi - Renowned sculptor Jasuben Shilpi, popularly known as The Bronze woman of India, passed away in Gujarat.

DAILY GK UPDATE 7TH MARCH 1. Maximum No. of Aadhar Card enrolments in Andhra Pradesh i. Maximum number of over five crore 36 lakh Aadhaar cards have been enrolled in Andhra Pradesh while the most populous State Uttar Pradesh lagged behind with just over one crore cards. ii. Over 28 crore 78 lakh Aadhaar cards have been issued so far. iii. Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Planning Rajeev Shukla give this information. NOTE: A sum of around 2370 crore rupees has been spent by the Unique Identification Authority of India, UIDAI in generating and issue of Aadhaar cards since the scheme was implemented four years ago. 2. Prez. to be Chief Guest at 45th Mauritius Independence Day i. President Pranab Mukherjee will be Chief Guest at the 45th Mauritius Independence Day celebrations on the 12th of this month. NOTE: Both India and Mauritius will also sign several agreements in areas of health and medicine, tourism and welfare of senior citizens and the disabled, during Mr. Mukherjee's visit to the South African Island nation from the 11th to 13 th this month. 3. Arun Jaitley, Karan Singh and Sharad Yadav Selected For Parliamentarian Award i. The Parliamentary Award Committee selected BJP leader Arun Jaitley, Congress MP Karan Singh and JD(U) MP Sharad Yadav for Outstanding Parliamentarian Award for 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively. ii. Arun Jaitley and Karan Singh are the members of Rajya Sabha from Gujarat and Delhi respectively. Sharad Yadav, on the other hand is a member of Lok Sabha from Madhepura, Bihar.

iii. The Award Committee which was headed by the Speaker of Lok Sabha, Meira Kumar, recommended these names, which were accepted by executive committee of the Indian Parliamentary Group on 6 March 2013. Outstanding Parliamentarian Award i. Outstanding Parliamentarian Award was instituted by the Indian Parliamentary Group in 1994. ii. This award is conferred every year on the outstanding parliamentarian, who is recommended by award committee as well as approved by executive committee of the Indian Parliamentary Group. 4. Kapil Sibal launched Electronics Project Proposal System e-PPS i. Union Minister Kapil Sibal on 6 March 2013 launched the Electronics Project Proposal System (e-PPS), developed by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology. ii. The e-PPS system will initially start as a pilot project. Electronic Project Proposal System (e-PPS) i. It is a web based system in form of solution to fund the R&D projects, which will start from online submission of the project proposal for funds and will monitor as well as manage the funded projects. Processes Supported by the e-PPS System i. Online submission of project proposals ii. Evaluation of proposals by experts iii. Project recommendations iv. Project Monitoring Impact of the e-PPS System i. The system would create a One-Go-Dash-Board to monitor the projects from its initiation to completion ii. Will ease the processing time of the proposal and dissemination of the project information iii. It will replace existing manual system of project funding in which the project investigators submit hard copies of R&D proposals, which are presented to a Working Group and based on the recommendations of the Working Group the proposals are further processed. 5. Cabinet approves Bill for time-bound services to citizens i. The govt on Thursday gave its nod to a Bill aimed at providing time-bound delivery of services like passports, pensions and birth and death certificates, among others, to the citizens. ii. The Right of Citizens for Time-Bound Delivery of Goods and Services and Redressal of their Grievances Bill, 2011, was approved by Union Cabinet at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi on Thursday. iii. The Bill envisages penalty of upto Rs 50,000 against a government official failing to provide his or her duties. iv. It lays down an obligation upon every public authority to publish citizen's charter, stating therein the time within which specified goods shall be supplied and services be rendered and provides for a grievance redressal mechanism for non-compliance of its provisions. NOTE: All services provided by both the Centre and the state governments will be extended to citizens in a time-bound manner under the bill. 6. UN to vote on new North Korea sanctions today i. The UN Security Council, ignoring threats from North Korea, is set to impose a fourth round of even tougher sanctions against Pyongyang in a fresh attempt to rein in its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. ii. The success of a new round of sanctions could depend on enforcement by China, where most of the companies and banks that North Korea is believed to work with are based. iii. The council's agreement to put the resolution to a vote just 48 hours later signaled that it would

almost certainly have the support of all 15 council members. iv. In anticipation of the resolution's adoption, North Korea has threatened to cancel the 1953 cease-fire that ended the Korean War. v. US UN Ambassador Susan Rice said the proposed resolution, to be voted on at 1500 GMT, would impose some of the strongest sanctions ever ordered by the United Nations. 7. 5 day Indo-Pak International Trade Expo Starts in Jalandhar: i. The five-day Indo-Pak International Trade Expo, IPEX-13 has started in Jalandhar, today. ii. Organised by PHD Chamber, Punjab in coordination with The Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce & Industry, about 150 exhibitors from Pakistan besides from India have displayed their items including handicrafts, wooden furniture, home appliances, kabuli dry fruits ect. T iii. The expo would help in promoting bilateral trade among the two neighbouring countries. 8. India Ranked Third on the List of Spam Spewing Nation in the World i. India ranked third on list of countries which distribute spam all over the world, after US and China, as per the new report of SophosLabs. SophosLabs is the Sophoss global network of threat analysis centres. ii. In the study, US was single highest ranking country, but Asia ranked at number 1 position in the list of the continents with 36.6 percent of overall spam of the world. US sent 18.3 percent of the junk emails overall in the world. iii. China and India took second and third positions respectively with 8.2 percent and 4.2 percent of the spam of the world. regularly run the malware checks. Apart from this, updating passwords regularly can also help. 9. Airtel launches free roaming scheme in 5 states i. Bharti Airtel on Tuesday launched a new roaming scheme for its prepaid customers in Delhi which will enable them to receive free incoming calls in five states ii. Airtel prepaid mobile customers can now get up to 30 days of free incoming calls while travelling to Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand and West Bengal (except Kolkata) on a recharge of Rs 21". iii. Airtel's Delhi customer at present are charged Re 1 for incoming calls, Re 1 for local outgoing calls and Rs 1.5 paise for STD calls on roaming. 10. Myanmar defeated India in the final Football qualifier clash in Yangon, i. Indias hopes of making the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup suffered a huge set -back, as they were beaten 10 by Myanmar in the final Football qualifier clash in Yangon, Myanmar today. ii. The loss means India will now have to wait for the results in other groups, to see if they make the 2014 main edition as one of the two best group runner-ups, as Myanmar took the automatic slot in Group A.

DAILY GK UPDATE 3-4TH MARCH 1. Rio to be sworn in as Nagaland CM i. Neiphiu Rio will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Nagaland for the third consecutive term on 5th March at the Raj Bhavan in Kohima. ii. Governor Nikhil Kumar will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Rio, who was earlier elected as leader of the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) legislature party, NOTE: Rio is the only leader to have led the regional party to victory in the Assembly elections for the third time in the 50-

year history of Nagaland statehood. 2. Rajeev Shahare Appointed As the New High Commissioner of India to Maldives i. Rajeev Shahare was appointed as the new High Commissioner to Maldives replacing D M Mulay. ii. At present, Shahare is a Joint Secretary in the West Asia North Africa division of Ministry of External Affairs. iii. D M Mulay, on the other hand, has now been appointed as the Indias Consul General in New York. NOTE: The appointment of Rajeev Shahare came at a time when bilateral relations between India and Maldives are suffering because of termination of contract to GMR for Male International Airport modernisation. 3. President releases stamp on Parachute Regiment's bicentenary i. President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday released a stamp to commemorate the bicentenary celebrations of Army's 3 Para (Special Forces) unit. ii. "Mukherjee released a commemorative stamp on the occasion of bicentenary celebrations of the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) at a function at the Rashtrapati Bhavan," iii. The stamp has been released in honour of the significant contribution made by the unit in ensuring the security of the nation and to inspire its men to tackle challenges which have in the past and will in the future continue to bring glory to the nation. 4. India and Portugal decide to further boost bilateral economic activities i. India and Portugal today decided to further boost and energise bilateral economic activities in various fields including, health, tourism, sports management, food and hospitality sectors. ii. This was announced by External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid after hour long delegation level talks with visiting Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Sacadura Cabral Portas at the Hyderabad house in New Delhi iii. Visiting Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Sacadura Cabral Portas said, discussions are also on finalising a Double Taxation Agreement between the two countries. iv. He also welcomed investments from India to strengthen economy of Portugal. 5. SK Varma, the Veteran Journalist Passed Away i. SK Varma, the former news editor of The Indian Express died on 3 March 2013 in New Delhi following a cardiac arrest. Varma was aged 90 years. NOTE: SK Varma began his career during Quit India movement with the Patna Times. Thereafter, he moved to Indian Nation. By the end of World War II, he shifted to the Punjab Mail and also worked with the Daily Herald as a sub-editor. 6. Services retain 67th Santosh Trophy title i. Services defended Santosh Trophy title after they defeated the hosts Kerala 4-3 in penalty shootout in the summit clash of the 67th edition of the National Football Championships in Kochi on Sunday. ii. The two sides were locked in a goal-less draw in the regulation and extra time and Services players held on their nerves to emerge champions in front of 35,000 crowd at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi. Indian women finish fifth in wrestling World Cup i. Geeta Phogat stood fifth in the senior womens wrestling World Cup in Mongolia. ii. Geeta, who took part in the 59kg category for the first time, won all her bouts against her opponents from Japan, Canada, Mongolia and Belarus. iii. In the fifth-sixth place classification match, India defeated Belarus 5-2 for the fifth position. iv. China won the gold while Mongolia and Japan settled for silver and bronze respectively. 7. Deepika Kumari named 'sportsperson of the year' by Tata Steel i. Ace woman archer Deepika Kumari has been named the state's 'Sportsperson of the year' for her outstanding achievements world over.

ii. The announcement was made by Tata Steel on the occasion of 174th birth anniversary of its founder Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata on Sunday. iii. It was the third consecutive time when Deepika, who recently topped the National Senior Ranking Archery Tournament held in Hyderabad, was given the honour. NOTE: Deepika, who has decided to skip the forthcoming Asian Grand Prix scheduled to be held from 9th March to 15th March at Bangkok due to her ongoing intermediate examination, was not present. 8. Nadal win Mexican Open i. Rafael Nadal blasted past top-seed and defending champion David Ferrer 6-0, 6-2 in Saturdays final of the Mexican Open in a powerful performance that indicated he has quickly returned to near his best after a long-term knee injury. ii. Ferrer was a three-time defending champion and had won 19 straight matches in this event, but he could find no answer to Nadal, losing to his Spanish compatriot in just one hour and five minutes. NOTE: The womens final was similarly one-sided with Italys Sara Errani beating Carla Suarez-Navarro of Spain 6-0, 6-4. 9. Novak Djokovic won the ATP Dubai Open Tennis title i. World Number one Novak Djokovic has won the ATP Dubai Open Tennis title. ii. He defeated third seed Czech Republics Tomas Berdych 7-5, 6-3 in the finals in Dubai last night. NOTE: Indias Mahesh Bhupathi and his French partner Michael Lloldra bagged the doubles crown defeating Serbian Swedish duo of Nenad Zimonjic and Robert Lindstedt 7-6, 7-6 in straight sets. 10. India all out for 503 at tea, lead by 266 runs i. Cheteshwar Pujara scored his second double hundred and shared a record partnership with Murali Vijay as India took a huge 266-run first innings lead against Australia on the third day of the second cricket Test, in Hyderabad on Monday. ii. Despite failure of the other middle-order batsmen, India scored a commendable 503 in their first innings and the tea break was taken after the fall of last wicket. iii. India's newest 'Run-Machine' Pujara scored a magnificent 204 and Murli Vijay well-made 167 runs. NOTE: Brief Scores: Australia 237 for 9 dec. and 74 for 2 (Ed Cowan 26*; Ravichandran Ashwin 2 for 42) trail India503 (Murali Vijay 167, Cheteshwar Pujara 204; Xavier Doherty 3 for 131, Glenn Maxwell 4 for 127) by 192 runs

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DAILY GK UPDATE 28TH FEB. 1. National Science Day was Celebrated Countrywide i. National Science Day is celebrated every year in India on 28 February 2013 ii. The theme of 2013 was Genetically Modified Crops and Food Security NOTE: i. The day is observed on the 28th of February every year to popularise science and its applications among school and college students. ii. National Science Day is observed in honour of Nobel laureate and physicist CV Ramans discovery
of the Raman Effect, which he announced on this day in 1928. 2. Congress retains power in Meghalaya i. The Congress retained power in Meghalaya after emerging as the single largest party, bagging 29 seats, 2 short of an absolute majority, in the Assembly election results that were declared today. ii. The results are a shot in the arm of Congress chief minister Mukul Sangma who faced stiff opposition from old warhorse P A Sangma who had quit Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party to form the National People's Party last year. iii. In the 2008 Assembly election, the Congress had bagged 25 seats. 3. Centre launches eBiz portal

i. The Centre has launched eBiz portal to improve the environment for doing business. ii. The portal comprising licenses and permits service component that will allow business users to obtain a customized list of licenses, permits and regulations that they needed to comply while dealing with the government. iii. It will function as one-stop-shop for obtaining information. 4. Left Front retains Tripura by a landslide i. The ruling Left Front won the Tripura polls by a landslide with the CPI(M) winning 49 seats and the CPI one in the 60-member Assembly. ii. It's a fifth straight term for the Left Front since 1993. iii. Congress wound up with 10 seats while its allies INPT and NCT drew a blank 5. NPF sweeps back to power in Nagaland i. Naga Peoples Front swept back to power in Nagaland on Thursday to form the government for the third consecutive time winning absolute majority by securing 37 of the total 60 seats. ii. The state party bettered its tally in the 12th Nagaland assembly by two seats against 35 it won last time. iii. It had contested in all the seats. Congress' electoral luck deserted it as the party could win only eight seats compared to the 18 it won last time. 6. Israeli film festival to be held in Kolkata i. For the first time the Federation of Film Societies of India in association with the Embassy of Israel will host a three day Israeli Film Festival in Kolkata from Tuesday. ii. Honourary Consul of Israel in Kolkata and leading industrialist Harshavardhan Neotia would inaugurate the fest at Nandan. iii. During the three day fest six award winning movies made by the film makers from the small West Asian Jewish state would be screened movie aficionados. iv. The movies at the film festival, to be concluded on February 28, are primarily centered on the life and other aspects of the Israeli society at large, sources at the Israeli consulate informed.
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2. DAILY GK Updates about an hour ago

Union Budget 2013-14 LIVE UPDATES! Following are some of the key highlights of the Union Budget 2013-14 presented by Finance Minister P Chidambaram in Parliament: 1. In 2013-14, the budget estimate is Rs 16,65,297 crore. 2. The revised expenditure target is Rs 14,30,825 crore 3. Plan expenditure Rs 5,55, 322 crore 4. Rs 14,000 crore capital infusion into public sector banks in 201314 5. SIDBIs refinancing facility to MSMEs to be doubled to Rs 10,000 crore

3. Rs 7 lakh crore targets fixed for agri credit for 2013-14 compared to Rs 5.75 lakh crore in the current year. 4. Rs 500 crore would be allocated for addressing environmental issues faced by textile industry 5. No change in income tax slabs 6. Relief of Rs 2,000 for tax payers in tax bracket of Rs. 2-5 lakh 6. 24.3 % hike in expenditure for health care both rural and urban health mission. 7. Headline WPI inflation to 7 per cent and core inflation to 4.2 per cent. 8. Eastern Indian states to get Rs 1,000 crore allocation for improving agricultural production. 9. Average economic growth rate in 11th Plan period is 8 per cent, highest ever in any Plan period 10. Rs 500 crore allocated for programme on crop diversification. 11. Food grain production in 2012-13 will be over 250 million tons 12. Rs 14,873 crore for JNNURM for urban transportation in 2013-14 against Rs 7,880 crore in the current fiscal 13. Rs 10,000 crore set aside for incremental cost for National Food Security Bill 14. Rs 80,194 crore allocated for Rural development schemes in 2013-14. 15. About Rs 33,000 crore for MGNREGA 16. Rs 5,000 crore will be made available to NABARD to finance construction of godowns and warehouses 17. Rs 17,700 crore to be allocated for Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) 18. Rs 13,215 crore to be provided for mid-day meal scheme. 19. Rs 5,284 crore to various Ministries for scholarships for SC/ST, OBC and minority students. 20. Tax free bonds issue to be allowed up to Rs 50,000 crore in 2013-14 strictly on capacity to raise funds from the market 21. Rs 4,727 crore to be allocated for medical education and research. 22. Current year's economic growth rate will be below India's potential growth rate of 8 per cent 23. Concessional 6% interest on loans to weavers. Fiscal deficit : i. Fiscal deficit seen at 5.2 % of GDP in 2012/13 ii. Fiscal deficit seen at 4.8 % of GDP in 2013/14 iii. Fiscal deficit to 3 % by 2016/17 Revenue Deficit i. Revenue Deficit seen at 3.9 % 2012/13 ii. Revenue Deficit seen at 3.3 % 2013/14 iii. Revenue deficit to 1.9% by 2016-17 Tax benefits in RGESS extended to 3 years i. The Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme (RGESS) will be liberalised to enable first time retail investors to invest in mutual funds and listed shares and not in one year alone, but for three successive years, ii. Under the scheme, an individual with an income of less than Rs 12 lakh would get tax incentives for investing up to Rs 50,000 in the stock market. iii. Also, the limit for investors wanting to invest in RGESS has been raised to Rs 12 lakh from Rs 10 lakh earlier.
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ECONOMIC SURVEY : 2012-13 Economic Survey of India 2012-13: Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram today presented the Economic Survey 2012-13 in the Lok Sabha of the Parliament. India's Economic Survey for 2012-13 pegs the country's growth at 6.1-6.7% and inflation at 6.2-6.6% for the next fiscal 2013-14 and made a strong call for cutting subsidies. Survey said: i."With the global economy also likely to recover somewhat in 2013, these
measures should help in improving the Indian economy's outlook for 2013-14", ii. There was across the board slowdown in all sectors during 2012-13 leading to problems in other areas of economy, especially revenue collection. Highlights of Economic Survey -2012-13 1. GDP growth seen at 6.1-6.7 percent in 2013/14 2. Government target for fiscal deficit is 4.8 pct of GDP in 2013/14 3. Government target for fiscal deficit is 3 pct of GDP in 2016/17 4. Headline WPI inflation may decline to 6.2-6.6 pct by March2013 5. India likely to meet fiscal deficit target of 5.3 pct of GDP in 2012/13, despite significant shortfall in revenues 6. Industrial output seen growing around 3 pct in 2012/13 7. Govt priority to fight inflation by reducing fiscal impetus to demand as well as by focusing on incentivizing food production. 8. More jobs in low productivity construction sector 9. Balance of Payments under pressure with net exports decline 10. Service sector has shown more resilience despite global slowdown 11. Pitches for hike in price of diesel and LPG to cut subsidy burden 12. Railway freight grows by 5.1 per cent in 2012-13 13. Foreign Exchange reserves remains steady at USD 295.6 Billion at December 2012 end. NOTE: i. Economic Survey is presented every year, just before the Union Budget. ii. It is a flagship annual document of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. iii. Economic Survey reviews the developments in the Indian economy over the previous 12 months. iv. It summarizes the performance on major development programmes, and highlights the policy initiatives of the government and the prospects of the economy in the short to medium term. v. The economic survey 2012-13 was prepared by a team of economists led by Chief Economic Advisor Raghuram Rajan, and pitches for speeding up economic reforms to activate a sluggish economy. vi. It serves as an indicator of what is likely to be contained in the General Budget proposals.
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2. DAILY GK Updates Yesterday

DAILY GK UPDATE 27TH FEB. 1. PM approves changes in civil services exam pattern i. Changes in civil services exam patterns have been approved by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, paving way for a new format which will give more weightage to general studies. ii. The decision came in on the recommendation of a Committee constituted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which conducts the examination annually.
iii. The report of the Committee, under the chairmanship of Prof. Arun S. Nigavekar, former chairman, UGC, was examined by the Department of Personnel and Training. NOTE: i. At present, the civil services (main) examination has general studies Paper I and II of 300 marks each, including Compulsory and Optional subjects. ii. As per the new changes, both the general studies papers will have more weightage. iii. The UPSC conducts the civil service examination to select candidates for three All India Services Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service and Indian Forest Service - besides scores of Group A services. iv. "The civil services examination, 2013 was scheduled to be notified on 2nd February, 2013. However, due to some unforeseen circumstances, this examination will not be notified on 2nd February, 2013. v. "The revised date of notification will be intimated in due course," an order issued by the UPSC stated. 2. Government proposes JPC probe into VVIP chopper deal i. The Congress-led UPA government on Wednesday proposed a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Rs3,600-crore VVIP chopper deal. ii. VVIP chopper deal came into limelight with allegations of kickbacks in the 3,600 crore rupee in the deal. iii. It was alleged that kickbacks to the tune of 362 crore rupees were paid to help secure the deal in favour of the Anglo-Italian firm Augusta Westland. 3. IRCTC fined Rs 10L for selling soft drinks above MRP i. Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has been slapped with a fine of Rs 10 lakh by a consumer forum here for selling soft drinks above the maximum retail price (MRP) to two customers. ii. The New Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum imposed "punitive compensation" of Rs 5 lakh each in two separate cases against IRCTC, a subsidiary of Indian Railways, and said being a government corporation, "it is not expected to be deficient in such matters and cannot come down to level of private dealers". iii. "We have considered the case in the perspective of unfair and restrictive trade practices, by a government company who supply food articles to millions of rail users, who in transit cannot protest or have little choice but to avail services at whatever cost." iv. The IRCTC being a government corporation is not expected to be deficient in such matters and cannot come down to level of private dealers," a bench presided by C K Chaturvedi said. v. The forum directed IRCTC to deposit a fine of Rs 10 lakh with the Delhi State Legal Services Authority and also awarded compensation of Rs 10,000 each to the two passengers, Delhi residents Sachin Dhiman and Sharnya. NOTE: i. The two complainants had alleged that a retail outlet of IRCTC had sold each of them a bottle of Maaza having MRP of Rs 12 for Rs 15. ii. IRCTC, which handles the catering, tourism and online ticketing operations of the railways, was preceded against ex-parte as no one appeared on its behalf.

4. Paks largest bank set to establish in India i. The National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) is set to establish a banking channel between India and Pakistan by opening a NBP branch in Mumbai or Delhi. ii. NBP President Dr Asif Brohi stated that NBP has already contacted the Reserve Bank of India to seek permission for establishing the NBP branch in India and is awaiting a formal approval. iii. The bilateral trade relations between the two countries would flourish after the establishment of the banking channel and added that NBP is also catering to the banking needs of Pakistani businessmen in entire Central Asia after the opening of NBP branch in Tajikistan. 5. US Senate confirms Hagel as new Defence Secy i. Former Republican senator Chuck Hagel has been confirmed as the new US Defence Secretary by the Senate ii. 66-year-old Hagel, a Vietnam war veteran, was confirmed by the Senate after a bruising confirmation hearing. iii. Hagel's confirmation comes as a great relief for the Obama Administration as his nomination was held up for weeks and the Democrats and the White House had to do a tough convincing act to get him approved by the Senate. iv. Hagel will replace incumbent Panetta at a time when the department is faced with multiple challenges including defence budget cuts, rapidly changing developments in the Middle East, increasing threat from North Korea besides the scheduled withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan in 2014. 6. Haryana raises Old Age Pension Scheme i. State Government of Haryana has raised the Old Age pension from RS 500 to Rs 550, Rs 550 to Rs 600 per month given under three slabs benefitting over 9.83 lakh beneficiaries in the State. ii. No enhancement is made in the third slab of Rs 700. More than 2.92 lakh are getting Old Age Pension at a rate of Rs 700 per month. iii. At present a total of over 12.87 lakh beneficiaries are getting Old Age Allowance. 7. West Bengal to give fixed Salary to ASHA workers i. The West Bengal Government has decided to give fixed salary to all Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers from next financial year. ii. Announcing this in Kolkata today the Chief Minister Miss Mamata Banerjee said that the ASHA workers will get 1300 rupees per month as fixed remuneration besides their daily amount of work done. iii. For this ASHA worker will have to open a bank account to which money will be transferred on the first day of every month. 8. Delhi to Ban the Manual Scavenging in the State i. Delhi became the first state in India to ban the manual scavenging. ii. The Chief Minister of Delhi banned deployment of the cleaning staff for the purpose of manual sewer cleaning. iii. In the meanwhile, it was also declared that all the civic bodies of Delhi would be asked to regularise services of the cleaning staff that was working for several years on contractual basis. NOTE: i. In January 2013, the Supreme Court of India had reproached the Union Government of India for not enacting the law that would lead to a ban on manual scavenging. ii. The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Bill, 2012 is still pending in the Parliament. 9. India launches first Smartphone in Space

i. The Surrey Space Centre (SSC) of the University of Surrey on 26 February 2013 announced that STRaND-1, a nano-satellite carrying a smartphone was launched successfully into space from India. ii. With this launch, India became the first country to successfully launch the first smartphone of the world. About STRaND-1 and apps on board i. STRaND-1 is the training and demonstration mission which is designed in order to test the commercial shelf technology in space. ii. There are certain applications on board STRaND-1. These applications were designed by the winners of social networking site, Facebook competition which was organised in 2012. iii. STRaND-1 mission weighs 4.3 kg and was launched in 785km Sun-synchronous orbit on the PSLV launcher of ISRO. 10. India to finally participate in Azlan Shah Tournament i. Amid the ongoing drama of Sultan Azlan Shah Tournament, Indian Hockey team finally got a breather after government reversed its decision to fund the travel expenses. ii. "The Indian team will take part in the event. It will leave on 3rd March. iii. However, after the news broke out, the Sports Ministry said that it has directed SAI to allocate the required funds to meet the air ticket expenses of the team considering the prestige attached to the tournament. NOTE: i. India, who won the Azlan Shah Cup 5 times (1985, 1991, 1995, 2009 and 2010) bagged the bronze medal in the last edition of the tournament. ii. Apart from India, the other participating nations in the tournament are arch-rivals Pakistan, Australia, South Korea,New Zealand and hosts Malaysia. 11. SANTOSH Trophy: i. Maharashtra cruised into the semi-finals of the Santosh Trophy national football tournament by beating Tamil Nadu, 2-1 in a group B quarterfinal league match in Kollam yesterday. ii. The second quarter-final between Jharkhand and Goa, ended in a 2-2 draw. 12. India moves to 4th spot in Test rankings i. India moved up a rung to 4th in the ICC Test rankings for teams replacing Pakistan, while Sachin Tendulkar jumped three places to be 17th in the batsmens chart announced on Wednesday. ii. Among the bowlers, off-spinner R. Ashwin rose to a career-best 11th. iii. India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni charged up 15 places to 21st courtesy his maiden double hundred at Chennai. iv. Virat Kohli gained 10 places and is now on a career-best 25th position. v. Hashim Amla continued to lead the Test batsmen chart followed by Australian skipper Michael Clarke. o
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3. DAILY GK Updates Tuesday

RAIL BUDGET - 2013 Union Railway Minister Pawan Bansal presented the Union Railway Budget for 2013-14 in Parliament today. The first Congress minister to present a Railway Budget in 17 years. The Railway Budget for 2013-14 on Tuesday spared passengers from any further hike in fares but raised various other charges on tickets along with freight tariff of less than 5 per cent. Highlights of Budget:
1. No hike in passenger fares; 67 new express and 26 passenger trains to be launched. 2. Indian Railways to join 1 billion tonne select club with China. 3. Educational tourist train"Azadi Express" proposed 4. Train Collision Avoidance System to be put to rigorous trials 5. Passenger earning target Rs 32500 crore this year. 6. Freedom fighters to renew their passes only once in 3 yrs. 7. Complementary passes for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Olympic awardees. 8. Coach making facilities at Bhilwara and Raebarelli. 9. Indian Railway Financial Management Institute to be set up at Secunderabad. 10. Coaches to be made wheelchair friendly. 11. Hostel facilities for all single women railway employees at all Div.HQS. 12. Free wi-fi facility at select trains. 13. 1800111321 number for redressing complaints 14. Wagon maintenance workshop in Kalahandi in Odisha. 15. E-ticketing to be made available through mobile phone. 16. Target of investment of 1 lakh crore through PPP mode in 12th FYP. 17. For the first time, Arunachal Pradesh brought under Rail Network. 18. UID-Aadhar to be used for ticket reservation. 19. Freight loading estimated to be 1007 tonnes this year. 20. Railways to fill up 1.52 lakh vacancies. 21. 47000 vacancies reserved for differently abled to be filled. 22. Dronacharya awardees to get Shatabdi and Rajdhani passes. New Trains Introduced: Presenting the 2013-14 Railway Budget, Mr. Bansal also said that five Mainline Electrical Multiple Units (MEMUs) are being introduced this year besides 8 DEMUs. 1. Hazrat Nizamuddin-Mumbai AC Express via Bhopal, Khandwa and Bhusawal - weekly service, and a similar venture between Bikaner and Chennai. 2. Vaishnodevi, a New Delhi-Katra AC Express - run six days a week. 3. A Puri-Ajmer Express, which would be a weekly service, is also being introduced so also a weekly PuriSai Nagar Shirdi Express.

4. Una-Nangaldam in Himachal Pradesh is being connected to Hazoor Saheb Nanded in Maharashtra through a weekly express train which would travel via Anandpur Saheb. 5. Weekly Ahmedabad-Jodhpur express and a similar venture between Bandra and Haridwar, and Bandra and Jaisalmer. 6. Yesvantpur-Lucknow Express - weekly via Rae Bareli and Pratapgarh. 7. 9 Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains to be introduced. New factories/workshops to be set up: 1. New Forged Wheel Factory at Rae Bareli in collaboration with Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited. 2. A Coach Manufacturing Unit in Sonepat District (Haryana) in collaboration with State Government. 3. A Midlife Rehabilitation Workshop at Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh) in collaboration with the State Government. 4. Bikaner and Pratapgarh workshops to undertake POH of BG wagons. 5. A workshop for repair and rehabilitation of motorized bogies at Misrod (Madhya Pradesh). 6. A new wagon maintenance workshop in Kalahandi (Odisha). 7. A modern signaling equipment facility at Chandigarh through PPP route. o
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4. DAILY GK Updates Tuesday

DAILY GK UPDATE 26TH FEB. 1. India beat Australia in 1st Test i. India clinched the first cricket Test against Australia with a comfortable 8 wicket victory to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series in Chennai. ii. This was the third time that Indian spinners managed to take all the 20 wickets in a match. iii. The Indians took about 25 minutes on Tuesday morning to finally bring an end to the
stubborn last wicket partnership between Moises Hendriques (81 not out) and Nathan Lyon (11) as Australia folded up for 241 in their second innings, leaving the hosts a small victory target of 50. iv. Needing just 50 runs to win, Team India lost both its openers, Virender Sehwag and Murali Vijay at the score of 36. Later, batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar and Cheteshwar Pujara steered India home. NOTE: i. The two teams will now travel to Hyderabad for the second Test be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium from 2nd to 6th March.

ii. The first time that Indian spinners bagged all the 20 wickets was at this same venue against England in 1972-73 while the second such instance was against New Zealand in Auckland in 1975-76. 2. Parl. Clears Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Bill 2012 i. The Parliament has approved the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill 2012 with the Rajya Sabha unanimously passing the bill by voice vote today. ii. The bill has already been passed by Lok Sabha on 3rd September last year. iii. All complaints will have to disposed off within three months and the bill also deals with the harassment of women workers by their women colleagues. iv. An option of conciliation has also been provided for at the discretion of the victim. 3. Managing Director for Yahoo India Quit the Company i. Arun Tadanki, the managing director for Yahoo India and South East Asia quit Yahoo on 25 February 2013 citing reasons that he wanted to explore fresh opportunities in the world of the Internet. ii. However, Arun Tadanki will remain in Yahoo at his designation till June 2013. iii. He announced that he was looking forward to play different role in the Internet ecosystem now. iv. Arun Tadanki became the Managing Director of Yahoo in May 2009. 4. Life of Pi Bagged Maximum Awards at Oscars 2013 i. The Oscars 2013 ceremony was held at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. ii. The main winners of the Oscars 2013 were: Life of Pi, with 4 awards 1. Best Directing: Ang Lee for Life of Pi 2. Best Cinematography: Claudio Miranda for Life of Pi 3. Best Music-Original Score: Mychael Danna for Life of Pi 4. Best Visual Effects: Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan De Boer and Donald R. Elliott for Life of Pi Argo with 3 awards Les Miserables with 3 awards Django Unchained, Lincoln, Skyfall with 2 awards each. 5. ISRO successfully launches PSLV-C20 i. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday launched PSLV-C20 carrying seven satellites ii. Indo- French satellite SARAL and six other mini and micro satellites from itsspaceport in Sriharikota. iii. The 44.4 metres tall rocket with a mass weight of 229.7 tonnes blasted off majestically over the Bay of Bengal and the first stage separated successfully after 113 seconds. iv. There were six foreign mini and micro satellites onboard ISRO's workhorse rocket PSLV. NOTE: i. This is the 23rd mission of PSLV, which has a fine record of 21 consecutive successful flights. ii. SARAL (Satellite with ARGOS and ALTIKA) is an ISRO-CNES (France) joint Venture for oceanography studies. iii. The other six auxiliary payloads are from Canada (2), Austria (2), Denmark (1) and UK (1). 6. Womens Professional Golf Tour begins in Mumbai i. The third leg of Women's Professional Golf Tour 2013 will begin in Mumbai today. ii. The three day tournament will be played at the 18 hole Bombay Presidency Golf Club iii. A total of 12 rounds will be played to decide the final winner who will get a cash reward of 5,00,000 rupees.

7. Jelena Jankovic Won WTA Copa Claro Colsanitas Cup 2013 i. Jelena Jankovic, the former world no. 1 won the WTA Copa Claro Colsanitas Cup 2013 in Bogota, Colombia ii. This was her first tour title in three years as well as the 13th of her career. iii. The 27-year old Serbian defeated Argentine Paula Ormaechea 6-1 and 6-2. o
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5. DAILY GK Updates February 25

...and the OSCAR Goes to.... The 85th Academy Awards ceremony ("The Oscars"), honoring the best films of 2012 in the United States, took place February 24, 2013. The ceremony was held at the Dolby Theatre in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles, California. Seth MacFarlane hosted the Academy Awards for the first time. Best Picture: Argo Grant Heslov, Ben Affleck, and George Clooney Best Director: Ang Lee Life of Pi
Best Best Best Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis Lincoln as Abraham Lincoln Actress: Jennifer Lawrence Silver Linings Playbook as Tiffany Maxwell Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz Django Unchained as Dr. King Schultz Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway Les Misrables as Fantine

Best Screenplay: Django Unchained Quentin Tarantino

DAILY GK UPDATE 24-25TH FEB. 1. Bansal to introduce Rail Budget tomorrow ! i. All eyes will be on Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal on Tuesday on whether he yields to pressure of hiking passenger fares yet again or looks at other measures to mobilise resources to offset the burden of the recent diesel price hike. ii. Bansal had on 22nd January hiked passenger fares across-the- board after the Railways
faced a loss of about Rs 25,000 crore in the passenger segment. iii. The Rail Minister held several round of discussions with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister P Chidambaram and the Planning Commission in connection with the Rail Budget iv. However, sources said a section of the Congress is not inclined towards effecting another round of fare hike as general elections are not far away. 2. Park Geun-hye sworn in as 1st women Prez of S. Korea ! i. Ms Park Geun-hye defeated liberal rival Moon Jae and sworn-in as the first women President of South Korea. ii. Taking the oath of office before 70,000 people in front of the National Assembly building in Seoul, Park called on North Korea to "abandon its nuclear ambitions without delay" and rejoin the international community. iii. The 61-year-old is the daughter of former military strongman Park Chung-hee, who ruled South Korea for almost two decades. 3. Indo-French satellite 'SARAL' launched from Sriharikota ! i. ISRO has launched Indo-French satellite 'SARAL', aimed at oceanographic studies, and six foreign mini and micro satellites onboard ISRO's workhorse rocket PSLV from the spaceport of Sriharikota on Monday. ii. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C20 is blast-off at 6.01 PM local time from the first launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, 110 kms from Chennai. iii. This is the 23rd mission of PSLV, which has an impeccable record of 21 consecutive successful flights. iv. This is the ninth time ISRO is using the 'core alone' variant of the rocket. v. The 668.5 kgs and 44.4 metres tall rocket will have a lift off mass of 229.7 tonnes. vi. Besides SARAL, it would put into orbit two micro-satellites UniBRITE and BRITE from Austria and AAUSAT3 from Denmark and STRaND from United Kingdom as also one micro-satellite (NEOSSat) and one mini-satellite (SAPPHIRE) from Canada. NOTE: i. The ISRO-built SARAL is a 410-kg satellite with payloads -- Argos and Altika -- from French space agency CNES for study of ocean parameters towards enhancing the understanding of the ocean state conditions which are otherwise not covered by the in-situ measurements. ii. ISRO had initially planned to launch SARAL on December 12 last year but postponed it to carry out additional tests to "address technical issues to ensure reliability". iii. SARAL will provide data products to operational and research user communities, in support of marine meteorology and sea state forecasting; operational oceanography; seasonal forecasting; climate monitoring; ocean, earth system and climate research. 4. Raul Castro re-elected as President in Cuba ! i. Raul Castro has been re-elected as Cuba's president, officially to his last five-year term. ii. "The National Assembly of People's Power approved Army General Raul Castro Ruz as president of the Council of State, and elected Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, as its first vice president. iii. Raul Castro, now 81, became interim president when his brother, revolution icon Fide took ill in 2006. He then formally became president in 2008.

iv. Diaz-Canel has been one of the eight vice presidents on the Council of Ministers. 5. Nicos Anastasiades elcted as President of Cyprus ! i. Nicos Anastasiades, the centre-right DISY (the Democratic Rally) party leader won the presidential elections of Cyprus. ii. Nicos Anastasiades had a very easy-going victory over Communist-backed Stavros Malas who secured 42.5 percent votes in the election. About Nicos Anastasiades i. Nicos Anastasiades is a 66-year old lawyer and a member of the Cypruss parliament since 1981. ii. Nicos Anastasiades would be replacing the former President of Cyprus, Dimitris Christofias who served the office from 28 February 2008 and will remain into the designation till the end of his term on 28 February 2013. 6. Argo bags best film award ! i. Ben Affleck's Iranian hostage drama 'Argo rode to victory at the 85th Academy Awards as it took home the coveted best picture trophy despite the actor-director not being nominated in the best helmer category. NOTE: i. 'Argo' saw off tough competition from eight other films --including 'Lincoln', 'Life of Pi', 'Amour', 'Django Unchained' and 'Zero Dark Thirty'-- to walk away with the top award. ii. The film, based on real incidents, narrates the near impossible escape story when CIA pulled out six US diplomats from Iranin 1979 by posing as a fake film crew. iii. It won three trophies --best picture, best adapted screenplay and best editing-- out of its seven nominations. 7. Ang Lee wins best director Oscar for 'Life of Pi' ! i. Ang Lee has won the Academy Award for best director for his Life of Pi. ii. Its the second Oscar for Lee, who won in 2005 for Brokeback Mountain. 8. Daniel Day-Lewis wins best Actor award ! i. British actor Daniel Day-Lewis, 55, scored a historic third Best Actor Oscar for his turn as the 16th US President Abraham Lincoln in Steven Spielberg's civil-war set drama 'Lincoln'. NOTE: He has become the first actor to win the most number of Best Actor Oscars. His previous Oscars were for 'My Left Foot' in 1989 and 'There Will Be Blood' in 2007. 9. Jennifer Lawrence wins best Actress award ! i. 22-year-old Jennifer Lawrence emerged a winner for 'Silver Linings Playbook' in a tight best actress race by tripping strong contenders like Jessica Chastain, Emmanuelle Riva, Naomi Watts and Quvenzhane Wallis. 10. Assam became First Indian State to produce over 500 million kg Tea ! i. Assam became the first state in India to produce over 500 million kilogram tea for two years in a row. ii. Assam produced five hundred 88 million kilogram of tea in 2012, which is 53 percent of the countrys total tea production. Earlier in 2011, 5 hundred 89 million kilogram tea was produced in the state. iii. According to an estimate, over seven thousand five hundred crore rupee turn-over was recorded in Assam tea sector in 2012. iv. It may be recalled that around seven lakh workers are engaged in the tea sector. Fifty percent of them are women.

11. Rajasthan to establish Kisan & Village knowledge centers ! i. The Rajasthan Government will establish Kisan Service Centers and Village Knowledge centers at all Panchayat headquarters. ii. These centers will serve farmers and they would get urban facilities in villages through these centers. iii. BSNL will provide Internet connectivity in these centers. NOTE: i. Rajasthan has achieved 80 percent target of target of construction of Rajiv Gandhi Bharat Nirman Seva Kendras which is highest in the country. 12. CBI Registered Case against Airtel & Tata Comm. for Violating DoT Norms ! i. The Central Bureau of Investigation registered a case against Bharti Airtel Ltd and Tata Communications Ltd, the giant telecom companies for having link up with the Singapore Telecom for the purpose of international calls, thereby violating norms of Department of Telecom (DoT). ii. CBI on 24 February 2013 announced that the two companies were charged for causing a loss of around 48 crore Rupees to the Union Government of India since 2004 because of illegal arrangement. NOTE: i. CBI accused these operators on charges of cheating and criminal conspiracy. ii. Actually, Bharti Airtel Ltd and Tata Communications Ltd had entered into an agreement with the Singapore Telecom for the purpose of international calls, which violates the norms that are laid down by the Department of Telecommunications. 13. Hari Shankar Singhania, passes away ! i. Hari Shankar Singhania, the leading industrialist died at the age of 79 years. ii. Hari Shankar Singhania was a Padma Bhushan awardee (in 2003) and was also involved with JK organisation since 1951. iii. He was also the chairman of International Chamber of Commerce from the time duration of 1993 to 1994. iv. He had remained the president of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in 197980. About Hari Shankar Singhania: i. Hari Shankar Singhania was born in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh on 20 June 1933. ii. Hari Shankar Singhania achieved various recognitions and award, one of which also includes 2008 Paper Industry International Hall of Fame Award. iii. He had also won Lifetime Achievement Award for Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship in 2010. iv. In 2005, he won Royal Order of the Polar Star by the king of Sweden for contributing towards the Indo-Swedish business relationships. 14. Sania & Bethanie wins Dubai Tennis Championship 2013 ! i. India's Sania Mirza and her American partner Bethanie-Mattek Sands won the Dubai Tennis Championship on 23 February 2013. ii. The Indo-American duo defeated the second seeded Russian-Slovenian combination of Nadia Petrova and Katarina Srebotnik, 6-4, 2-6, 10-7. iii. Sania bagged her second Doubles title of the season. NOTE: i. Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova yesterday clinched the Women's Singles trophy. ii. In the finals, she defeated Sara Errani of Italy, 6-2, 1-6, 6-1 to win her career's 10th title. 15. Bopanna-Fleming win ATP Open 13 title ! i. Rohan Bopanna won his first title of the season when he combined with Colin Fleming to claim the ATP Open 13 doubles trophy with a straight-sets win over Aisam-ul-haq Qureshi and Jeal-Julien Rojer. ii. Bopanna and Fleming shared euro 29,000 as prize money and earned 250 ranking points each.

NOTE: i. It was eighth ATP doubles title for Bopanna, who has been ignore d for Indias Davis Cup tie against Indonesia. ii. Last year he won two titles Paris Masters and Dubai event with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi. iii. Bopanna played with Fleming in the absence of regular partner Rajeev Ram. 16. Dhoni breaks Sachin's record ! i. Mahendra Singh Dhoni has surpassed Sachin Tendulkar's record of highest individual Test score by an Indian captain en route his majestic 224 against Australia in the first cricket test. ii. Dhoni, who reached his maiden double century on Sunday, went past Tendulkar's 217 scored against New Zealand in 1999-00 at Ahmedabad. NOTE: The India captain however fell eight runs short of equalling Andy Flower's highest individual score by a skipper --- 232 against India. Highest Individual scores by Indian captains i.224 Mahendra Singh Dhoni vs Aus (Chennai) ii. 217 Sachin Tendulkar vs New Zealand (Ahmedabad) iii. 205 Sunil Gavaskar vs West Indies (Mumbai) iv. 203 MAK Pataudi vs England (Delhi). 17. Marina Erakovic Won Her First WTA Title ! i. Marina Erakovic won her first Women's Tennis Association title, US National Indoor Tennis Championship 2013 after beating Germany's Sabine Lisicki in Memphis on 23 February 2013. ii. With this victory, Erakovic became the first women from New Zealand to win WTA Title since Belinda Cordwell in Singapore in 1989. 18. India close to a big victory over Australia ! i. India inched closer towards a comprehensive victory in the first cricket Test against Australia but debutant Moises Henriques delayed the inevitable with an undefeated 75 on a difficult track to take the match into the fifth and final day. ii. Ashwin grabbed 5 for 90 and his current match haul of 12 wickets helped India reduce Australia to 175 for 9. iii. The highlight of India's performance was skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's magnificent 224 which enabled the home team to post a mammoth 572 in their first innings, thereby ensuring a lead of 192 runs.

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9. The Pioneer of Communism in India was_{ANS:-MN ROY}___. (1) S.A. Dange (2) M.R. Jayakar (3) M.N. Roy (4) Nalin Gupta
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8. The revolutionary organisation Abhinav Bharat Society was founded in 1904 by__ANS:{2}_? (1) Bhagat Singh (2) Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (3) Kumar Ghosh (4) Behari Das

2. DAILY GK Updates February 24

7. Who among the following was the founder of the Paris Indian Society?ANS:-{2} (1) S R Rana (2) Bhikaji Kama (3) Taraknath (4) Lala Hardayal
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3. DAILY GK Updates February 24

6. Which among the following was the immediate cause of Quit India Movement? (1) Withdrawal of British from South East Asia (2) Failure of Cripps Mission (3) Failure of August offer (4) Arrest of Mahatma Gandhi
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Keshav Agarwal (2) Failure of Cripps Mission February 24 at 9:25am Like 1

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DAILY GK Updates Ans. (2) Failure of Cripps Mission February 25 at 8:59am Like

4. DAILY GK Updates February 24

5. Who among the following said thatThe Rowalt Act is a Preventive Murder? (1) Mahatma Gandhi (2) Lala Lajpat Rai (3) Edwin Samuel Montagu (4) Jawahar Lal Nehru
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Keshav Agarwal (3) Edwin Samuel Montagu February 24 at 9:01am Like

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DAILY GK Updates Ans. (3) Edwin Samuel Montagu February 25 at 9:00am Like

5. DAILY GK Updates February 24

4. Who among the following foreign travellers is not correctly paired with their respective period of visit in India? (1) Fa Hein Gupta Period (2) Hiuen Tsang - Post Gupta Period (3) Al Beruni Early Medivel Period (4) Ibn Batutta Muhal Period
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Keshav Agarwal (4) Ibn Batutta February 24 at 9:03am Like

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DAILY GK Updates Ans. (4) Ibn Batutta Muhal Period (Ibn Batutta Sultanate Period during the reign of Muhammad Bin Tughlaq) February 25 at 9:02am Like 1

6. DAILY GK Updates February 24

3. In whose times the Mughal Empire reached its territorial climax? (1) Akbar (2) Shah Jahan (3) Aurangzeb (4) Bahadur Shah I
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Keshav Agarwal (3) Aurangzeb February 24 at 9:02am Like

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DAILY GK Updates Ans. (3) Aurangzeb February 25 at 9:00am Like

7. DAILY GK Updates February 24

2. Ustad Isa is related to the design and architecture of which of the following buildings in Mughal Era? (1) Taj Mahal (2) Bukand Darwaza (3) Red Fort (Agra) (4) Itimad-ud-daulas tomb

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Keshav Agarwal (1) Taj Mahal February 24 at 9:02am Like

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DAILY GK Updates Ans. (1) Taj Mahal February 25 at 9:03am Like

8. DAILY GK Updates February 24

G.S. QUIZ ON HISTORY 1. Hamim Hanuman who was the chief of Royal School (Pathsala) adorned the court ofwhich Mughal Emperor? (1) Akbar (2) Jahangir (3) Humayun (4) Shah Jahan
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Keshav Agarwal (1) Akbar February 24 at 9:03am Like

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DAILY GK Updates Ans. (1) Akbar February 25 at 9:03am Like

9. DAILY GK Updates February 24

Now we are starting quiz session on this page....... Expecting your Participation........!!!
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10. DAILY GK Updates February 23

DAILY GK UPDATE 23RD FEB. 1. Final RBI norms for new banks i. The Reserve Bank released the final guidelines for issuing new banking licenses as it will now allow entities in the private and the public sector as well as non-banking financial companies to enter the fray. ii. "Entities/groups in the private sector, entities in the public sector and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) shall be...See More
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DAILY GK UpdatesFebruary 23

DAILY GK UPDATE 22ND FEB. 1. India 19th largest exporter in world: Govt i. India is the 19th largest exporter with a share of 1.7 pc in the worldwide merchandise trade; on the other hand, the country is the 12th largest importer with a share of 2.5 pc in 2011. ii. Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena said: "As per WTO's International Statistics, 2012, in merchandise trade, India is 19th largest exporter in the world with a share of
1.7 per cent and 12th largest importer with a share of 2.5 per cent in 2011," iii. Recently, the government has extended a 2 percent interest subsidy scheme for labour intensive sectors till March 2014, 2. T. S. Vijayan, Took Over as the Chairman of IRDA i. T. S. Vijayan, the former LIC chief took over as the Chairman of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) on 21 February 2013. ii. Vijayan will succeed J. Hari Narayan. J. Hari Narayan completed the five-year term on 20 February 2013. iii. The tenure for IRDA chairman is five years or till 65 years. NOTE: T. S. Vijayan will take over as the Chairman of IRDA when the entire industry is facing meltdown. The challenges which will be faced by him include taking the insurance industry to rural areas as well as simplifying the insurance products. 3. RBI releases final guidelines for new bank licenses i. The Reserve Bank has released final guidelines for issue of licences to new banks in private sector. ii. RBI says, entities or groups in private sector, public sector and Non-bank financial companies - NBFCs are eligible for seeking bank licence. iii. RBI has set 49 per cent cap on foreign holding in new banks and minimum paid-up equity capital at 500 crore rupees. 4. Bharat Heavy Plate & Vessels Ltd. (BHPV) Merged With BHEL i. The Union Cabinet of India approved merger of Bharat Heavy Plate & Vessels Ltd. (BHPV) Vishakhapatnam with Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) on 21 February 2013. After the merger, BHVP will be a unit of BHEL. ii. Bharat Heavy Plate & Vessels Ltd. (BHPV) Bharat Heavy Plate & Vessels Ltd. (BHPV) is the engineering and heavy fabrication company which was established back in 1966 in Andhra Pradesh. The company had suffered immense loss because of various reasons. iii. Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) acquired BHPV in 2008 as 100 percent subsidiary. However, because BHVP was a separate company, therefore it was not able to derive complete benefits.

5. NTPC Signed Loan Agreement with Banks i. National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) tied up a term loan facility of 250 million US dollars with the State Bank of India, New York Branch as well as Singapore Branch of Mizuho Corporate Bank Limited. ii. The agreement for the loan was signed in New York. iii. The loan will empower NTPC for making use of the proceeds of loan towards capital expenditure for procurement of goods and services for new as well as ongoing projects. iv. It will also help NTPC in modernization as well as renovation of stations of this corporation. v. The loan signed by NTPC will carry a floating rate of interest associated to LIBOR. It also has door to door maturity of 7 years. NOTE: With execution of this term loan facility, NTPC raised a total of 750 million US Dollars in 20122013 fiscal year, which is the maximum amount allowed under the Automatic Route of the ECB guidelines issued by the Central Bank of India- RBI. 6. Ratan Tata Awarded with Life Time Achievement Award 2012 i. Ratan Tata, the former head of Tata Group was awarded the life time achievement award 2012 by Ernst & Young on 21 February 2013. ii. He was given away the award for displaying great role for the Indian businessmen on global business level. iii. The entrepreneur of the year (2012) award was given away to Adi Godrej, Godrej Group Chairman. iv. It is important to note that entrepreneur of the year award is an only business award which is based on self-nomination. 7. Ashwin, Clarke sparkle on day 1 i. Australia were 316 for 7 at stumps on the opening day of the first cricket test against India in Chennai today. Australia won the toss and elected to bat. ii. Ravichandran Ashwin captured six of the seven Australian wickets that fell today.One wicket was claimed by R.Jadeja. Aussies were 126 for 2 at lunch but by tea, their score stood at 215 for 5. iii. Skipper Michael Clarke helped Australia win the spin battle against India and he remained unbeaten with 103. iv. Veteran Indian off spinner Harbhajan Singh is playing his 100 test in Chennai and pacer Bhuvaneshwar Kumar is making his debut for India in this test. 8. Bopanna-Fleming in semis of ATP Open 13 i. Rohan Bopanna and his British partner Colin Fleming fought their way to the semifinals of the ATP Open 13, edging past James Cerretani and Adil Shamasdin, in Marseille, France. ii. India's singles challenge had ended with the defeat of Somdev Devvarman, who went down fighting against Australia's Bernad Tomic in the second round
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1. DAILY GK UPDATE 20TH FEB. 1. Tunisia's prime minister Hamadi Jebali resigns i. Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali on Tuesday submitted his resignation to President Moncef Marzouki, after failing to form a new government aimed at ending a political crisis. ii. After meeting President, Jebali, said "I promised and assured that, in the event that my initiative failed,

I would resign as head

of the government, and that is what I have done". NOTE: i. Tunisia's deepest political crisis since the 2011 Arab Spring uprising that toppled President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali began when leading secular opposition politician Chokri Belaid was gunned down outside his home in Tunis on February 6. ii. Jebali's government has failed to deal firmly enough with religious extremists threatening the country's stability. 2. Government of Bulgaria Resigned i. The Government of Bulgaria resigned from the office on 20 February 2013 on grounds of protests in the nation against the high electricity prices. Cause of resignation of Bulgarias government i. Bulgarians held protests in the country because of concerns over higher energy costs, lower living standards, power monopolies as well as corruption. ii. Prime Minister Boiko Borisov on 20 February 2013 announced his resignation. While announcing his resignation, Boiko Borisov did not mention anything about the parliamentary elections which are scheduled for July 2013. About Bulgaria i. Bulgaria is located in Southeastern Europe. It is the 14th largest country of Europe. ii. Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Boiko Borisov belonged to the Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria party, which is abbreviated as GERB (Grazhdani za evropeysko razvitie na Balgariya). 3. Nikki Haley received with leadership award i. Indian-American South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has been presented with the leadership award for giving boost to employment in the automobile sector. ii. The inaugural State Leadership Award of the Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) was presented to Haley. NOTE: i. Governor Haley is committed to bringing jobs to South Carolina and has fought hard for the motor vehicle supplier industry in her state. ii. Haley is only the second Indian-American Governor of a US State and the first IndianAmerican woman governor. 4. Retd. Justice Bhatt to Conduct Judicial Probe in Allahabad Railway Station Stampede i. The State Government of Uttar Pradesh appointed Onkareshwar Bhatt, the retired Justice of Allahabad High Court to conduct Judicial Probe into the Allahabad Railway Station Stampede that occurred during Kumbh Mela. ii. The constituted committee that will probe into the matter is a one-man committee and was directed to submit its report in two months. NOTE: The State Government ordered a Judicial Probe into the incident that occurred on the day of Mauni Amawasya 10 February 2013 at the Allahabad Railway Station during Kumbh Mela. 5. ICICI Bank discontinues Kingfisher co-branded credit card i. Top private sector lender ICICI Bank has decided to discontinue its co-branded credit card with Kingfisher Airlines in the wake of continued grounding of the debt-laden air

carrier. ii. "As a result, the ICICI Bank Kingfisher Airlines Credit Card will be valid till March 31, 2013," iii.. The bank further said it will issue an 'ICICI Bank Platinum Visa Credit Card' to the users of ICICI-Kingfisher card without any annual fees from March 15 onwards with same interest rate and credit limit as that on the existing card. iv. The customers would, however, be free to opt for any other card available with the bank as per their requirements. 6. Union Minister Radhakishan Malviya former passes away i. Radhakishan Malviya, the former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha Member from Madhya Pradesh died on 19 February 2013 at a private hospital in Indore after suffering from a brief illness. He died at the age of 68. ii. He was a veteran Congress Leader and was elected MLA from Sanver in Indore district in 1972. iii. He served the country as Labour Minister in mid 1980s in the Rajiv Gandhi Government. 7. FIFA confirmed use of Goal-Line Technology i. Fdration Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) confirmed the use of goalline technology during the 2014 FIFA World Cup to be organised in Brazil. ii. It also stated that the technology could be introduced in the next seasons Premier league. iii. Introduction of the technology in football is being insisted to provide a high-tech aid to the World Cup referees to rule on the disputed incident. iv. The decision by FIFA was expected once its rule-making panel, known as IFAB, decided last July to approve goal-line technology at competitive matches after two systems passed extensive tests. Goal-Line Technology (GLT) Goal-line Technology is a technology that is used to determine the fact that has the ball passed the goal-line or not with the support of an electronic-device to help the referee decided to take a call that either it was a goal or not. 8. Milos Raonic Won Third Consecutive SAP Open 2013 i. Milos Raonic on 17 February 2013 won SAP Open 2013 at San Jose defeating Tommy Haas in the championship match. ii. Milos Raonic completed the tournament with 6-4, 6-3 victory over Haas. iii. With this victory, he became first player to grab the trophy for three years consecutively, since Tony Trabert in 1953-55. iv. On the other hand, in SAP Open 2013 doubles final, Xavier Malisse and Frank Moser beat Lleyton Hewitt and Marinko Matosevic 6-0, 6-7(5), 10-4 to lift the trophy. About Milos Raonic i. Milos Raonic has the 13th world ranking. ii. Before winning the SAP Open 2013 singles titles, he has also won SAP Open 2011

and SAP Open 2012 singles titles. iii. Milos Raonic is basically a Canadian professional tennis player. About SAP Open i. SAP Open commenced in 1889 and it was called Pacific Coast Championships at the Old Del Monte Lodge in California. ii. SAP Open is the second-oldest tennis tournament in US. iii. In SAP Open 2013, highest ranked player was Milos Raonic who ranked number 13th. 9. Kohli appointed captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore i. IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore on Wednesday appointed Virat Kohli as their captain for the upcoming sixth edition of Indian Premier League. ii. Kohli succeeds former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori, who was at the helm during last season.
Like Share DAILY GK UpdatesFebruary 20DAILY GK UPDATE 19TH FEB. 1. British PM Cameron announces same-day visa service for Indian businessmen i. British Prime Minister David Cameron on Tuesday announced that his country is going to introduce same-day visa service for Indian businessmen in a bid to accelerate the bilateral trade between the two sides. ii. "In terms of business, I think we are on track to meet our committed to double our bilateral trade

by 2015. iii. Cameron also said thatWe are looking to open British trade offices here to create a pan-India network of British business centres by 2017. We want to make very rapid progress on the EU (European Union)-India Free Trade Agreement and going to bring same-day visa service for the Indian businessmen," iv. Cameron further said there would be no limit on the number of Indian students willing to study in British Universities. NOTE: Cameron, who is visiting India for the second time as British Prime Minister, arrived in Mumbai yesterday on a three-day visit with the objective to expand bilateral relations in various field including trade, defence, technology, education, sports and culture. 2. Ecuadors President Rafael Correa Re-elected for a Third Term i. Ecuador's President Rafael Correa was re-elected for a third term with more than 50 percent of the vote according to the election results declared in the third week of February 2013. ii. As per the results, Rafael Correa got 56.7 percent while his closest competitor Guillermo could secure only 23.3 percent. About Rafael Correa i. Correa is a socialist leader who was first elected in 2007. He is credited with bringing political stability to a nation that experienced several protests and coups. ii. He is known for his citizen revolution which made him popular among people of Ecuador. He is 49 years old.

3. Economy to grow at 5.5% in current fiscal,7% in 2013-14: Montek i. Plan panel Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said the Indian economy would grow at a rate of between 5 and 5.5 per cent in current fiscal and could expand by 7 per cent in 2013-14. ii. His comments came after the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) has projected five per cent economic growth this fiscal in its advance estimates released earlier this month. iii. Economic growth in 2011-12 slipped to 6.2 per cent from 9.3 per cent a year ago mainly on account of global factors and subdued investor sentiments. iv. Gross Domestic Production (GDP) of the country has grown by 5.5 per cent in AprilJune quarter and further declined to 5.3 per cent in July-September quarter. 4. India and the UAE agreed to take their Trade Relations to another Level i. India and the UAE agreed to improve their trade and investment relations during the first meeting of India-UAE High Level Task Force on Investment in Abu Dhabi on 18 February 2013. ii. UAE decided to invest 2 billion dollars in Infrastructure sector projects in India and the two countries decided to work for and support Strategic Oil Reserve in India. iii. The meeting was co-chaired by the Union Minister of Commerce, Industry and Textiles, Anand Sharma and Sheikh Hamid Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court. iv. As a part of the bilateral agreement, Five high level sub committees will be set up to promote investment in infrastructure and energy, trade and investment, manufacturing and technology, Information and communications technology and aviation sectors. 5. PSU bank staff to go on two-day strike from tomorrow i. Normal banking operations may be hit as employees unions of public sector banks have decided to join the two-day strike call given by central trade unions beginning February 20 to press for wage hike in the backdrop of rising inflation. ii. The nation-wide strike call has been given by United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) consisting of nine national level unions including AIBEA, NCBE, BEFI, INBEF, NOBW and AIBOC in support of their demand. iii. "A section of the bank's employees may participate in the proposed strike on the said date, if the strike materializes. In view of the above, it is likely that the normal functioning of the bank branches and offices may get affected," Corporation Bank said in a statement. NOTE: I, The Government, in a statement on Tuesday, said that it is disappointed to note that a section of the bank employees have decided to join the strike called by certain trade unions on 20th and 21st February. ii. "So far as bank employees are concerned, there is really no reason at all to join the strike. 6. High speed rail link project between S'pore & Kuala Lumpur i. Singapore and Malaysia announced today that they will build a high-speed rail link

between the city-state and Kuala Lumpur. The target to complete the project is around 2020. ii. A statement issued after a meeting between Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak said, this is a strategic development in bilateral relations that will dramatically improve the connectivity between Malaysia and Singapore. 7. WHO urges vigilance over new SARS-like virus i. The Global health watchdog, World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged countries to be vigilant over the spread of a potentially fatal SARS-like virus after a new case in Britain brought the global number to 12. ii. In a statement, the United Nations health agency released on Saturday said "based on the current situation and available information, WHO encourages all Member States to continue their surveillance for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) and to carefully review any unusual patterns. iii. "Testing for the new coronavirus should be considered in patients with unexplained pneumonias, or in patients with unexplained severe, progressive or complicated respiratory illness not responding to treatment, the statement added. iv. A total of 12 cases have been reported to the WHO, with five of them fatal -- three in Saudi Arabia and two in Jordan. NOTE: i. A SARS epidemic killed more than 800 people when it swept out of China in 2003, sparking a major international health scare. ii. Symptoms common to both viruses include severe respiratory illness, fever, coughing and breathing difficulties. 8. Horsemeat in food:world's largest foodmaker Nestle caught in scandal i. The world's largest food maker, Nestle has become the latest company to be caught up in the scandal in Europe over the contamination of beef products with horsemeat. ii. Nestle has removed readymade Pasta meals from shops in Italy and Spain after tests revealed traces of horse DNA. iii. The Swiss-based firm has halted deliveries of products containing meat from a German supplier. iv. A spokesman for the company said levels of horse DNA were very low but above one per cent. Last week the firm said its products did not contain horsemeat. NOTE: Horsemeat has now been found in 12 European countries, including Nestle's home-base Switzerland 9. Irrfan Khan to Endorse Babool Salt Toothpaste i. Dabur India on 18 February 2013 launched Dabur Babool + Salt Powder Toothpaste and roped in actor Irrfan Khan to endorse the brand, as a new face for the product, Babool Salt. ii. Irrfan Khan had been roped in with the brand for being featured in its 360 degree media campaign. 10. Viswanathan Anand won Grenke Chess Classic Trophy

i. Viswanathan Anand, the World Champion in Chess from India won the Grenke Chess Classic trophy of 2013 after defeating Arkadij Naiditsch from Germany on 17 February 2013. ii. To secure his win in the Grenke Chess Classic, Anand also defeated Fabiano Caruana from Italy. This was his first title of the year. iii. The 43 years old Anand, managed to take a 49 move win against Arkadij with his black pieces to claim the title for his all-play-all tournament title in five years. 11. Rafael Nadal Win Brazil Open 2013 i. Rafael Nadal on 17 February 2013 won the finals of Brazil Open 2013 by defeating Argentinean David Nalbandian in straight sets by 6-2, 6-3 in Sao Paolo. ii. He won the tournament for the second time; he won it for the first time in 2005. iii. This was the second tournament for the former world number 1 Spanish tennis star after returning back from to the game after seven months. Brazil Open The tournament is a part of ATP World Tour 250 Series and is held annually in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This is a one of the important tournaments held in Brazil and is played on the South American Clay Court circuit since 2004. 12. Mithali holds on top batting spot, world champion Aus top team i. Indian women's cricket team captain Mithali Raj held on to her number one spot while world champions Australia became the number one ODI team in the latest ICC rankings issued on Monday. ii. Women's World Cup player of the tournament, Suzie Bates, jumped five places to claim a career-best number two spot in the rankings released a day after Australia beat West Indies in the summit clash at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai. iii. Losing finalists West Indies occupy the second spot in team rankings while India are placed at seventh.
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2. DAILY GK Updates February 19

DAILY GK UPDATE 17 & 18TH FEB. 1. Australia win Women's World Cup for sixth time i. Australia clinched their sixth Women's World Cup title after they comfortably defeated the West Indies by a huge margin of 114 runs in the final at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. ii. Needing 260 to win, the Caribbeans were bundled out for 145 runs in 43.1 overs, miserably failing to recover from Elysse Perry's early three-wicket burst.

iii. Australia took home a prize money of USD 75,000 along with the distinction of being the top ranked team in the world, while runners up West Indies received USD 30,000.

2. British PM arrives on three-day India visit i. British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived in Mumbai on Monday morning on a three-day India visit during which he will meet captains of industry and hold talks with top leaders who are likely to seek more information on the VVIP helicopters scam involving an Anglo-Italian firm. ii. Cameron is likely to be pressed for more information on the Rs 3,600 crore helicopter scam involving AgustaWestland during his meetings with the leadership on Tuesday. iii. The visit also comes in the wake of India taking steps to scrap the contract after Italian investigators probed allegations that aerospace group Finmeccanica, the parent company of AgustaWestland, had broken the law by paying bribes to foreign officials. iv. Besides the defence deal, other major issues expected to figure during Cameron's visit would include the Rs 12,000- crore Vodafone tax matter and the UK hosting a meeting between the Pakistan and Afghanistan Presidents. 3. SBIs net profit rises 4% to Rs 3,400 crore i. India leading public sector bank, the State Bank of India's (SBI) has recorded a 4 per cent increase in net profit to Rs 3,400 crore during the third quarter of the financial year. ii. The increase in net profit of just 4 per cent was mainly due to lower net interest income, which is the difference between interest earned and paid out. iii. The bank's net interest income fell about 3 per cent to Rs 11,154 crore during the third quarter from October to December, 2012 compared to the same quarter of the previous year. iv. The bank also said that the bank's net NPA ratio increased to 2.58 per cent compared with 2.44 per cent. 4. President confers Indira Gandhi Prize on Ela Bhatt i. Noted social worker Ela Ramesh Bhatt was on Monday conferred the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development by President Pranab Mukherjee. ii. Bhatt, the founder of Self-Employed Women's Association, was conferred the Indira Gandhi Prize for 2011 at a function in Rashtrapati Bhawan in the presence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi. iii. The Prize has been awarded to Bhatt for her lifetime achievements in comprehensively empowering women in India and elsewhere through grassroots entrepreneurship. iv. The Prize carries a citation and a cash award of Rs 25 lakh. 5. India-US Joint Working Group held its 10th Meeting in Washington i. The India-U.S.Joint Working Group on UN Peacekeeping held its 10th meeting in Washington on 13 February 2013. ii. At the meeting, India and the United States advanced a number of goals laid out in the Declaration of Principles the Joint Working Group agreed upon in 2011. iii. India and USA welcomed the open and comprehensive nature of the discussions, and agreed the talks helped advance their shared commitment to supporting and

strengthening United Nations peacekeeping operations, and their mutual interest in assuring the success of UN peacekeeping missions. iv. Both nations agreed that the 11th meeting of the Working Group will be held in New Delhi in 2014. 6. NACO signed MoU with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to Highlight Issues related to AIDS i. National AIDS Control Organisation(NACO), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare signed the first MoU with the Ministry of Shipping as a part of its efforts to highlight issues relating to HIV/AIDS. ii. According to the MoU, NACO will provide HIV/AIDS/STI preventive, care support and treatment services to port workers as well as community around major ports including fishermen, seafarers, truckers, single male migrants and other vulnerable population etc. iii. It also aims to provide stigma free environment and promote greater involvement of people living with HIV in all major port areas. 7. Uninor shuts telecom operations in Mumbai over SC order on 2G licences i. Telecom operator Uninor closed down its mobile network operations in Mumbai on Sunday after the Supreme Court on Saturday ordered all operators that did not win spectrum in the previous auctions to close down services immediately. ii. The company intimated all its customers and business partners that for now the Uninor network in Mumbai will not be available after midnight on February 16, 2013. iii. Operations in six circles of Maharashtra and Goa, Gujarat, UP East, UP West, Bihar and Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh will continue as fresh spectrum for 20 years has already been secured. iv. Uninor is likely to sign roaming agreements with other operators to ensure that all Uninor customers get seamless connectivity when travelling to Mumbai. 8. Victoria Azarenka Defeats Serena Williams to Win 2013 Qatar Open i. Victoria Azarenka may have lost her No. 1 ranking, but the Belarusian star did bag her 16th career title by defeating Serena Williams in the final at the 2013 Qatar Open to win the tournament. ii. Despite losing to Azarenka, Williams seized the No. 1 ranking simply by advancing to the final, but Azarenka put an end to the American legend's dominance and won her first match in 10 tries against Williams.
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DAILY GK UPDATE 16TH FEB. 1. Serena becomes World Number One Womens Tennis Player i. Serena Williams became the new World number one womens tennis player. ii. Serena Williams who is aged 31 years thrashed Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic 6-3,3-6,7-5 and reached Semifinals of Qatar Open Tennis Championship in Doha.

of two and a half years. iv. Serena Williams will compete against Maria Sharapova in the Semifinals on 16 February 2013.
iii. On entering the semi-finals, she achieved the top position after a period

2. Pondy University's Community Radio station bags National Award i. 'Puduvai Vaani', the five-year old Community Radio Station of Pondicherry Central University, has bagged the first prize at the national level for its thematic performance entitled `Ungalai Thedi` (in search of you). ii. The Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari presented the award to the Programme Executive of Puduvai Vaani Saleema Rabiyath at the concluding day of the third National Community Radio Sammelan held in New Delhirecently. iii. The Puduvai Vaani was launched with the support of University Grants Commission. The technical support has been provided by the Commonwealth Education Media Centre for Asia and the Commonwealth of Learning New Delhi. iv. It works under the FM 107.8 MHZ, a frequency which has been extended to a catchment area of 20 kms. NOTE: This public sector broadcaster was started in 2008 at the University to enable the people residing in the 20 km radius of coverage to know of various details of the programmes and plans covering their welfare. The CRS also provides live broadcast of various events including the annual convocations held in the University. 3. Asoke Kumar Mukerji Appointed As the Next Permanent Representative of India to the UN i. Asoke Kumar Mukerji was appointed as the next Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations on 13 February 2013. ii. Mukerji replaced Hardeep Singh Puri who retired in February 2013 after the tenure of two years. iii. Asoke Kumar Mukerji was chosen by the Ministry of External Affairs of the Union Government of India. iv. At present, Mukerji is Special Secretary in the External Affairs Ministry. v. He also served as the Consul General in Dubai as well as the Deputy High Commissioner in London. vi. Asoke Kumar Mukerji was the private secretary to External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid. 4. HRD Ministry Launched Sanskrit Caravan i. Sanskrit Caravan was launched in New Delhi on 14 February 2013 by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor for promoting, preserving as well as propagating Indian languages such as Sanskrit and Urdu. ii. Sanskrit Caravan was launched as a part of Indian Heritage Caravan, which is actually an initiative of Press Council of India chairman and former Supreme Court Judge Justice Markandey Katju. NOTE: Earlier in February 2013, Justice Markandey Katju had also inaugurated Urdu Caravan from Delhi to Bhopal as well as Mumbai.

5. India and France Signed MoU in Railway Sector i. Ministry of Railways, Government of India and the Socit Nationale des Chemins de Fer Franais (SNCF), the French National Railways signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 14 February 2013 in order to facilitate technical cooperation in Railways to each other. ii. Chairman, Railway Board, India and Chairman and CEO SNCF from the French side signed this MoU. The MoU was signed when the President of France, H.E. Francois Hollande was present. There were four main areas in MoU and these were: i. Station renovation and operations ii. High speed and semi-high speed rail iii. Suburban trains iv. Modernisation of current operations and infrastructure Main Features of High Speed Cooperation Programme: i. A project called High Speed Cooperation Programme was decided upon as well. The project will be funded by SNCF with assistance from French Ministry of Finance. ii. Under the programme, an operations and development feasibility project will be carried out on Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail. iii. The Memorandum of Understanding remains valid for 5 years. It is extendable by 1 year with the mutual consent. 6. 2nd Meet of India & Bangladesh Joint Consultative Commission held in Dhaka today i. The Second Meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint Consultative Commission is set to take place in Dhaka today afternoon. ii. Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid who arrived in Bangladesh capital this morning will be leading the Indian delegation at the meeting while the Bangladesh Delegation will be led the country's Foreign Minister Dr.Dipu Moni. iii. The Joint Consultative Commission will also the review progress in various sectors of the bilateral relationship, identify thrust areas and give directions for further growth of the bilateral partnership. iv. During the visit, the two sides are also likely to exchange strip maps as part of the agreement signed to resolve land boundary issues and sign some MOU's which relate to the construction of rail link between Akhuara and Agartala, setting up a think tank and an amendment to the agreement on avoidance of double taxation. NOTE: The India-Bangladesh Joint Consultative Commission is an inter-ministerial body of the two countries headed by the Minister of External Affairs of India and Foreign Minister of Bangladesh. ii. The Commission was established under the Framework Agreement on Cooperation for Development signed by the Prime Ministers of the two countries in September 2011. 7. SEBI allowed mutual funds to park 20% in gold deposit schemes i. The Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has finally given permission to mutual funds (MFs) to park up a fifth (20 per cent) of their gold holdings in gold deposit schemes (GDS) run by banks.

ii. The move aims at curbing escalating imports of gold and also to make better use of idle physical gold. In January, iii. India's gold imports jumped to 100 tonnes, the highest level of gold imports in 18 months and up 23 per cent from the corresponding month of the previous year. NOTE: The gold deposit schemes run by banks have so far not succeeded in attracting huge number of customers. These schemes let investors to deposit a minimum of 200 gram of gold in exchange for gold bonds, which carry an interest rate of 3 per cent 4 per cent, depending upon the term of the scheme. 8. US warns N Korea against further nuclear test i. US has warned North Korea about "damaging consequences" if it went ahead with another nuclear test. ii. White House Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest said: "Each time we see one of these nuclear tests, it further isolates the country of North Korea, which has a terrible impact on the people of North Korea. iii. Referring to relevant UN Security Council resolutions, she said: "In the UN Security Council Resolution 2087, the council expressed its determination to take significant action in the event of a nuclear test. 9. Petrol price hiked by Rs 1.50, diesel by 45 paise i. Prices of petrol and diesel has been raised from midnight on Friday as diesel prices have been increased by 0.45 paise per litre and the price of petrol has been increased by Rs. 1.50 per litre. ii. The rates have been revised in tune with the rise in international rates. iii. The increase announced is excluding local sales tax or VAT and the actual hike for consumers would be more after the incidence of duty is included. iv. Petrol price in Delhi will go up by almost Rs 1.80 per litre after taking into account 19 per cent VAT and Diesel rates would go up by 51 paise. 10. World wrestling chief fired after Olympic snub i. The head of the international wrestling federation Raphael Martinetti has been fired after receiving a vote of no-confidence in the wake of the sport's exclusion from the group of core Olympic disciplines, a Russian official said Saturday. ii. FILA chief Martinetti had come under fire for failing to do enough to promote wrestling inside the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the Swiss official reportedly paid for it with his job at an emergency session called in Phuket, Thailand. iii. "The FILA bureau has taken the decision to express its lack of trust in Rafael Martinetti, and he has been dismissed. NOTE :i. Martinetti was elected to the position of FILA president in 2002, succeeding Milan Ercegan of the former Yugoslavia. ii. Wrestling was one of the most respected sports at the ancient Olympics and has been included at every edition of the modern Olympics except the 1900 Games, and offered 18 of the 302 gold medals at London 2012. 11. Australia aim to lift sixth women's World Cup title

i. Five-time champions Australiawill walk in with the twin aims of revenge and title triumph when they take on a spiritedWest Indies, in the summit clash of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup on Sunday. ii. Australia were undefeated in the series until the West Indies beat them by eight runs in their last Super Six match. iii. The team from Down Under would be keen to avenge that loss and win the trophy for the sixth time.

3. DAILY GK Updates February 16

DAILY GK UPDATE 15TH FEB. 1. G20 finance ministers meet in Russia today i. Financial ministers from the G20 Countries are meeting today in the Russian capital Moscow at the start of two days of meetings. ii. Talks will likely focus on so-called currency wars, and, in particular, recent moves by Japan to spur economic growth. iii. Analysts say, Japan's actions have caused the currency, the yen, to lose about 20 percent of its

value since November. iv. The value of a country's currency has a big impact on its trade and there are fears nations may try to influence markets to help boost their economies. v. The G-20 has previously asked nations to refrain from market intervention. vi. The G20 includes both the world's leading and emerging economies, accounting for 90 percent of the world economy. 2. Tripura records highest ever polling of 93% in India i. Tripura has recorded the highest ever polling of 93 per cent in the country. ii. The State went to polls yesterday to elect a new 60-member Assembly. iii. During the last Assembly elections in 2008, Tripura had recorded a polling of 91.22 per cent which was highest in the country till date. iv. This was disclosed by Chief Electoral Officer of the State in Agartala last night. 3. 14th Meet of Environment Ministers of BASIC countries starts at Chennai i. India will host the next meeting of BASIC ( Brazil South Africa India and China) Environment Ministers in Chennai on February 15-16. ii. The two day closed door meeting will review the decisions taken at Doha and plan the future steps for taking the global process for an ambitious and equitable agreement

under Durban Platform. iii. The meeting will also set an agenda for the ministers deliberations to be held tomorrow. iv. Representatives from important members of G-77 countries like Bhutan, Fiji, Nauru and Qatar have also been invited for the meet. v. The conference is also expected to ensure that the developed countries should take the lead not just in mitigation but also in adaptation, finance, technology transfer and capacity building. NOTE: It is to be observed that in the 13th basic conference the ministers reiterated that centrality of equity should be adapted by all and also the importance of achieving the goal of providing 100 billion dollars per year by 2020 as committed by developed countries and underscored the need to scale up financial resources in order to avoid the funding gap from 2013 to 2020. 4. Serena Williams all set to regain World Number one title at Qatar Open i. The US Open Champion and reigning World Number 2, Serena Williams is all set to regain the World Number one title at Qatar Open Championship in Doha. ii. She will become the number oner if she beats Ursula Radwanska on her way to the Semi finals on Thursday. iii. The semi final line up will be decided on Thursday. 5. India to launch seven satellites Feb 25 i. The Indian space agency will Feb 25 put into orbit seven foreign satellites including an Indo-French collaborative satellite SARAL and thus earn much wanted revenue. ii. "The launch of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C20 (PSLV-C20) is currently fixed for Feb 25 evening," sources in the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) iii. "The rocket will blast off from the Sriharikota rocket launch centre (around 80 km from here) carrying seven satellites, totally weighing around 700 kg," iv. The SARAL will carry an Altimeter (ALTIKA) for studying the sea surface heights and ARGOS payload, which is a satellite based data collection platform. v. The satellite will also be useful in tracking resident space objects including space debris. vi. The other four satellites to be carried by PSLV-C20 are BRITE and UniBRITE (both Austria), STRAND (Britain) and AAUSAT (Denmark). 6. Pak successfully tests nuclear-capable Hatf-II missile i. Pakistan on Friday successfully tested the nuclear-capable Hatf-II ballistic missile with a range of 180 km, marking the second test of a missile system in four days as part of measures to evaluate the capabilities of its Strategic Forces. ii. The test of the Hatf-II or Abdali short range surface-to-surface ballistic missile was part of the process of validation of land-based ballistic missile systems, iii. The missile can carry nuclear or conventional warheads with high accuracy, iv. The short-range Hatf-IX missile is primarily aimed at deterring Indias Cold Start

military doctrine, which envisages quick thrusts by small integrated battle groups in the event of hostilities.
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4. DAILY GK Updates February 16

DAILY GK UPDATE 14TH FEB. 1. Mohan Parasaran new Solicitor General of India i. Additional Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran was appointed as the country's new Solicitor General following the resignation of senior advocate Rohinton Nariman from the post. ii. His tenure will be for three years. His name was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) and a formal notification was issued on Wednesday.

iii. Parasaran, a senior advocate of the Supreme Court and son of former Attorney General K Parasaran, was appointed as ASG by the first UPA government in July 2004. Solicitor General of India The Solicitor General of India is the second highest law officer of India and a subordinate to the Attorney General for India, who is the Indian government's chief legal advisor. 2. India, France sign deal on Surface to Air Missile i. India and France concluded negotiations on the Short Range Surface to Air Missile nearly worth USD 6 billion during the talks between French President Francois Hollande and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday. ii. The Rs 30,000 crore worth of SR-SAM project is a co- development joint venture between India and France and would be developed byMBDA of France and DRDO from the Indian side. iii. The surface to air missile defence system would be deployed by the IAF and the Navy. iv. They also decided to promote an ambitious and balanced Free Trade Agreement between India and the EU based on reciprocity and mutual benefit which will boost bilateral economic relationship and to establish an annual bilateral dialogue between the two Finance Ministries on economic and financial issues. NOTE: i. The two sides also inked four pacts, including one in the field of railways. ii. Long-term space cooperation and cultural exchanges are among the four documents inked between India and France. iii. France has been a longstanding partner in our space programme. Later this month, ISRO will launch the integrated SARAL satellitecarrying the ALTIKA and ARGOS payloads from the French National Space Agency,

3. Cabinet approves bill on Indo-Bangla land boundary pact i. Government has approved a Constitutional Amendment Bill which will facilitate the implementation of the India-Bangladesh boundary agreement signed in 2011. ii. The Union Cabinet, in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, gave its nod to the draft of the Constitutional Bill to amend the India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement, 1974, official sources said in New Delhi on Wednesday. iii. The Bill is expected to be tabled in the coming Budget session of Parliament for Parliamentary approval. iv. Indian enclaves in Bangladesh are spread over 17,149 acres, while Bangladesh enclaves in India are located in 7,110 acres of land. 4. Iran test fired surface-to-surface cruise missile Ghader i. Iran test fired Ghader a surface-to-surface cruise missile in the international waters near the Strait of Hormuz. Ghader Missile i. Ghader that means Capable in Farshi is a ground to ship cruise missile and can hit a target within a range of 200 kilometers. ii. The missile is based on the latest technology like, radar system, satellite communication, target destruction precision, and is fitted with radar-evading system. iii. It is capable of striking the naval vessels like frigates as well as warships. 5. Justice Y Bhaskar Rao sworn in as new Lokayukta of K'taka i. Justice Yarabati Bhaskar Rao was sworn in as the new Lokayukta of Karnataka. ii. Governor HR Bharadwaj administered the oath of office to the anti-corruption ombudsman in Bangalore today. NOTE: i. The post of Lokayuktha was lying vacant since September 2011, after Justice Shivaraj Patil, resigned following allegations of false declaration while obtaining a housing site. ii. The 74-year-old former Chief Justice Bhaskar Rao was acting Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court for three months in 1999 and later served as Chief Justice for four months. iii. After retirement, he was appointed Chairman of Andhra Pradesh Human Rights Commission and later became a member of the National Human Rights Commission. 6. SEBI ordered freezing of accounts of Sahara i. Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) the stock market regulator of India on 13 February 2013 ordered freezing of bank accounts and attachment of properties of two Sahara group firms. ii. Sahara India Real Estate Corporation Ltd., and Sahara Housing Investment Corporation Ltd. and its Chairman Subrata Roy as well as top executives Vandana Bhargava, Ravi Shanker Dubey and Ashok Roy Choudhary after it failed to refund more than24,000 crore rupees to investors. iii. The decision from the market regulator came after the Supreme Court of India granted it the freedom to freeze the accounts of the two companies and attach the

properties of the defaulting groups. iv. SEBIs orders restricts the Sahara India Estate Corporation from operating its demat accounts and redeeming the mutual fund units held by it as well as from transferring the shares controlled by it to any other body or company. NOTE: The market regulator gave 21 days time to Sahara Firms to submit the details of the investments done and not listed in an order. 7. Inflation declines to 6.62 p.c. in January i. Declining for the fourth straight month, WPI inflation fell to 6.62 per cent in January despite rise in prices of food items like vegetables, onions and rice. ii. The Wholesale Price Index (WPI) had stood at 7.18 per cent in December and 7.24 per cent in November. It was at 7.23 per cent in January, 2012. 8. India becomes number one exporting nation to Kenya i. India has overtaken UAE to become the number one exporting nation to Kenya. ii. According to the latest data, Indias exports to Kenya went up by 27.1 per cent to $ 2 billion in the first 11 months of last year which amounts to 15 per cent of Kenyas total imports. iii. It is followed by China and UAE. Indias rise has been backed by big-ticket contracts in healthcare and energy sectors over the past 12 months. NOTE: The main imports are textiles, pharmaceuticals, industrial machinery, vehicles, electronic and semi-processed goods from India. ii. The two countries have set a target to increase the bilateral trade to $2.5 billion by this year. iii. Indias exports to Africa accounted for 6.6 per cent of its total exports last year, up from 4.7 per cent in 2003. 9. Windies book final date with Aussies i. Australia and the West Indies have stormed into the finals of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup. ii. In a super-six match at Mumbai, opting to bat first, the West Indies were bundled out for 164 in 47 overs. iii. Chasing 165 for victory, Australia were all out for 156, with 10 balls to spare. iv. Even though the Windies defeated Australia by 8 runs, both the teams finished with 8 points at the top of the points table, booking the final two berths. 10. Mathews named Sri Lankas Test, ODI captain i. All-rounder Angelo Mathews has been appointed Sri Lankas Test and ODI captain, replacing Mahela Jayawardene, for a period of one year. ii. The 25-year-old Mathews was Jayawardenes deputy and was the heir apparent to the captaincy since the latter announced that he would be quitting captaincy after Sri Lankas tour of Australia. iii. Wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Chandimal will be Mathews deputy, but will lead the national side in the Twenty20 format. iv. Lasith Malinga will be the teams vice-captain for T20.

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5. DAILY GK Updates February 16

DAILY GK UPDATE 13TH FEB. 1. World Radio Day was observed today: i. World Radio day was observed today to increase awareness about the importance of Radio. ii.The multi-purpose medium is an important source of information in those areas which are sometimes too remote to get a newspaper delivered. iii. Across the world, the number of radio stations is increasing and the cost of broadcasting is decreasing.

NOTE: United Nations General Assembly endorsed the 2011 resolution adopted by the UNESCO General Conference, proclaiming the 13th of February as World Radio Day, the day United Nations Radio was established in 1946. 2. NCAOR Science Meet begins in Goa i. The Fourth Open Science Meeting of the International Past Global Changes community organised by National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean research (NCAOR), began at Dona Paula near Panajiin Goa today. ii. The Theme of the conference is "The Past: A compass for the future Earth". iii. Over 4000 delegates from 44 countries are attending the Conference that will discuss and deliberate on climate changes of the past. iv. The four day conference will go a long way to enhance knowledge on global warming, climate change due to global warming for the protection of natural resources such as air, water and others. 3. Kalyan Kumar Chakravarty Appointed As the Chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi i. The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee appointed Kalyan Kumar Chakravarty as the chairman of Lalit Kala Akademi on 12 February 2013. ii. Kalyan Kumar Chakravarty is the IAS officer of 1970 batch and retired from the designation of Secretary to Government of India. NOTE: i. Kalyan Kumar Chakravarty will retain his position till 31 December 2017. ii. Chakravarty also served in Madhya Pradesh government. iii. He had also remained member-secretary of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts and director general of the National Museum, New Delhi apart from vice chancellor of the National Museum Institute. About Lalit Kala Akademi: Lalit Kala Akademi or the National Academy of Fine Art is fine art institution of Government of India with an objective to promote, develop as well as spread the culture of Indian fine art. It receives funds from Ministry of Culture. 4. Parle-G Became the First Indian FMCG Brand to Cross 5000 Crore Rupees Mark i. Parle-G in February 2013 became the first Indian FMCG brand that crossed 5000 crore

Rupees mark in terms of retail sales in one year. ii. Parle Products were launched in 1939 when the British ruled India. iii. Factually, Parle Products in 2012 sold 5010 crore rupees worth glucose biscuits at the retail price, surpassing the domestic sales of Godrej products and Dabur, while at the same time also selling thrice more products than Maggi. iv. This means that Parle Products sold over 100 crore packets of the glucose biscuits every month, or 14600 crore biscuits in 2012. NOTE: i. Parle-G that has less than 1 billion dollar sales in a year, but even then it has good lead over its rivals such as Hindustan Unilever's Wheel and Ghari Detergent. ii. Parle-Gs share increased from 67 percent in 2002 to 79 percent in 2012. Comparatively, shares of Britannia's Tiger and ITC's Sunfeast brand fell down. 5. India and Japan held talks to Strengthen Cooperation in Tourism Sector i. India and Japan on 12 February 2013 decided to strengthen cooperation in tourism sector and explore the new areas and opportunities in the sector by working together in different fields like the field of human resource development, investment in the tourism sector, exchange of tour operators and exchange of information related to tourism. ii. The decision was made during a meet of the Japanese Senior Vice-Minister of Tourism, Hiroshi Kajiyama with the Union Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi in India. The two also discussed issues related to singing of an agreement/MoU. iii. India and Japan had been an important tourism market for each other in the recent past and Japan accounts to be among the top ten inbound tourist generating market for India. NOTE: i. Japanese Tourists in India are interested in visiting to places connected to Buddhism in India. ii. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had extended a loan of 7331 million Japanese Yen that is equivalent to 299 crore rupees for development of the Ajanta Ellora Conservation and Development Program Phase II. iii. The Ministry of Tourism is going to hold road shows in Tokya and Osaka on 18 February 2013 and 20 February 2013, respectively. 6. Retail inflation rises to 10.79 pc in Jan i. Rising for the fourth consecutive month, retail inflation remained in double digits at 10.79 per cent in January, driven by higher prices of vegetables, edible oil, cereals and protein-based items. ii. The retail inflation had stood at 10.56 per cent in December, 9.90 per cent in November and 9.75 per cent in October, 2012. iii. In urban areas, retail inflation rose to 10.73 per cent in January from 10.42 per cent in the previous month. iv. The CPI for rural population increased to 10.88 per cent during the month from 10.74 per cent in December. NOTE: i. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its monetary policy last month had slashed its key interest rates by 0.25 per cent and released Rs 18,000 crore additional liquidity into the system to perk up growth through reduced cost of borrowing. ii. The RBI has forecast the March end WPI inflation at 6.8 per cent. 7. Tripura ready for Assembly election tomorrow

i. The people of Tripura are ready to exercise their democratic rights as the elections to the state assembly are slated on 14th February. ii. Altogether 249 candidates are in the fray for the Thursday election. iii. The main contest will be between the Left Front and its allies and the Congress and its partners. 8. Delhi first in country to introduce e-court fee in all district courts i. Delhi has become the first state in the country to introduce e-court fee in all its district courts," ii. Describing it as a major step towards modernising the judicial system, the Chief Minister said, "The e-court fee system will go a long way in overcoming any possibility of stamp scam like the Telgi scam. 9. Advani creates history, enters pre-quarters of Welsh Open i. Pankaj Advani on Wednesday created history by becoming the first Indian cueist ever to reach the pre-quarterfinals of the BetVictor Welsh Open Pro Snooker Series, defeating former world champion, England's Shaun Murphy, 4-3 at Newport, Wales. ii. Eight-time world champion Advani, the only active player to compete at the highest level in both billiards and snooker concurrently in the same season, reigned supreme at the green baize to enter the Round of 16, where he would be facing either 2006 world champion Graeme Dott of Scotland or Ireland's Fergal O'Brien.
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DAILY GK UPDATE 12TH FEB. 1. India and Bangladesh signed MoU on Health i. India and Bangladesh have signed an MoU for cooperation in the fields of Health and Medical Sciences. ii. The MoU includes exchange of medical doctors, other health professionals and experts, development of human resources and mutual sharing of information on health iii. It also stresses on fostering cooperation for the development of culturally sensitive and

effective public and professional awareness campaign including clinical. iv. The two sides have also agreed on training for each other's doctors and health workers in the areas where they have relevant expertise and excellence. v. The MoU was signed by Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and his Bangladeshi counterpart A F M RuhalHaque in New Delhi today.

2. North Korea conducts third nuclear test i. North Korea on Tuesday said it had conducted a successful third underground nuclear test, in a move that brought quick condemnation from the United Nations and the Norths neighbours and is set to heighten regional tensions. ii. The test was reported to have taken place at a test site in the North Hamgyeong province, where the Punggye-ri nuclear complex that conducted tests in 2006 and 2009 is located. iii. The previous nuclear test in 2009 resulted in fresh resolutions aimed at the North from the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), tighter sanctions and increased

tensions with South Korea and Japan. iv. U.S. President Barack Obama called the test highly provocative and said it undermines regional stability and will not make North Korea safer. v. The European Union called the move a blatant challenge to nuclear non-proliferation. Catherine Ashton, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs, said in a statement that North Korea should refrain from further provocative actions. 3. Ambani appointed Chair of India Advisory Council of BAT i. Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries, has been appointed the Chair of India Advisory Council of British Asian Trust (BAT). ii. Prince Charles made the announcement at Windsor Castle on Monday at a gathering to celebrate the 5th Anniversary of the British Asian Trust, a charity founded in 2007 by British Asian business leaders. NOTE: The British Asian Trust has worked with South Asian NGOs to touch the lives of one million disadvantaged people by tackling various issues, including mental health, child abuse and providing business qualifications for illiterate rural women. 4. Stamps in honour of Ravi Shankar i. The Department of Posts will release commemorative stamps this year honouring eminent musicians of India, including late Pandit Ravi Shankar, Bhimsen Joshi and D K Pattammal and legendary movie actors. ii. Mallikarjun Mansur, Kumar Gandharva, Gangubai Hangal and Ustad Iliad Khan are the other great musicians who would be honoured in 'The Musicians' series, scheduled for release on July 2. iii. The department would commemorate the Golden jubilee celebration of Bhakra Nangal dam, Gaiety Heritage Cultural Complex of Shimla (Jawaharlal's Nehru favourite place), Delhi Gymkhana club and 75th anniversary of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan this year. iv. Of the 52 stamps planned for release, some had been earmarked to commemorate legendary actors. "This is part of the plan to mark celebrations of 100 Years of Indian Cinema" 5. Pakistan Successfully Test Fired Missile Hatf IX (NASR) i. Pakistan on 11 February 2013 successfully test fired short range surface-to-surface missile Hatf IX (NASR). ii. The test fire took place with consecutive launches of two missiles from multi-tube launcher. iii. NASR has 60 km range with the capability of in-flight manoeuvring. It also has the capability of carrying nuclear warheads having apt yields, with higher efficiency. Important facts related to Hatf IX (NASR) i. NASR is designed specifically to defeat Anti-Tactical Missile Defence Systems of all kinds. ii. The test firing of short range surface-to-surface missile Hatf IX (NASR) was a part of medium-range ballistic missiles [MRBM] and short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile [SRBMs] exercise which will be completed in three cycles by July 2013.

iii. The missile has the capability to carry nuclear weapons. 6. US launches Earth observation satellite i. The United States launched its latest Earth observation satellite on Monday atop an Atlas V rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. ii. The Landsat Data Continuity Mission was the latest in a line of satellites used to continuously gather imagery from space of the Earth's land surface, coastal areas and coral reefs. iii. The satellite is the eighth in a series to be launched beginning in 1972, that have been instrumental in tracking the changing face of planet. iv. It is designed to have a minimum five year life span, although it is fuelled for a 10 year run in space, orbiting the Earth about 14 times a day from an altitude of 705 kilometres. 7. IOC drops wrestling from 2020 Olympics i. Wrestling is to be dropped from the programme of the 2020 Games, the International Olympic Committee executive board recommended Tuesday. ii. The final decision, seen as a formality, will be made by the IOC Session in September in Buenos Aires where wrestling can also seek to be included again, along with seven other sports. NOTE: i. Baseball and softball were dropped after Athens 2008, and ruby sevens and golf will be added for Rio de Janeiro 2016. ii. Wrestling will now join the seven shortlisted sports baseball/softball, karate, roller sports, sport climbing, squash, wakeboarding and wushu vying for inclusion in the 2020 Olympic programme as an additional sport. iii. Wrestling had 18 medal events (11 freestyle, seven GrecoRoman) at the London 2012 edition, with Russia the most successful nation with four golds, two silvers and five bronze and 38 nations winning medals. 8. India maintained their Number One Spot in the ICC ODI i. India maintained their number one spot in the ICC ODI Championship table in the latest rankings issued in Dubai on 11 February 2013. ii. Both India and England have same 119 rating points, but England lags behind on the basis of decimal points. Australia and South Africa follow the top two teams closely with 116 and 112 points respectively.

6. DAILY GK Updates February 12

DAILY GK UPDATE 10 & 11TH FEB. 1. Govt, World Bank sign USD 60 mn loan pact for K'taka project i. The government signed a USD 60 million loan agreement with the World Bank on Monday to improve watershed operations in seven districts of Karnataka. ii. Government and the World Bank signed a USD 60 million credit agreement for the Karnataka Watershed Development Project II (KWDP II) to further improve watershed planning and

management in project areas. iii. The project will improve government watershed operations in 930 micro-watersheds covering 465,000 hectares across seven districts of Karnataka. iv. The project follows successful implementation of WB-supported KWDP I which helped improve lives of 230,000 farmers by increasing crop yields by about 25 per cent and raising household incomes of small and marginal farmers by 40 per cent. v. It will also facilitate better convergence of IWMP with othser government programmes such as National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). vi. Besides, it will strengthen the financial and technical convergence between IWMP and NREGS through more integrated watershed planning and monitoring, and developing innovative tools and processes in sub and micro-watersheds. vii. It will be financed through a credit from World Banks concessionary lending arm, International Development Association (IDA). viii. The closing date of the project is 31st December, 2018. 2. Ministry of Civil Aviation launched Monthly Bi-lingual Shubh Yatra Magazine i. Ministry of Civil Aviation on 8 February 2013 released Shubh Yatra, an exclusive monthly bi-lingual (Hindi & English) inflight magazine of Air India. ii. It covers travel, lifestyle, culture and entertainment in all colour and spice. This is the new name of the inflight magazine. 3. Conference of South Asian Autism Network begins in New Delhi i. A conference of the South Asian Autism Network will begin in New Delhi today. ii. UPA Chairperson Mrs. Sonia Gandhi will inaugurate the conference at Vigyan Bhavan. iii. Representatives from India, Bangladesh, Thailand and the World Health Organisation-WHO among others will participate in the meet. iv. India and Bangladesh will present the official autism charter for adoption by all network member states. NOTE: i. Autism is a developmental disorder which is characterized by communication difficulties, social and behavioral challenges as well as a repetitive behaviour. ii. The WHO states that there has been an escalation in the disease burden for autism from 10 per cent to 14 per cent between 1990 to 2011. It is expected to rise to 15 per cent by 2020. 4. 16th National Conference on e-Governance to begin in Jaipur i. 16th National Conference on e-Governance will begin in Jaipur today. ii. Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot will inaugurate this 2 days conference. iii. Theme of this years conference is towards an open Government. NOTE: i. Aim of the conference is to prepare a road map for providing transparent,

effective, responsive and accountable system of governance to the common people with use of e-services. ii. On this occasion The Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot will launch the statewide area network R-SWAN for e-governance, which will be the biggest network in the country. iii. 4500 Government offices at block level, will be connected with this network. 5. National e-Governance award for Madhya Pradesh i. Madhya Pradesh has been conferred upon the prestigious National e-Governance Gold Award for 2012-13, for its 'Sparsh Abhiyan' aimed towards the disabled and the aged. ii. The state will receive the award at Jaipur during the two-day 16th National eGovernance Conference starting on Monday. NOTE: i. Sparsh Abhiyan' is a special programme for rehabilitation and empowerment of the disabled, aged and the destitute. ii. Madhya Pradesh will be honoured in the "Focus Sector" category for this innovative programme of its own kind. iii. The award will be given jointly to Directorate of Social Justice, Madhya Pradesh and National Informatics Centre, Madhya Pradesh, 6. Dubai Govt Summit starts today i.The Dubai Government Summit, one of the largest government gathering in the region and the Arab world begins at Madianat Jumeirah in Dubai today. ii. The two day summit will discuss the initiatives in the Government sector , their implications and the road ahead for the welfare of the people. iii. The summit will discuss expertise from Denmark, Canada, Australia, South Korea and Brazil and the successful local experiences. iv. A ministerial roundtable will be held as part of the summit, with ministers from around the world sharing their insights and recommendations on how government services can be made more effective, efficient and citizen-oriented. NOTE: Top leaders including the Prime Minister of UAE and the Ruler of Dubai, the Deputy Prime Minister and others the former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Chief Innovative Officer of the World Bank Technology Division, Chris Vein, are among those participating at the conference. 7. I&B Ministry launched MyIndia InitiativeA Digital Volunteer Programme to reach Citizens i. The Information and Broadcasting Minister, Manish Tewari on 7 February 2013 launched the MyIndia Initiative-A Digital Volunteer Programme to reach out the people in the social media space. ii. The initiative from the I&B Ministry is aimed towards disseminating and delivering the messages of development to the citizens by registering them as volunteers them on the social media platforms. iii. The initiative is an effort to make the citizen contribute positively towards nation building and this would initiate a principle of participative governance across the

nation. NOTE: i. The I&B Ministry on 8 February 2013 also tried to reach out the citizens for the first time via Live Twitter Conference on the eve of 3rd Community Radio Conference. ii. This was the first ever conference of such type by any of the Ministrys of Government of India. iii. Community Radio: Road Travelled & way forward was the topic for community radio conference and it lasted for a period of 30 minutes from 4 pm to 4:30 pm. 8. MCX-SX becomes third full-fledged equity bourse in India i. The MCX Stock Exchange (MCX-SX) benchmark index SX40 went live with its equity trading platform on both equities and equity derivatives today. ii. MCX-SX became the third full-fledged equity bourse after BSE and NSE in the country. The bourse was formally launched by Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday. NOTE: i. SX40 is a free-float based index of large-cap and liquid stocks, representing diverse sectors. ii. The base value will be 10,000 with a base date of March 31st, 2010. iii. In the early trade, Reliance Industries, Suzlon and NHPC were leading the volume chart, while the value chart was being led by RIL, SBI, Tata Steel and Reliance Capital. iv. The benchmark includes companies that have a minimum free float of 10 per cent and is within the top 100 liquid companies. 9. 2 day conference of Governors starts in Rashtrapati Bhavan i. A two-day conference of Governors has begun in Rashtrapati Bhavan. ii. President Pranab Mukherjee presided over the conference, which is expected to focus on issues of security, development and human resource development, especially education. 10. India's fastest supercomputer - Param Yuva II launched i. Param Yuva II - India's fastest supercomputer and the 62nd fastest supercomputer in the world - has recently been launched by Government of India's Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY). ii. Param Yuva II supercomputer was developed in a record period of three months, with a total investment of Rs. 16 crore. iii. The most prominent features of the new supercomputer include 200 Terabytes of high performance storage; support software for parallel computing; and the ability to deliver over half a Petaflop of raw compute power. iv. Marking the latest 500 TeraFlop version of the DeitY's earlier Param Yuva at the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) Pune, the Param Yuva II has undergone a 524-teraflop upgrade that is approximately ten-fold faster than its previous counterpart. 11. Azam Khan resigns as the head of Kumbh Mela Management Committee i. In Uttar Pradesh, Minister Azam Khan has resigned as the head of the Kumbh Mela Management Committee, taking moral responsibility for last night's stampede in which

36 people were killed and 39 injured at the Allahabad railway station. ii. The state government has constituted a high-level probe under chairman Board of Revenue for looking into the causes of the stampede, who will submit its report within a month. 12. Late Pt Ravi Shankar honoured with Lifetime Achievement Grammy award i. Sitar legend late Pandit Ravi Shankar has been honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Grammy award at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. ii. Three-time Grammy winner Pt. Ravi Shanker is credited with introducing Indian classical music to the West. 13. China welcomes Year of Snake i. People across China welcomed the arrival of the Year of the Snake with celebrations last night, setting off firecrackers in the streets and sending fireworks blazing into the sky to bring good fortune. ii. Celebrations carried on into the early hours today, officially the first day of the Lunar New Year. NOTE: i. The Lunar New Year is the most important festival in the Chinese calendar. ii. On the first day of the lunar New Year, many people visited temples and paid respect to their ancestors, a tradition which has been upheld for thousands of years. The celebrations will last for two weeks. 14. Pope to resign on Feb. 28, conclave in March i. Pope Benedict XVI announced on Monday that he would resign Feb. 28 the first pontiff to do so in nearly 600 years. ii. The decision sets the stage for a conclave to elect a new pope before the end of March. iii. The 85-year-old pope announced his decision in Latin during a meeting of Vatican cardinals on Monday morning. NOTE: The last pope to resign was Pope Gregory XII, who stepped down in 1415 in a deal to end the Great Western Schism among competing papal claimants. 15. Ranchi Rhinos are champions of inaugural HIL i. Ranchi Rhinos win the inaugural Hockey India League by beating Delhi Waveriders 21 in a thrilling summit clash in front of a capacity home crowd at the Astroturf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi on Sunday. ii. As expected, the title clash, a match between the two best outfits of the tournament, displayed scintillating hockey by both Delhi and Ranchi, which was fast and freeflowing. iii. The Rhinos seemed to enjoy playing in front of a vociferous home crowd as they overshadowed the Waveriders, at least, in the first quarter. iv. Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh Wizards rode on captain V R Raghunath's four goals, including a hat-trick, to finish third, defeating Jaypee Punjab Warriors 4-3 in the bronze medal play-off match.

16. Rest of India claims Irani Cup for eighth consecutive time i. Rest of India retained the Irani Cup for the eighth year in succession having got the better of Mumbai on the basis of first innings lead at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. ii. Chasing 507 to win the home team had made 160 for four in reply (54 overs), when the match was called off after the third mandatory over, 40 minutes after the tea interval. iii. Wasim Jaffer completed a highly-successful first-class season with a polished century (101, 141b, 10x4) in the second innings of the Irani Cup match against Rest of India at the Wankhede Stadium here on Sunday. iv. He also became the highest run-getter in the tournament with 1008 runs [Gundappa Viswanath held the record with 1001]. 17. Qatar Open Tennis Championship starts today i. Qatar Open Tennis Championship gets underway in Doha today. ii. Nine out of top 10 ranking women tennis players are taking part in the tournament for the title and the purse string of 2,369,000 dollar. iii. World Number one, Victoria Azrenka, number two Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Li Na, Samantha Stosur, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Jelana Jnkovich, Ana Ivanovich are among the top ranking women participating in the tournament. 18. Nigeria wins Africa Cup of Nations Football tournament i. Nigeria has won the Africa Cup of Nations Football tournament beating Burkina Faso 1-0 in the final in Johannesburg. ii. The victory was Nigeria's first African title in 19 years. 19. Lydia Ko Became Youngest Winner Of European Tour Golf Event i. Lydia Ko, the teenager became youngest winner of a women's European Tour golf event by winning at New Zealand Women's Open in Christchurch on 10 February 2013. ii. This is her third victory of the professional title. She is aged just 15 years, eight months and 17 days. iii. Lydia Ko in the meanwhile, also became the third amateur, who won on women's European Tour. NOTE: i. Ko at present is at number 38 on professional rankings of the world. She will go for Australian Open in Canberra that would kick off on 14 February 2013. ii. Her first victory was in pro tour event which took place at ALPG's Bing Lee Samsung Women's NSW Open in early 2012 when Lydia Ko was just 14 years of age. iii. Her second victory came at 2012s Canadian Women's Open. 20. Australia enter final of ICC Women's World Cup i. Five-time champions Australia have entered the final of the ICC Women's World Cup after thrashing Sri Lanka by nine wickets in their second Super Six match at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. ii. In response to Sri Lanka's paltry 131 runs score, Australia chased down the target in just 22.2 overs. This was Australia's fifth successive victory in the tournament.

21. Advani becomes 2nd Indian to qualify for Welsh Open i. Pankaj Advani added another feather to his illustrious cap as the eight-time world champion became only the second Indian cueist to qualify for the main draw of Welsh Open Pro Snooker Series. ii. Pankaj Advani defeated former world champion Peter Ebdon 4-3 in a nail-biting encounter to enter the draw of 32 in the Welsh Open in Sheffield. 22. Nadal loses to Zeballos in singles final i. Rafael Nadal suffered a loss (6-7 (2) 7-6 (6) 6-4)to Argentinas Horacio Zeballos in final of the VTR Open in Chile on Sunday. ii. Zeballos won his first singles title on any surface and looked every bit the equal of the seven-time French Open champion.
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DAILY GK UPDATE 9TH FEB. 1. RBI asks co-op banks not to give loans for gold purchase i. The Reserve Bank has directed state and central co-operative banks not to grant loans for purchase of gold in any form in order to check the significant rise in import of the precious metal in recent years. ii. RBI said in a notification that: "In view of the concerns...,it is reiterated that state and cent ral co-

operative banks should not grant any advance for purchase of gold in any form, including primary gold, gold bullion, gold jewellery, gold coins, units of gold Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) and units of gold Mutual Funds," NOTE: i. Presently, these banks are permitted to grant loans against pledge of gold ornaments, but not permitted to grant any advance for purchase of gold in any form. ii. They grant loans for various purposes against the security of gold/gold ornaments as part of their lending policy. 2. Afzal Guru hanged in Tihar Jail i. Mohamammed Afzal Guru, the convict of 2001 Parliament attack was hanged today at 8 AM in Tihar Jail, New Delhi. ii. The Supreme Court of India pronounced the death Sentence for Afzal Guru in 2004 for masterminding the terrorist attack on Indian Parliament on 13 December 2001. NOTE: The terrorist of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad managed to attack on the Parliament of India, leading to the death of about a dozen of people including the security persons as well as civilians. 3. Union Government of India approved setting up of NPCA i. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on 7 February 2013 approved the proposal for the merger of National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) and National Wetlands Conservation Programme (NWCP) to develop a new scheme named National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA). ii. The estimated cost to bring this plan into operations during the 12th Plan Period is 900 crore rupees.

iii. The Government of India and the State Governments would be sharing the costs in a ratio of 70:30 and in case of the North-Eastern states the ratio is 90:10. NOTE: The formation of the NPCA was done with the objective of conserving aquatic ecosystems (lakes and wetlands) by implementing sustainable conservation plans. 4. F.M. launches the Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme i. Finance Minister P Chidambaram launches the much-awaited Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme in Mumbai . ii. The scheme will modify Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme in the upcoming budget to make it more attractive. iii. The scheme is aimed at encouraging new investors to put their money in the stock market. iv. Under the scheme, an individual with an income of less than 10 lakh rupees would get tax incentives for investing up to 50,000 rupees in the stock market. v. The scheme, was announced in the Budget for 2012-13, seeks to provide tax benefits to first-time investors in stock market. 5. CCI slapped a penalty of 52.24 crore on BCCI i. Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on 8 February 2013 was slapped a penalty of 52.24 crore rupees by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for being indulged in anti-competitive practices. ii. The CCI ordered BCCI to deposit the penalty within 90 days from the date of issue of orders. iii. The CCI in its verdict claimed that BCCI abused its dominant position and directed it to cease its all practices of denying market access to the potential competitors. iv. The regulator also stated that the stance of BCCI was of serious concern and quantum of penalty which should be levied that is proportional to the seriousness of violation. NOTE: i. A complaint was filed by Surinder Singh Barmi in November 2010 against BCCI and his allegations were based on issues related to a Professional League Tournament and Indian Premier League (IPL) conducted by the BCCI. ii. This complaint against BCCI was sent to the CCIs Director General in December 2010 for hearing. 6. Anindya Kumar Mitra resigned as the Advocate-General of West Bengal i. The Advocate-General of West Bengal, Anindya Kumar Mitra resigned from his office on 8 February 2013. ii. Following his resignation, Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal appointed Bimal Chatterjee as the new Advocate General of the state. 7. 20th All India Forest Sports Meet starts in Haryana i. In Haryana, 20th All India Forest Sports Meet began at Panchkula today. ii. Inaugurating the meet Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia said that the sports policy of the state government has encouraged the players a lot by securing jobs for those who won medals in national and international events.

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DAILY GK UPDATE 8TH FEB. 1. India, Bhutan to boost cooperation in hydro-power sector i. India and Bhutan are to boost cooperation in hydro-power sector. ii. India is to import almost 5,000 MW of hydel power from Bhutan by 2020. NOTE: i. The Bhutanese Prime Minister Mr. Jigme Y Thinley is accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lynopo Khandu Wangchuk, Foreign Secretary Yeshey Dorji and other government officials of

Bhutan. ii. This was the focus of discussions between the visiting Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigme Y Thinley and Prime Minster Dr Manmohan Singh and other Indian leaders. iii. Thinley's visit comes nearly a fortnight after Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck had visited the country. iv. The King was the chief guest at this year's Republic Day parade.

2. EU leaders meet in Brussels to bridge deep divisions over Budget i. European Union leaders are meeting in Brussels to try to bridge deep divisions over the Union's budget for the next seven years. ii. The formal start of the summit was delayed by several hours as a series of bilateral meetings took place and serious difference emerged about the form of a possible compromise. 3. India teledensity registers decrease:TRAI i. As cellphone operators continued disconnecting inactive SIM cards, India's total telecom subscriber base declined by 25.97 million to 895.51 million in December. In November, the country had 921.47 million telecom subscribers. ii. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Trai said that total wireless subscriber base decreased from 890.60 million in November 2012 to 864.72 million at the end of December 2012. iii. Trai said, this decline is majorly due to large scale disconnections of inactive SIMs by some of the service providers. With this, the overall teledensity in India decreased to 73.34 per cent at the end of December, 2012 from 75.55 per cent in the previous month. 4. India developing Agni-VI ballistic missile i. India is developing a long-range nuclear-capable Agni-VI ballistic missile that would carry multiple warheads allowing one weapon system to take out several targets at a time. ii. DRDO Chief V.K. Saraswat said : "Agni-V is major strategic defence weapon. Now we want to make Agni-VI which would be a force multiplier," iii. Once Agni-6 is developed, it would propel India into the elite club of nations with such a capability including the US and Russia. NOTE: The Agni-5 ballistic missile, which was test-fired in April last year, has a range of upto 5,500 kms and it is believed that the Agni-6 would have a range longer than its predecessor.

5. Army gets its first indigenously-made Rudra attack chopper i. The first ndigenously-developed weaponised helicopter 'Rudra' was on Friday handed over to the Army which has successfully raised an attack chopper fleet on its own. ii. It will be the first platform (of choppers) which is weaponized. In any battle, fire (power) and manoeuvrability should be closely integrated to support ground operations and provide immediate help if and when required. NOTE: i. This is the first of the 60 armed helicopters provided to the Army by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) after the defence ministry handed over the control of all attack helicopters to the land force. 6. Big B wins `Timeless Style Icon` title i. Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan has been named `Timeless Style Icon' in a recent poll conducted by a leading daily. ii. The winners, which were announced at an event - Mumbai's Most Stylish 2013- on Thursday night, also included actors Sonam Kapoor and Akshay Kumar, who were chosen as Reader''s Choice Style Icons. 7. Delhi to host literature festival i. The national capital is all set to host its very own literature festival later this week featuring book launches, interaction with authors as well as a music show. ii. Coming close on the heels of the Jaipur Literature Festival, the two-day literary event beginning 9th February will host 10 sessions on different themes at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts. iii. The two-day event, supported by the Delhi government, will come to an end on 10th February with a musical performance by Iranian folk lore music band Zakrus. 8. Music festival to begin from 13th Feb i. Over 350 artistes from different parts of the country will give 40 musical performances in Pushkar during the six-day long Blue Lotus festival in Rajasthan. ii. In its first edition which will commence from 13 February, a series of events will present the richness of genres such as sufi, folk, traditional, gypsy, tribal devotional, spiritual and indigenous music. iii. Sambhav Bohra, festival director, said: Concerts will be themed on wedding festivities, spiritual ceremonies, tribal rituals, folk dances of ancient communities, love songs from the desert peripheries and mythological tales of wandering ascetics, 9. Worlds Largest Prime Number Discovered i. Researchers from the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg discovered the largest prime number of the world, Contains 17 Million Digits beating an earlier record of largest prime number by more than 4 million digits. ii. The new largest prime number discovered by the researchers has more than 17 million digits and is an only 48th Mersenne prime found so far. It is the 14th discovery by GIMPS. NOTE: i. All the prime numbers in the world can be divided by themselves and 1 only.

ii. However there are certain rare kinds of prime numbers called Mersenne primes which have the form 2 multiplied by itself p times minus 1, where p denotes a prime number. iii. The new number now shot to 2 multiplied by itself 57885161 times minus 1 and this broke the record of finding the new and even larger primes. 10. First Complete Bionic Man of the World Unveiled i. First bionic man of the world called Rex was unveiled on 7 February 2013 at London's Science Museum. ii. The bionic man was created using 1 million US dollar limbs as well as organs. iii. Rex has a human face with brown eyes and a height of 6.5 feet. iv. It was designed jointly with assistance from 18 universities and companies. v. Rex gave a hope that it was possible to replace the body parts with the artificial alternatives, for the very first time. vi. Rex would remain in display at London's Science Museum from 7 February 201 to 11 March 2013. NOTE: It is important to note that it is not possible for certain technology to function without the help of human input. For example bionic hands require signals from brain and muscles to work properly. Other parts however, such as pancreas and heart can be designed to work automatically. 11. Sachin Tendulkar equals Sunil Gavaskar's record of first class 100s i. Sachin Tendulkar on Friday equalled Sunil Gavaskar's record of most first-class hundreds by cracking a superb unbeaten century against Rest of India on day three of the Irani Cup in Mumbai. NOTE: i. Gavaskar had notched up 81 first-class hundreds between 1971 and 1997, including 34 in 125 Tests for India. ii. Tendulkar, who has 51 Test hundreds in 194 games, needed 104 when he went out to bat in his 479th innings in first class cricket for reaching the second landmark.

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Earlier in February
1. DAILY GK Updates February 8

DAILY GK UPDATE 7TH FEB. 1. India's GDP estimated to grow at 5% this fiscal i. India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is estimated to grow at an annual five percent in the 2012-13

fiscal year. ii. The provisional data issued by the Central Statistics Office shows that agriculture output is expected to grow 1.8 percent, while manufacturing sector is seen growing an estimated 1.9 percent in the cu rrent

fiscal year that ends on March 31, 2013. iii. Revised data from the government showed that India's economy grew at 6.2 percent each in the last fiscal years. NOTE: i. Last month, the RBI had pared the GDP growth estimate for the fiscal year ending in March to 5.5 percent, the worst since 2002-03. ii. The latest estimate of 5 per cent for the entire fiscal means that the pace of economic expansion has slowed sharply in the second half of 2012-13, given that GDP growth in the April-September period stood at 5.4 per cent. 2. Govt increases NABARDs authorised capital to Rs 20,000 cr i. Government on Thursday approved enhancing the authorised capital of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development to Rs 20,000 crore, from Rs 5,000 crore thus expanding its scope of operations. ii. The proposal for enhancing the capital base of NABARD to Rs 20,000 crore has been approved by the Cabinet, said Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari. iii. The increase in authorised capital is aimed at helping the financial institution expand operations and broaden its activities. iv. The government also approved the merging the posts of the Chairman and the Managing Director in NABARD. 3. Net Direct Tax Collection Grew 12 Percent in April-January in FY 2012-2013 i. Gross Direct Tax collection from the period of April to January in fiscal year 20122013 increased by 7.02 percent at 455125 crore Rupees against 425274 crore Rupees in same period in 2011-2012 fiscal year. ii. Net Direct Tax collections registered a growth of 12.49 percent, i.e., 390310 crore Rupees in 2012-2013 fiscal year against 346959 crore Rupees in 2011-2012 fiscal year. 4. Govt. approved DRDO for developing AWACS for IAF i. The Union Cabinet of India on 6 February 2013 gave approval to Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for developing an indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) for IAF. ii. AWACS allows IAF to keep a close watch on the enemy territory. NOTE: DRDO officials announced that DRDO would work for finalisation of further details of the programmes as well as the number of aircrafts that IAF would need for giving overall coverage to Indias boundaries. At present, India has a fleet of three AWACS aircraft. 5. 29 th Mountain International film festival held in France: i. Ladakhi film maker Stanzin Dorje has won the jury award in the 29th mountain international film festival recently held in France at Autrance .s ii. Stanzin Dorje won the jury award for his documentary film entitled JUNGWA - The Broken Balance on the theme of link between environment, global warming and

Buddhist philosophy. NOTE: Stanzin Dorje belongs to nomadic community of Gya village. His documentary film entitled living with change, on the theme of effect of global warming in Ladakh has also got international appreciation for him. 6. Barack Obama Nominated Sally Jewell as the U.S. Interior Secretary US President Barack Obama nominated Sally Jewell, a retail executive and outdoor enthusiast on 6 February 2013 as the U.S. interior secretary for looking after the huge energy reserves as well as the national parks. NOTE: It is important to note that Jewell is the first woman who is nominated to join second term of Obama. 7. Mukund Govind Rajan Appointed As Group Spokesperson and Brand Custodian of Tata i. Mukund Govind Rajan was appointed as the group spokesperson and brand custodian of TATA Group on 6 February 2013. ii. Rajan will have the responsibility of looking after the corporate communications as well as the branding activities of the group in India and abroad. iii. Rajan would report directly to Cyrus Mistry, the Chairman of the Tata group. NOTE: i. Rajan has remained in Tata group for more than 18 years. ii. He started his career in Tata as the Tata Administrative Service (TAS) Officer. iii. In the recent past, he was the head of private equity advisory at the Tata Capital and also the Managing Partner of advisory team of Tata Opportunities Fund. iv. Previously, Rajan also served as the Managing Director of Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra). He was also the vice president, Chairmans Office, at Tata Sons.

DAILY GK Updates February 7

DAILY GK UPDATE 6TH FEB. 1. SEBI free to seize properties of Sahara Group companies: SC i. In fresh trouble to Sahara group, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said that SEBI is free to freeze accounts and seize properties of its two companies for defying court orders by not refunding Rs 24,000 crore to investors. ii. The apex court also pulled up SEBI for not taking action against the companies-Sahara India Real

Estate Corporation (SIREC) and Sahara Housing Investment Corporation (SHIC) as per its August 31, 2012 order which had asked it to attach properties and freeze bank accounts of the companies. iii. It issued notice to the group to respond within four weeks why contempt action should not be initiated against the companies for not complying with its order.

iv. The market regulator submitted that it is taking action and issued notice to the companies and approached civil court in Bombay for freezing bank accounts. v. The group might have to fork out around Rs 38,000 crore as of now which includes the principal amount of Rs 24,029.73 crore and interest of around Rs 14,000 crore NOTE: The apex court had on August 31 last year directed the two companies to refund around Rs 24,000 crore to their investors within three months with 15 per cent interest per annum for raising the amount from its investors in violation of rules and regulations. ii. A bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir had ordered the Group to immediately hand over a demand draft of Rs 5,120 crore to SEBI and said the balance amount shall be deposited with the market regulator in two instalments to be cleared by early February. 2. Sonia launches national child health screening prog i. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday launched the Child Health Screening and Early Intervention Services programme, aimed at providing comprehensive care to children in the country. ii. Gandhi launched the ambitious programme, expected to cover around 27 crore children below 18 years in a phased manner, at this tribal Palghar tehsil in Thane district. NOTE: i. The programme is an initiative of the National Rural Health Mission of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. ii. The objective is to improve the overall quality of life of children through early detection of birth defects, diseases, deficiencies, development delays, including disability. 3. Bharat Nirman PIC begins in Patiala i. In Punjab, the three-day Bharat Nirman Public Information Campaign has started in village Devigarh in Patiala district, today. ii. This is the 24th such campaign being organized in Punjab. iii. Press Information Bureau, Jalandhar, which is organizing this campaign in coordination with other media units of the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, various Centre run schemes meant for the general public would be publicized for the awareness of the masses. 4. MP, the first State to fully utilize tourism plans funds i. Madhya Pradesh has become the first State in the country to fully utilize plan funds released by the Ministry of Tourism under 11th plan for the development of tourism infrastructure at various tourist sites in the State. ii. Union Tourism Minister Mr Chiranjeevi complimented the State government for this effort during the meeting which was held in New Delhi to prioritize projects pertaining to the development of tourism for the year 2013-14. iii. The government has now come up with plans to develop more destinations in its state with potential to attract tourists.

5. Kotak Mahindra Bank acquires Barclays loans portfolio i. Kotak Mahindra Bank has acquired the business loans portfolio of the Indian arm of Barclays Bank, stretching its reach to around 6,000 business loan customers with a total loan outstanding of nearly Rs 700 crore. ii. With the acquisition of loans portfolio, Kotak will also gain the opportunity to crosssell the customers' products at both business and personal level. iii. According to the bank's statement, the loans are classified as "standard loans" as per the Reserve Bank of India's current guidelines. NOTE: Around two years ago, Barclays had said that it would stop lending to retail clients and shift its focus to multinationals and large corporates, wealth management and investment banking operations in India. 6. Irani Cup kicks off in Mumbai i. Rest of India got a solid start in the Irani Cup against Mumbai at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday. NOTE: Mumbai have won the Irani Cup on 14 occasions but the last time the 40 time Ranji Champions won the cup is way back in 1997. Mumbai would look to end the 15 year wait while Rest Of India on the other hand have won the Irani Cup 26 times. 7. Mujtaba named captain for Azlan Shah Hockey i. Experienced forward Danish Mujtaba was named captain of the Indian hockey team for the 22nd Sultan Azlan Shah Invitational Tournament starts from 6th to 17th March event in Malaysia on Wednesday. ii. At the Azlan Shah, goalkeeper PR Sreejesh will be the vice-Captain of the squad which has eight forwards, five mid-fielders and three defenders. 8. Madurai to host All India Railway Bodybuilding Championship i. The 27th All India Railway Bodybuilding championship will be held at Madurai from tomorrow. ii. Madurai Divisional Railway Manager AK Rastogi will be inaugurating the two day championship. iii. International level bodybuilders like Bobby Singh, Suhash Kamkar, Peter Joseph, Jayaparakash, Senthilkumar will be participating. It will be held in ten weight categories including 55 Kg, 60 Kg and 100 Kg. 9. India out of Womens World Cup i. India have been eliminated from the ICC Women's World Cup. Chasing a target of 283 to win against Sri Lanka, the Indian team were bundled out for 144 in 42 overs in a group A match in Mumbai yesterday. ii. In another Group A match, England advanced to the super sixes after beating the West Indies by six wickets in Mumbai. iii. In the two group B matches played in Cuttack, Australia beat New Zealand by seven wickets and South Africa defeated Pakistan by 126 runs.
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DAILY GK UpdatesFebruary 6DAILY GK UPDATE 5TH FEB. 1. OIC summit to be held in Cairo tomorrow i. The Organization of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) summit gets underway in Egypts capital Cairo tomorrow. ii. Representatives from 56 member nations including 27 Heads of States are expected to take part in the two day conference. iii. The crisis in Mali and Syria figure at the top of the agenda along with the Palestinian pro blem, the

situation in Somalia, Yemen and the humanitarian situation in member nations. iv. The summit is likely to name the former Saudi Information Minister Iyad Madani as the new Secretary General of the bloc of Islamic nations. v. He is expected to replace Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu of Turkey who has held the post since 2005. NOTE: i It will be the 12 summit since the OIC was launched in 1969. ii. Egypt will take over the OIC and summit chairmanship for three years from Senegal. iii. United Nations, African Union, Arab League and the Non-Aligned Movement also participate in OIC summits along with observers including Russia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Central Africa and Thailand. 2. India & Austria ink social security pact i. Indian professionals working in Austria will soon be exempted from paying social security contribution there, if they make such payments in India. ii. As per the pact, Indian workers will be entitled to export of their social security benefits if they relocate to India after completion of their service in Austria. iii. Self- employed Indians will also be entitled to export of the benefits on their relocation to India. iv. The agreement was signed by Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and Austrias Minister for Labour and Social Security Rudolf Hundstorfer in Vienna on Monday. NOTE: i. Under the agreement, Indian workers on short-term contracts of up to five years will not be required to make any social security contribution in Austria, provided they continue to make social security payments in India. ii. According to Indian labour laws, all employees and employers falling under the purview of the Employees Provident Fund Act, 1952, are required to make mandatory contribution towards provident fund. iii. India has already signed similar agreements with Belgium, Germany, France, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Hungary, Denmark, Czech Republic, South Korea, Norway, Finland, Canada and Japan.

3. ICICI Partnered With Aircel to Launch Mobile Banking Service i. ICICI Bank, the largest private sector bank of India partnered with Aircel to announce the launch of their mobile banking service called Mobile Money. ii. The service allows the unbanked population of ICICI and Aircel to transfer money instantly and safely through the mobiles without even connecting to data services. iii. Initially, ICICI bank had launched the Mobile Money with Tata Docomo and Vodafone. iv. At first the service will be available in Tamil Nadu and will especially cater to migrant working population from the area of Tirunelveli that now lives in Chennai. Rollout of this service to other parts of Tamil Nadu as well as the rest of India will occur over 2013. NOTE: i. Mobile Money is aimed at those users who wish to transfer money but are devoid of services such as lack of branches or the ATMs. ii. Mobile Money allows such users to go for financial services such as cash withdrawals, cash deposits, self-reload of prepaid mobile credit, money transfer to the third-parties as well as utility bills transfer. iii. The Mobile Money platform will be provided and managed through VISA, the global payments technology company. 4. Govt. will launch Child health Screening service in Maharashtra tomorrow i. Government will launch universal child health screening for birth defects and deficiencies that can lead to disabilities as well as early intervention services- an initiative that will cover an estimated 27 crore children in a phased manner. ii. The programme will be launched under the National Rural Health Mission of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare tomorrow by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in Palghar, a tribal block in Thane district of Maharashtra. iii. The scheme is aimed at improving overall quality of life of children through early detection of birth defects, diseases and deficiencies, which are among key factors for child mortality and out of pocket expenditure for poor families, as well as development delays including disability NOTE: i. Birth defects account for 9.6 per cent of all new-born deaths and 4 per cent of under five mortality. ii. According to the 2006 March of Dimes Global Report on Birth Defects, out of every 100 babies born in this country every year, 6 to 7 have a birth defect. In Indian context, this would translate to 17 lakhs birth defects annually. 5. Govt. to sell 9.5% stake in power major NTPC i. The government will sell 9.5% stake in power major National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). ii. Decision was taken at EGoM meeting held in New Delhi this evening. iii. The disinvestment will take place on Thursday through offer of sale route. iv. Government expects to raise 12 thousand crore rupees from the sale of shares. The price for sale will be communicated to stock exchanges tomorrow. v. Government has raised over 10 thousand crore rupees so far in the current financial year from sale of stakes in public sector undertaking as against budgeted target of 30

thousand crore rupees 6. Pilatus to be main attraction of Aero India 2013 i. With the induction of Pilatus PC-7 Mark-II trainer aircraft, Indian Air Force (IAF) trainee pilots will now get a new set of wings to learn their basic flying skills. ii. The Swiss-made Pilatus also known as `Astra' would fill the void in basic flying training after indigenous HPT-32 Deepak was grounded around two years back. iii. Pilatus would also draw a lot of attraction during Aero India-2013, Asia's premier Air Show being held at Air Force Station, Yelhanka, Bangalore between February 6-10, 2013. NOTE: i. Pilatus, named after a mountain in central Switzerland, is an improved version of the PC-9''s airframe and avionics, fitted with the PC-7''s smaller turbine ensures lower operating and maintenance costs. ii. While being the smallest aircraft in the IAF inventory, the Pilatus would shoulder a much heavier responsibility in building future generation of the IAF pilots 7. South Africa top in ICC Rankings for Test Cricket i. ICC rankings for test cricket was released on 4 February 2013 in Dubai. South Africa emerged as the world number one team in the category and is followed by England, Australia, Pakistan and India. ii. In the latest rankings released by the ICC Hashim Amla, the South African batsman has emerged as the best batsman in the category and with this he became the first batsman to hold the number one dice in both Test and One-day format of the game since 2007, before this Ricky Pointing was the cricketer to hold this position. iii. Michael Clarke, the Australian batsman was racked at second position in the ranking. iv. Dale Steyn, the South African bowler holds the top position in the bowling ranking and is followed by his teammate, Vernan Philander. v. South African, Jacques Kallis has retained his position as the number one test allrounder with versatile performance. vi. Pragyan Ojha is the only Indian to feature among the top ten bowlers in the test rankings released. 8. Michael Clarke Won the Allan Border Medal 2013: i. Michael Clarke, the Australian captain won the fourth Allan Border Medal in Melbourne on 4 February 2013. ii. 31-year old Clarke had won the medal earlier in 2005, 2009 and 2012. iii. Michael Clarke also won the Test cricketer of the year award for the second consecutive time after he scored 1080 runs in nine tests from 25 February 2012 to January 28 2013. NOTE: i. Apart from Clarke, the only other player to win this medal four times is Captain Ricky Ponting. ii. Allan Border Medal is a prestigious award given away in the Australian cricket. It was first awarded in 2000.

iii. The Allan Border Medal is named after the former captain of Australia, Allan Border. 9. Strauss gets MCC top honour i. Former England captain Andrew Strauss was on Monday awarded honorary life membership of the MCC, the prestigious English institution responsible for safeguarding the game''s rules. ii. He is the 27th former England skipper to become an honorary life member of the MCC and joins a select group of current and former players, umpires, administrators and journalists. iii. MCC president Mike Griffith said Strauss had made an outstanding contribution to the game. 10. England beat West Indies to enter Super 6s i. Defending champions England became the first team to enter the Super Six stage from Group A in the ICC Women's World Cup when they recorded a six-wicket victory over the West Indies in Mumbai on Tuesday. ii. England shot out the West Indies for a paltry 101 in 36.4 overs after the latter opted to bat first at the BKC ground and then made heavy weather of the chase by making 103 for four in 35 overs to finish the league with four points from three games.
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2. DAILY GK Updates February 4

DAILY GK UPDATE 3RD & 4TH FEB. 1. World Cancer Day is being observed today: i.World Cancer Day is observed on Monday to raise awareness about the disease and to promote prevention measures, early detection, and treatment of Cancer. ii. The theme for this year is Cancer-Did you know?Which envisages to dispel the myths and misconceptions about the disease. iii. Union for International Cancer Control the leading cancer fighting organisation endorsed

by more than 400 member organisations across the world, is organising several functions on this occasion. iv. A leading cause of death, worldwide Cancer accounts for 7.6 million deaths annually and around 13% of all deaths. Lung, stomach, liver, colon and breast cancer cause the

most cancer deaths each year. NOTE: i.A recent survey conducted by World Health Organisation for the World Cancer Day warns that more than half of all countries worldwide are struggling to prevent cancer and provide treatment and chronic care to cancer patients. ii. Tobacco use is considered the major cause for cancer, causing 22% of global cancer deaths and 71% of global lung cancer deaths. 2. Solicitor General of India resigns: i.Rohinton Nariman has resigned as Solicitor General of India. He sent his resignation letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, with a copy to union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar. ii. The reasons that triggered Nariman's resignation are not immediately known. NOTE:i. Nariman is the son of eminent jurist Fali S Nariman. ii. 56-year-old Nariman was appointed as the Solicitor General (SG), the second seniormost law officer of the country, on July 23, 2011. iii. The solicitor general is the prime lawyer of the central government in the Supreme Court. 3. Mudgal Committee to review Cinema Act i. The Ministry of Info & Broadcasting has constituted a panel under the Chairmanship of Mukul Mudgal, Retired Chief Justice, High Court to examine issues of certification under the Cinematograph Act 1952. The Terms of Reference of the Committee are as under: i. Review the mandate and functioning of CBFC and recommend measures including statutory changes to enable CBFC to deal with contemporary requirements of certification and increased transparency / efficiency. Such issues, inter alia, may include. ii. Examine the role of Central Government regarding sanctioning of cinematograph films for exhibition under Entry 60, List I of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India vis--vis Entry 33, List II of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India; iii. To suggest more effective legal remedies and penal provisions in the Act, particularly with reference to making unlawful copies, camcording in cinema halls, interpolation/insertion of clips after certification and such similar issues. NOTE: The Committee may submit its report in two months from the date of its constitution. 4. S Korea & US starts naval exercises i. Tensions rose on the Korean peninsula as South Korea and the United States launched a joint naval exercise involving a US nuclear submarine on Monday, amidst an expected nuclear test by North Korea. ii. The three day drill in progress in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) off the south-eastern South Korean port of Pohang - condemned as a warmongering exercise by North Korea- was confirmed by a defence ministry spokesman. iii. "The exercise includes at-sea operating training, detecting and tracking submarine,

anti-air and anti-ship live fire training and anti-missile training. NOTE: i. North Korea insists the launch was a purely scientific mission aimed at putting a satellite in orbit. ii. Recent satellite imagery has confirmed activity at the north-eastern nuclear test site at Punggye-ri, with the North covering the entrance to a test tunnel in an apparent attempt to external monitoring. 5. Shanu Lahiri, the Renowned Bengali Painter Passes away: i. Shanu Lahiri,(85) the renowned painter of Bengal School died on 1 February 2013 following a brief illness at the private hospital in Kolkata. ii.She is survived by daughter Damayanti and son Arnab. She was cremated at the Keoratala Crematorium on 1 February 2013. About Shanu Lahiri i. Shanu Lahiri was born in the artistic family and studied at Government School of Art and Crafts, Calcutta. ii. She also received Presidents Gold Medal. She was the first one to receive this honour at her University iii. Lahiri was also known for her social contribution. She inspired street children towards painting on walls of Kolkata. 6. Presidential candidate of Paraguay dies in chopper crash i. Lino Cesar Oviedo, a former army chief and conservative candidate in Paraguayan presidential election, died in a helicopter crash on Saturday night after taking part in a campaign rally and flying back to the capital Asuncion. NOTE: i.Oviedo was one of the leaders of the 1989 military coup that overthrew long time dictator Alfredo Stroessner. The day marked exactly 24 years since the coup that ended Stroessner's 35-year dictatorship. ii. The former army chief entered politics in 1996 and was the candidate of a conservative party called Unace, a splinter group that broke away from the Colorado Party. 7. Ayesha Haroon, the Renowned Pakistani Journalist Died of Cancer i. Ayesha Haroon, the renowned Pakistani journalist died on 2 February 2013 in New York following 4-year long fight with cancer. She was 46 years old. About Ayesha Haroon: i. Ayesha Haroon is a highly respected journalistic figure in Pakistan. ii.She was former Lahore Resident Editor for The News International. iii.She played an important role in setting up as well as launching Waqt TV channel under The Nation group. 8. Mo Yan and Jackie Chan Selected As Members of Chinese Parliament i. Mo Yan, the winner of Nobel Prize for literature, 2012 and Jackie Chan, the movie star were given a political role in China by being selected as members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, one of the houses of Chinese parliament. ii. Mo Yan and Jackie Chan were among 2237 people selected by China's new leaders

led by Xi Jinping as the members of CPPCC National Committee. iii. Xi Jinping is the new general secretary of the Communist Party. iv.He will become the President of China after two Houses of Parliament have meeting in March 2013. 9. Airtel Launched Emergency Alert Service for Women Subscribers i. Bharti Airtel launched an emergency alert service for the subscribers in Odisha, Bengal and Kolkata on 1 February 2013. ii.The service is directed towards the women primarily and allows them to dial the Airtel helpline number known as 55100 as well as send the messages when there is an emergency. iii. As soon as the number is dialed, an alert SMS will be sent across along with the recorded voice message to the already loaded 10 numbers. iv.The message will in turn allow these 10 pre-loaded numbers to track the location of a sender along with the time. v. Messages and recorded voice message will be sent across simultaneously to these ten recipients. Also, these alert messages will repeat three times within just 30 minutes. NOTE: i. For first 30 days, this service will be available free of cost but then it would cost 30 Rupees per month. ii. According to the Airtel, the company was also having negotiations with the local police in order to make sure that one single number should be introduced for the purpose of emergency calls. The alerts could be generated through this single number such as 100 to all local police stations as well. 10. Natwar Gandhi resigns as financial head of Washington DC i. The Indian American chief financial officer of Washington DC, Natwar Gandhi, resigned from his position. ii. Gandhi, 72, said he is resigning for "purely personal" reasons. He will step down on 1st June. iii. He was elected for a third term for this post. iv. Mayor of Washington DC Vincent C Gray said that: Under Gandhis stewardship, Washington DC has obtained a clean audit opinion from independent auditors in the Districts Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) every year since Fiscal Year 2000. NOTE: i. Born in Gujarat, Gandhi was first appointed to this position by Mayor Anthony Williams 7th June 2000. ii. Gandhi has held the office since 2000 and was appointed to a new, five-year term last year. iii. Gandhi holds a doctorate in accounting from Louisiana State University, a masters degree in business administration from Atlanta University, and an LLB and B.Com in accounting from the University of Bombay. 11. Indian American scientist honoured by Obama i.US President Barack Obama, presented the prestigious National Medal of Technology

and Innovation to eminent Indian American scientist Rangaswamy Srinivasan for his groundbreaking work with laser. ii. Rangaswamy received the award along with Samuel Blum and James Wynne, for the pioneering discovery of excimer laser ablative photodecomposition of human and animal tissue, laying the foundation for PRK and LASIK laser refractive surgical techniques, which have revolutionised vision enhancement. NOTE: i. In 1981, Srinivasan discovered that an ultraviolet excimer laser could etch living tissue in a precise manner with no thermal damage to the surrounding area. ii. He named the phenomenon Ablative Photodecomposition (APD), which later revolutionised eye surgery. iii. Inducted into the US Inventor Hall of Fame in 2002, Srinivasan has spent 30 years at IBMs T J Watson Research Center. iv. He received both bachelors and masters degrees in science from the University of Madras, in 1949 and 1950. v. He earned doctorate in physical chemistry at the University of Southern California in 1956. He currently holds 21 US patents. 12. Glenn Maxwell highest bid player in IPL auction i. Australia's Glenn Maxwell emerged as the highest bid player star in the auction for the sixth edition of IPL today. ii. The all-rounder grabbed a whopping one million dollar (around Rs 5.3 crore), deal with Mumbai Indians. NOTE: Australian captain Michael Clarke and his predecessor Ricky Ponting failed to evoke much interest and were sold on their base price of Rs 2.1 crore to Pune Warriors and Mumbai Indians respectively. 13. Pallikal wins Meadowood Pharmacy Open i. Indian squash player Dipika Pallikal won the Meadowood Pharmacy Open here by defeating Joey Chan of Hong Kong 3-0 in the final. ii. Dipika won the set 11-9, 11-7, 11-14 here Sunday to bag the title in its fourth edition, which is a part of the Women's Squash Association (WSA) tour. NOTE: Dipika, the first Indian to break into the top 10 of the world rankings, has now dropped to 15th place while Joey's ranking is 19. 14. England defeat India in ICC Womens Cricket World Cup i. India lost to England by 32 runs in a Group-A match of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup at Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai today. ii. Chasing a victory target of 273 runs the Indian Eves were restricted to 240 runs for 9 wickets in 50 overs. iii. India will face Sri Lanka in the next match on Tuesday.
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3. DAILY GK Updates February 3

DAILY GK UPDATE 2ND FEBRUARY 1. BHEL & GAIL get Maharatna Status by Govt. of India: i. The Union Government of India gave the Maharatna status to two PSUs- BHEL and GAIL on 1 February 2013.ii. Granting Maharatna status to BHEL and GAIL will provide them with better functional and financial freedom and will also guarantee them with better valuation of the shares. NOTE: i. Ideally any Maharatna firm has a capacity to take investment decision of around

5000 crore Rupees without taking assistance from the government. ii. On the other hand, forms with Navratna status have the capability of 1000 crore Rupees. iii. However, both BHEL and GAIL do not have enough non-official directors on the board, which is why they cannot exercise their Maharatna powers. iv. While GAIL is short of 4 independent directors, BHEL, on the other hand is short of 6 non-official directors. v. In terms of turnover, networth as well as net profit, both these companies meet all the eligibility criterions. Eligibility of a company to get a Maharatna status: i. For any company to qualify for Maharatna status, the annual turnover should be over 25000 crore Rupees in past three years, as per the guidelines issued by Department of Public Enterprises. ii. The net worth of the PSU should be more than 15000 crore Rupees in past three years. iii. The net profit should be over 5000 crore Rupees during past three years. 2. ADB gave 100 Million US Dollar Loan to Uttarakhand i. The Union Government of India on 31 January 2013 signed an agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for 100 million US dollar loan as second tranche of urban sector development investment programme of Uttarakhand. ii. The loan will provide support in terms of rehabilitation as well as expansion of the basic urban infrastructure in five main urban towns of Uttarakhand. The loan will also guarantee sustainable municipal service delivery. iii. The loan will help the urban infrastructure programme which was already started under first tranche in Nanital, Haridwar and Dehra Dun. Apart from this, the loan will also be extended to include the towns like Ramnagar, Roorkee and Haldwani. iv. The agreement was signed by Department of Economic Affairs Joint Secretary Anup Wadhawan who acted on behalf of the Union Government, as well as Uttarakhands

Urban Development Secretary M.H. Khan. NOTE: i. In the second tranche of loan from ADB, there is a 25 year term which also includes the grace period of 5 years along with the commitment charges of 0.15 per cent. ii.It also additionally carries interest rate which will be determined along with the Manila-based multilateral agencys LIBOR-based lending facility. iii. Apart from this, the complementary funds of 42.86 million US dollar will be provided by the Centre for the total second tranche project investment cost amounting to 142.86 million US dollar. 3. Close to 6% growth on mfg picking up in Jan-Mar: PMEAC i. PMEAC Chairman C Rangarajan said that: Economy is likely to grow by close to 6 pc this financial year on manufacturing picking up in Jan-March period as a result of recent govt decisions. ii. On projections for the next financial year, he said: "I expect 2013-14 to be better than 2012-13 for several reasons, plus the change in investment sentiment. iii. The full impact (of recent government decisions) will only be seen in the course of next year which can result in private investment activities picking up." NOTE: i. According index of industrial production (IIP) data, manufacturing sector grew just 0.3 percent in November 2012. ii. Rangarajan's forecast on growth follows Reserve Bank trimming its projection for the current fiscal to 5.5 percent from 5.8 percent estimated earlier in the monetary policy review on 29th January. iii. Rangarajan was speaking at the Chamber Day celebrations of Hindustan Chamber of Commerce in Chennai on Friday. 4. SEBI to introduce product labelling for MFs soon i. Capital market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) will soon introduce product labelling for mutual funds to make the investors aware of any risks associated with it. ii. S V Muralidhar Rao, executive director of SEBI said that: "Product labelling is an important investor education agenda for Sebi. The scheme profile will be given very shortly and finally it will be with colour codes. iii. "Sebi will shortly bring out a long-term policy on mutual funds. That will be basically a taxation issue. The board of Sebi had approved idea of a long-term policy last year. NOTE: Sebi is also working with Association of Mutual Funds of India to make Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Schemes popular among the investing community. 5. Commerce Ministry launched portal providing information about Export & Imports: i. The Commerce Ministry has launched a portal which will provide detailed information about the country's exports and imports. ii. The portal aimed at expanding trade, offers exporters and importers a comprehensive guidance for concluding international trade transactions successfully with a specific focus on SAARC, ASEAN and top 25 trade destinations.

iii. The link to the portal has been provided through department of commerce website under 'What is New' and 'Useful Links'. 6. Scientists Created Worlds First Digital Atlas of Brain i. Scientists at the Berkeley Lab in their first major breakthrough made possible to get the close view of how a brain develops as well as functions. ii. The scientists would also be able to find out which part of brain is an absentee during the neurological disorders such as epilepsy, autism and schizophrenia. iii. In their major breakthrough, the scientists created the first of its kind genome-wide digital atlas of gene enhancers that are found in the brain. iv. This atlas enabled the scientists to get a detailed study about how the individual genes can be regulated during the development of a brain and also how the genetic mutations can create an impact on the human neurological disorders. NOTE: Every cell type of human body composes of different sets of enhancers which are switched on or off. Together, these can help in coordination of activities of 20000 genes in every single cell. 7. Haryana CM Launched DBT Scheme: i. Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda on 1 February 2013 launched the Direct Benefits Transfer scheme in Sonepat and Ambala districts. ii. The DBT scheme allows transferring the cash subsidies to beneficiary accounts for seven Central schemes. iii. Scheme was launched by sending the e-mail to Deputy Commissioners of Sonepat and Ambala districts, which was followed by disbursing the cash subsidies to bank accounts of Aadhar-based 3338 beneficiaries. iv. CM announced that the scheme would launch all over Haryana from 1 April 2013 after it is successfully implemented in Sonepat and Ambala and after the performance is reviewed. NOTE: i. With the launch of Direct Benefits Transfer scheme, Haryana became one of the leading states which account for maximum of 25 per cent out of the total beneficiaries of India to whom cash subsidies were transferred directly in bank accounts. A total of 323.33 lakh Rupees was transferred on 1 February 2013. ii. Hooda described the DBT scheme as people-friendly and transparent scheme of Indian Government. With this scheme, there would be a greater sense of security among the poor. iii. The social security scheme of the state was already in implementation in Durana village where 219 people were benefited already. 8. MS Dhoni Named As the Vice-President of India Cements i. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the captain of the Indian cricket team was appointed as the vice-president of India Cements on 1 February 2013. India Cements is headed by BCCI President N Srinivasan. NOTE: i. It is important to note that Dhoni resigned from Air India team recently and now is expected to play for India Cements in the BCCI Corporate Trophy which started

on 1 February 2013. ii. India Cements owns IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings, the captaincy of which lies in the hands of Dhoni since 2008. The Managing Director-cum-vice-chairman of India Cements is Srinivasan. iii. Earlier, Dhoni played in the Corporate Trophy for the team of Air India, but later he resigned. The Corporate Trophy will be taking place in four main cities- Nagpur, Raipur, Indore and Pune. 9. Former Puducherry CM P.Shanmugam. Passes away: i. Veteran Congress leader and former Puducherry Chief Minister P Shanmugham died in his Karaikal residence today. He was 85 and a bachelor. ii. According to party sources, Mr Shanmugham suffered a stroke and fell down under the impact. He suffered injuries in head as he hit against a wall that resulted in the death. iii. The Chief Minister Rangasamy said, Shanumugam was a honest, simple and dedicated party worker whose prime concern was always be the poor and the needy. iv. The funeral of Shanmugam will be held in his hometown Karaikal tomorrow with full State honours. 10. New Delhi World Book Fair starts on 4th Feb i. New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF) 2013 will be held from 4th-10th February at Pragati Maidan exhibition ground, New Delhi. ii. The theme of this year will be Indigenous Voices: Mapping India's Folk and Tribal Literature. iii. The fair will celebrate indigenous literature and commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda with a special pavilion exhibiting photographs and books from the spiritualist's life. iv. France will be the Guest of Honor Country for this year. NOTE: The fair is organised by National Book Trust (NBT) and co-organised by India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO).
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4. DAILY GK Updates February 2

DAILY GK UPDATE 1ST FEBRUARY 1. RBI suggests bank charge for cash withdrawals & deposit through cheques i. RBI has suggested that banks should charge for cash withdrawal and deposit through cheques while the government agencies should do away with convenience charges for online payment of utility bills. ii. As per the discussion paper floated by RBI, high cash withdrawals and deposits of cas h by

individuals may also be charged in order to avoid increased dependence to cash-based transactions. iii. The other major suggestions include restriction on number of free cheque books, high fee on cheque books, mandatory online payment of credit card bills and ban on post-dated cheques. iv. It also suggested that the government should discourage cheque collection boxes at public places. NOTE: The suggestions, on which the RBI has invited comments from public by February 28, seek to encourage greater adoption of electronic mode of payment. 2. India & Mauritius sign MoU in textile sector: i. India and Mauritius have signed a number of MoUs to strengthen collaboration in textiles sector. ii. The MoUs include one between Apparel Export Promotion Council and Enterprise Mauritius to establish cooperation in standards compliance and enhancing competitiveness of the apparel industry. iii. An official release said, the MoU between Northern India Research Association and Mauritius Standards Bureau aims to foster cooperation in standardization, quality assurance and conformity assessment activities. 3. India dropped to 140th Rank in the Latest World Press Freedom Index i.India dropped nine places to 140th rank in the list of 179 countries in the latest World Press Freedom Index 2013, which is the lowest since 2002. ii. India got this lowly rank because of increasing impunity for violence against journalists and internet censorship. iii. Netherlands, Norway and Finland topped the list. iv. The Press Freedom Index was released by World Press Freedom index for the year 2013.

v. China got 173rd rank. vi. Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea were placed at the bottom of the list as has been in the last three years. NOTE: i. As per the Press index report, there has been a decline in freedom of information in South Asia and the Indian subcontinent among Asia witnessed the sharpest deterioration in providing freedom and security for those involved in news reporting in 2012. ii. In India considered as the world's biggest democracy, the authorities insist on censoring the Web and impose numerous kinds of restrictions, while violence against journalists was not punished and the regions like Kashmir and Chhattisgarh are getting increasingly isolated. 4. NASA Marks 10th Anniversary of Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster i. NASA on 1 February 2013 marks 10th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Columbia that perished into the atmosphere of the Earth upon its re-entry. ii. Seven astronauts were aboard Columbia which disintegrated across southern United States. The debris of Columbia spread across 200-mile stretch from Texas to Louisiana. NOTE: Columbia broke into pieces on re-entering the atmosphere of the Earth. The cause for its explosion was attributed towards the piece of foam which dropped from external rocket tank on launch, which eventually created a hole in the shuttle wing. 5. P.R. Vasudeva Rao Appointed As the Director of the IGCAR i. P.R. Vasudeva Rao became the Director of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR) at Kalpakkam on 31 January 2013. He succeeded S.C Chetal, who has now retired. ii. Dr. Rao was earlier the Director, Chemistry Group in IGCAR and is also a specialist in the field of actinide chemistry as well as a few areas of chemistry of nuclear fuel cycle. In IGCAR, Dr. Rao led various R&D programmes related to the field of chemistry. About Dr. Rao: i. Dr. Rao did graduation from Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda College, Chennai in 1972. ii. He later became a part of the Department of Atomic Energy after he graduated from Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) Training School, Trombay. iii. In 1978, after resigning from BARC, he joined IGCAR. He played a crucial role in establishing Radiochemistry Laboratory in IGCAR. iv. Dr. Raos specialty is designing and developing breeder reactors. 6. First Triangular India-US-Africa Partnership at Hyderabad i. India and the United States inaugurated the first triangular India-US-Africa partnership in agricultural training at the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad, on 6 January 2013 for 30 trainees from three African countries Kenya, Liberia and Malawi. ii. The three-year triangular partnership program aims to improve agricultural productivity, strengthen agricultural value chains, and support market institutions in

Kenya, Liberia, and Malawi. NOTE: Supported by the U.S. Government through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture of India, and implemented by two of Indias leading agricultural training institutes - National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad, and the Chaudhary Charan Singh National Institute of Agricultural Marketing (NIAM), Jaipur. 7. Zovi, the Online Fashion Retailer Acquired Rival Inkfruit i. Zovi, the Bangalore-based online fashion retailer acquired its rival company Inkfruit in the last week of January 2013. ii. These two investors pumped in 10 million US dollar in Zovi after merger. After the third round of investment, the overall funding which was raised by Zovi came to 25 million US dollar. NOTE: i. Inkfruit is the community-based customized fashion and accessories retailer. ii. Zovi, after acquisition will offer products to a wider age group ranging from 16 years to 45 years. 8. SurajKund Mela opens today: i. The popular annual Surajkund crafts Mela begins today in the avatar of an international fair with 21 countries participating in the 15-day long cultural and handicrafts extravaganza. ii. The festival this year has been upgraded to an international fair and 21 countries from Africa, Eurasia and SAARC nations would participate in it. NOTE: The Mela will showcase the archaeological heritage of Karnataka, the traditional dance of Yakshagana with display of finest handicrafts and handlooms from across the country and abroad. 9. Michael Clarke, Ricky Ponting top IPL auction list: i. Australia captain Michael Clarke and former captain Ricky Ponting attracted the highest base price in the list of 101 players that feature in the 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL) player auction to be held in Chennai on Sunday. ii. The Australian player got selected with highest reserve price of $400,000 (approx Rs.2 crore). iii. Along with the two Australians, South African all-rounder Johan Botha ($300,000) and Indian medium pacer RP Singh ($100,000) form the list of four marquee players. 10. Womens WC: Sri Lanka shocks England i. Sri Lanka today earned a one wicket victory in their first game in the ICC Womens World Cup 2013 against defending champions England in a thrilling Group A encounter at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. ii. Sri Lanka's Dulani Manodara pulled Georgia Elwiss over mid-wicket for a superb six to complete their first ever win against England. iii. Chasing 239 to a win, Sri Lanka started well with openers Chamari Atapattu and Yasoda Mendis putting on 103 runs for the first wicket. But, Lanka lost their next 4

wickets for just 55 runs. Then, Kaushalya Lokusooriya contributed a whirlwind 56 off 41 balls with three sixes and 5 fours and brought back her team near the target.
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5. DAILY GK Updates February 2

DAILY GK UPDATE 31ST JANUARY 1. Cabinet approved key amendments to Lokpal Bill draft i. The Union Cabinet has approved key amendments to the draft of the Lokpal Bill, the anti corruption legislation expected to be taken up in the forthcoming budget session on Parliament. ii. The Cabinet approved 14 amendments out of 16 amendments recommended by the select committee to the bill. NOTE: i. Minister of state for PMO, V Narayanasamy said that amendments regarding

prosecution of government officials during investigation period and proposal regarding CBI officials selection for conduting inquiry into allegations were not accepted. ii. The cabinet also cleared a project related with distribution of Identity cards to all the citizens based on the National Population register. iii. Both Houses will have to pass it for the Lokpal to become a reality. iv. All states will have to form Lokayukta within 365 days of implimentation of Lokpal. 2. Milos Zeman became Czech Republics First Directly Elected President i. Milos Zeman became Czech Republics first directly elected President as per the Czech Republic Presidential election results declared on 25 January 2013. ii. Milos Zeman is the first directly elected President in Czech history (and overall third President), with the presidential elections held prior to 2013 all being decided internally by the senate. NOTE: i. Prior to this, he served as the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic from 1998 to 2002. ii. As leader of the Czech Social Democratic Party during the 1990s, he transformed it into one of the country's major political parties. iii. He was also the Chairman of the Chamber of Deputies- the lower house of the Czech parliament- from 1996 to 1998. 3. NASA launches communication satellite i. NASA today launched a new communication satellite (TDRS K) to stay in touch with its space station astronauts and relay more Hubble telescope images. ii. An unmanned Atlas V rocket blasted into the starry night sky carrying the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite from Cape Canaveral. NOTE: i. This is the 11th TDRS satellite to be launched by NASA. The space agency uses the orbiting network to communicate with astronauts living on the International

Space Station. ii. The first TDRS spacecraft flew in 1983. This newest third-generation TDRS carries the letter K designation. iii. This is the 11th TDRS satellite to be launched by NASA. It will take two weeks for the satellite to reach its intended 22,300-mile-high orbit. Testing will last a few months. iv. NASA estimates the satellite costs between 350 million US Dollars and 400 million US Dollars. v. Another TDRS spacecraft, L in the series, will be launched next year. vi. NASA wants at least seven TDRS satellites working in orbit at any one time. The one launched today will make eight. 4. India Pledged Humanitarian Assistance of 2.5 Million US Dollars to Syria i. India announced an assistance of 2.5 million US dollars to Syria on 30 January 2013 at the High-level International Humanitarian Pledging Conference for Syria held in Kuwait. ii. India has strongly expressed its concern on the steep escalation of violence and has called upon all sides in Syria particularly the Syrian leadership to abjure violence and resolve all issues peacefully through discussions taking into account the aspirations of the people of Syria. NOTE: i. Syria continues to face acute crisis as the impasse has become explosive and could engulf the region. ii. India considers that the only acceptable way to resolve the internal crisis in Syria is through urgent peaceful negotiations with participation of all parties taking into account the legitimate aspirations of all Syrians. 5. CCEA approves OVL's $1 bn Azerbaijan acquisition i. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Thursday approved ONGC Videsh Ltd's acquisition of stake in an Azerbaijan oilfield for 1.001 billion dollars. ii. The CCEA headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh approved OVL acquiring US energy major Hess Corp's 2.7213 per cent stake in the Azeri, Chirag and the deep water portion of Guneshli fields in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea and 2.36 per cent interest in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline. iii. The CCEA authorised "OVL to incur expenses so as to keep the total exposure up to the approved amount ie USD 1.001 billion at all times. NOTE: i. OVL is present in 15 nations including Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Libya, Myanmar, Nigeria, Russia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Vietnam. ii. As part of the deal, OVL will also buy Hess' 2.36 per cent stake in BTC export pipeline. iii. OVL's share of output would be over 19,000 bpd or a little less than one million tonnes per annum. 6. U.P to kick-start Ashirwad Bal Swasthya Guarantee Yojna NRHM i. In Uttar Pradesh, the Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will kick-start the ambitious

"Ashirwad Bal Swasthya Guarantee Yojna" being run in the state under NRHM programme. ii. The massive health programme aims to cover the rural children of 2 to 18 years of age by providing them a complete health checkup backed by medicinal provision. iii. The ambitious health protection scheme of its kind will be launched from today in a phased manner. iv. About one crore students of government run schools are targeted in the first phase of the programme. v. In the next phase children studying in government aided schools, Madarsas, Sanskrit Schools, Orphanages and Anganwadi Kendras will be covered. 7. Four days stone fair begins in Jaipur i. Four days stone fair India Stone Mart has begun in Jaipur from today. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot inaugurated the fair. ii. Turkey, Italy, Iran and China are participating in stone mart. iii. Enterprnures from stone industry of 50 countries are expected to visit the fair. iv. Four state Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Odhisha and Rajasthan are exhibiting different varieties of stones and stone technology in their pavilions. 8. 72nd session of Asom Sahitya Sabha begins in Assam i. In Assam, the five day long 72nd session of Asom Sahitya Sabha began today at Biswaratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Samannay Kshetra at Barpeta Road in Barpeta district. ii. At least 20 lakh visitors are likely to attend the biggest literary meet of the state from across the country. iii. Special arrangements have been made to showcase traditional cultural events of several states under the aegis of Ministry of Culture and Sangeet Natak Academy. 9. 166th Sadguru Sri Thyagaraja Aradhana festival ends today in TN i. In Tamil Nadu, the 166th Sadguru Sri Thyagaraja Aradhana festival at Tiruvaiyaru ends today. The Aradhana festival which started last Sunday will end with Anjaneyar pooja tonight. ii. Sadguru Thyagaraja is one of the great musical trinity alongwith Muthusamy Dikshithar and Shyama Sastrigal. iii. Today is Pusahya Bahula day when Sadguru Sri Thyagaraja attained the lotus feet of Lord Rama in 1847. iv. Hundreds of musicians will sing in chorus pancharatna kritis of Sadguru Sri Thyagaraja. 10. RIM Changed to Blackberry; i. Research In Motion, popularly known as RIM and makers of Blackberry phone, on 30 January 2013 announced that it will formally be called Blackberry now. ii. Research In Motion additionally launched two new devices under its own new operating system called Blackberry 10. These two devices are Z10 and Q10. Z10 is a touch-screen device while Q10 is the QWERY portrait keyboard device.

11. Controversy over Kamal Haasans Tamil film Vishwaroopam i. Vishwaroopam which was originally slated to be released on 25 January 2013 was once again banned by the Madras High Court on 30 January 2013. ii. Tamil Nadu government under Section 144 of the Indian Criminal Procedure Code banned the film because of allegations by certain Islamic organisations. Islamic organisations protested that the film displayed their community in negative light. NOTE: i. Vishwaroopam is an Indian Tamil spy thriller movie which is written, directed and co-produced by Kamal Haasan. ii. The theme of the film surrounds around Vishwanath (Kamal Haasan) who is a Muslim. The film involves his encounter with the Afghani Al-Qaeda, the terrorist group. 12. Dubai Desert Classic Golf Championship begins at Emirates Golf Club i. Dubai Desert Classic Golf Championship got underway at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai today. ii. 132 Golfers from all over the world are taking part in the event for the Coffee Pot trophy. NOTE: i. Indias Jeev Milkha Singh is the brand Ambassador for the Dubai Desert Classic Golf tournament . ii. The current World number one and two , Rory Mcllroy and Tiger Woods are not taking part in the tournament 13. ICC Womens Cricket World Cup: i. India set a huge victory target of 285 runs for West Indies in the opening match of ICC Women's World Cup in Mumbai today. ii. Put in to bat in the Group A fixture, the hosts made 284 for 6 in the stipulated 50 overs. iii. Opener Thirush Kamini who was run out for 100, was the top scorer. iv. It is India's highest score in a World Cup match.
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6. DAILY GK Updates February 2

DAILY GK UPDATE 30TH JANUARY 1. Nation remembers Mahatama Gandhi on Martyrs Day i. The nation is observing Martyrs' day today. The day marks the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, who was assassinated on 30th January in 1948. ii. The President, Prime Minister lead the nation in paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi and other martyrs . iii. A two-minute silence was observed in memory of the Father of the Nation and other

martyrs throughout the country at 11 am.

2. World anti Leprosy Day being observed today i. World anti Leprosy Day is also being observed today to focus attention and create awareness about the air-borne disease. ii. The day is chosen in remembrance of Mahatma Gandhi, who took keen interest in leprosy and the plight of people affected by leprosy. NOTE: i. Latest data by the National Leprosy Eradication Programme says that there has been a marginal reduction of 1.24 per cent in Annual New Case Detection Rate. In 2011-12, it stood at 10.35 per lakh population as against 10.48 in 2010-11. ii. In order to contain spread of the disease, ASHA workers under the National Rural Health Mission are being involved in the anti-Leprosy programme. Treatment of leprosy is available free of cost in all government health facilities. 3. Women's World Cup kicks off in India: i. India's women cricketers are all set to start their World Cup campaign when they take on the West Indies in a Group A match in Mumbai on Thursday. ii. The day-night clash would set the ball rolling for the event, which will also be held in Cuttack where the Pakistan team (placed in Group B) is based due to security concerns in Mumbai. NOTE: i. Group A matches are to be held in Mumbai's Brabourne Stadium, MIG Club at Bandra and the Bandra-Kurla Complex ground of the Mumbai Cricket Association. ii. Group B matches, involving strong contenders Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan, would be held in two grounds in Cuttack. iii. Earlier England defeated New Zealand and won the Womens ICC cricket world cup in 2009 held in Australia. 4. Mithali Raj enters World Cup as No.1 player i. Indian captain Mithali Raj will enter the Womens World Cup, beginning on Thursday, as the number-one ranked player on the Reliance ICC Womens Player Rankings for ODI batswomen. ii. Raj currently tops the batting table with 767 ratings points. West Indies Stafanie Taylor is ranked second, 22 ratings points behind. iii. The England duo of Sarah Taylor and Lydia Greenway are third and fourth, while New Zealands Amy Satterthwaite in fifth spot completes the top five. NOTE: The player rankings will be updated on February 18 at the conclusion of the World Cup tournament. 5. India and Australia agreed to Concentrate on Energy and Food Security i. India and Australia on 28 January 2013 agreed to concentrate on priority areas like energy and food security for mutual benefit of the two countries. ii. At the 14th Session of the India - Australia Joint Ministerial Commission held in New Delhi, the two sides underlined the importance of a solid institutional framework to facilitate future growth in bilateral trade and investment. iii. The Commission was co-chaired by Minister of Commerce, Industry and Textiles Anand Sharma and his Australian counterpart, Craig Emerson. Other areas of mutual interests are: i. The nations welcomed the launch of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations towards a modern, comprehensive, high quality, and

mutually beneficial regional economic partnership agreement. ii. The nations discussed Australia and India`s mutual interests in the effectiveness of global and regional economic institutions. iii. The nations discussed the importance of consolidating the G20 as the pre-eminent global economic forum. NOTE: i. India and Australia welcomed the growth in the bilateral investment relationship and agreed on the importance of strong bilateral investment flows particularly in priority areas such as mining, advanced manufacturing, infrastructure, clean technology and tourism. ii. The nations welcomed the third meeting of the Forum to be held in Australia in March 2013. 6. Veteran US Senator John Kerry to be new US Secy of State i. Veteran US Senator John Kerry, will be the new US Secretary of State. ii. The nomination of Kerry, a Vietnam war veteran, was confirmed by 94-3, with all three negative votes coming from Republican Senators James Inhofe, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, who is Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus .Mr. Kerry, Known for his relationship-building skills, will replace Hillary Clinton. NOTE: 69-year-old Kerry, currently the chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has been a close confidant of President Barack Obama on foreign policy issues especially on the volatile Af-Pak region. 7. Aircel launched Free Roaming Service for Voice, SMS and Data: i. Aircel on 28 January 2013 launched a product called One Nation, One Rate which offers users one rate for voice, SMS and data in home circles and on roaming. ii. Incoming calls while on roaming on Aircel network will be free. Aircel users in Delhi can get the service for 39 rupees, while Mumbai subscribers will have to pay 32 rupees. 8. China to construct three more dams on Brahmaputra river i. China has approved construction of three more dams on Brahmaputra river in Tibetin addition to the one being built, and much to the disquiet of India, it has not been informed about the plans so far. ii. A document approved by the Chinese cabinet recently mentioned three dams to be built at Dagu, Jiacha and Jiexu on Brahmaputra, Indian officials here said. NOTE: Brahmaputra river is known as as Yarlung Zangbo in China. China has already been building a 510 MW dam at Zangmu and one of the three dams were reportedly bigger than this. 9. S Korea launches rocket in third attempt: i. South Korea has launched a rocket in its third attempt to place a satellite into space. ii. South Korea's 140-tonne rocket, known as Naro, was partly built domestically and partly in Russia. iii. The launch comes weeks after North Korea used its own three-stage rocket to place a satellite into orbit. NOTE: i. South Korea's first attempt, in 2009, launched successfully but the satellite failed to detach while in orbit. ii. In 2010, the rocket exploded seconds after take-off. South Korea already has satellites in space, but they were launched from other countries.
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7. DAILY GK Updates February 2

DAILY GK UPDATE 29TH JANUARY 1. RBI cuts key rates, eases liquidity: i. India's central bank RBI cut key policy rates to infuse more money into the banking system and also trigger lower interest rates on loans taken by the commercial and household sectors. ii. RBI slashed its key interest rates by 0.25 per cent and released 18000 crore rupees additional liquidity into the system to perk up growth through reduced cost of borrowing.

iii. RBI in its third quarter monetary policy review surprised the market by cutting shortterm lending rate called Repo, by 0.25 per cent to 7.75 per cent and Cash reserve ratio (CRR) has been lowered from 4.25 per cent to 4 percent. iv. The RBI, however, has reduced the growth projections for the current financial year to 5.5 per cent from its earlier estimate of 5.8 per cent. v. On inflation, it moderated the rate to 6.8 per cent for March-end from earlier projection of 7.5 per cent. NOTE: i. The RBI Governor, D.Subbarao hailed government's recent reform measures including liberalisation of FDI in retail, deferment of GAAR and progressive deregulation of fuel prices.He said these steps will help engender stable macroeconomic conditions and return the economy to its high growth trajectory. ii. The RBI will come out with mid-quarter review on 19 March 2013 and the annual policy on 3 May 2013. Current Rate: 1.CRR 4% 2.SLR 23% 3.Repo Rate 7.75% 4.Reverse Repo 6.75% 5.MSF 8.75% 6. Bank Rate 8.75% 2. India and Bangladesh signed Agreements on Extradition and Visa Regime i. India and Bangladesh on 28 January 2013 signed two landmark agreements on extradition of criminals and terrorists and liberalising the visa regime. ii. The other agreement has provision for a friendlier visa regime for citizens of Bangladesh. iii. Businessmen will be provided a five-year, multiple-entry visa. Those travelling on medical grounds will be eligible for a two-year, multiple-entry visa, which could be extended for one more year. iv. Three attendants of a patient will also be given visa. NOTE: Until now, India was granting Bangladeshi tourists visas for up to six months and had allowed one person to accompany a patient.

3. Govt forms expert panel to review institutional framework of Prasar Bharati i. The government has constituted an expert committee to review institutional framework of Prasar Bharti. ii. The 7 member committee will be headed by Advisor to the Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure, Sam Pitroda. NOTE: i. The committee will review relationship of Prasar Bharti with government, its continuing role as a public broadcaster and measures needed to ensure its technical upgradation. ii. It will also suggest ways of using the new media to deliver digital content both in broadcast mode (DTH) and in a demand based mode like YouTube. iii. The committee has also been mandated to suggest a strategy for creating a network of domestic and overseas business partners for ensuring wider reach to a worldwide audience. 4. India asks Canada to liberalise its visa regime i. India has asked Canada to liberalise its visa regime to achieve the goal of increasing bilateral trade to 15 billion dollars annually in the next three years. ii. Indian High Commissioner to Canada Nirmal Verma said that This is one of the key issues to be discussed at seventh round of negotiations toward a comprehensive economic partnership agreement scheduled in New Delhi from February 5 to 7, NOTE: i. Both Canada and India have set a target of taking the annual bilateral trade volume to USD 15 billion by 2015 from USD 5 billion at present. ii. Canada is several steps ahead from US, France and Australia in the field of civil nuclear cooperation. Both countries were committed to complete remaining steps necessary to ensure its early implementation, iii. India intends to increase the nuclear power generation capacity from the current 3 per cent to about 25 per cent by 2050 and this provides a great opportunity also for Canadian nuclear industry. 5. Iran Announced Sending a Monkey Successfully Into Space i.Iran on 28 January 2013 announced that it had successfully sent into space a monkey. ii.While declaring the sending of a monkey into space, Iran also declared that it was yet another step towards the space flight goal of Tehran. iii. The rocket called Pishgam (meaning Pioneer) reached at a height of 120 km. Iran declared that the monkey had come back to the Earth successfully. NOTE: Iran declared that it had launched the Explorer rocket into space which carried worms, turtle and mouse. Irans effort to launch a monkey into the space had earlier failed in 2011. 6. Djokovic retains No.1 spot: i. Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic retained his place as mens world number one in the ATP rankings released on Monday. ii. The Serb, who became the first player in the professional era to win three straight Australian Open titles with his defeat of Andy Murray on Sunday, stays on 12,920

points. iii. Britains Murray remains third behind Roger Federer of Switzerland, the man he beat in the semifinals in Melbourne. TOP 5 positions: (1) Novak Djokovic, Serbia. (2) Roger Federer, Switzerland (3) Andy Murray, Britain (4) David Ferrer, Spain (5) Rafael Nadal, Spain
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January

1. DAILY GK Updates January 29

DAILY GK UPDATE 28TH JANUARY 1. Mumbai thrash Saurashtra to clinch Ranji crown: i. A dominant Mumbai lifted their 40th Ranji Trophy title after skipper Ajit Agarkar and Dhawal Kulkarni combined to wreck Saurshtra for an innings and 125-run victory in the five-day final that ended inside three days at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Monday. ii. Saurashtra, trailing the home team by 207 runs in the first innings, were shot out for a

pathetic 82 in less than three hours and 36.3 overs, 41 minutes after tea. iii. Mumbai, thus, clinched their 40th national title in 44 appearances in the summit contest and their first after two blank seasons. NOTE: Mumbai also earned the right to take on the Rest of India in the Irani Cup tie which is to be held at the same venue here from February 6-10. The home team also won Rs 2 crore as the prize money while Saurashtra got Rs 1 crore. 2. Postal Dept to launch on-line banking facilities by May 2014: i. The Postal Department will launch on-line banking facilities in all departmental Post offices in the country by May next year. ii. Commissioning the Automatic Mail Processing Centre in Kolkata yesterday, Minister of State for Communication & Information Technology Killi Kruparani said, the department has decided to install 1,000 ATMs in the main Post Offices. NOTE: Referring the government's commitment to provide efficient postal services to the people, she informed that government has sanctioned 4,700 crore rupees for computerisation and modernisation of India Post and every Post Offices in urban and rural areas will provide on-line-services to the citizens from next year. 3. India Successfully Test Fired K-15 Ballistic Missile in Bay of Bengal: i. India successfully test fired an underwater ballistic missile, K-15(code-named Bo5),

with a strike range of around700 kilometres, from an underwater platform in Bay of Bengal. The major features of K-15 are as following: i. K-15 is the 10-metre tall Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM). ii. India is only the fifth nation to have SLBM. The other four nations are Russia, China, France and USA. iii. The process of integrating K-15 missile with INS Arihant, the indigenously built nuclear submarine will start now. NOTE: i. Besides Arihant, three other nuclear-powered submarines were being constructed -- one at Visakhapatnam and two at Vadodara. ii. India is also in the process of developing K-4 missile with a range of 3000 km. iii. India also successfully test fired Medium range K-5 ballistic missile with a strike range of around 1500 kilometres. 4. China Successfully Carried Out Interceptor Missile Test: i. China on 27 January 2013 successfully performed the second interceptor missile test. The test was -said to be of the defensive nature without targeting any other country. NOTE: This is for the second time that China announced testing such a missile. Likewise, the anti-missile interception test was conducted successfully on 11 January 2010 earlier. 5. Corporation Bank to migrate to new core banking solution: i. Mangalore based Corporation Bank will be the first public sector bank to migrate from an existing core banking solution (CBS) platform to a new one in 12-15 months time, said a senior official. ii. A bank executive said "We were the first public sector bank to have a CBS in 2003. iii. Now we will again be the first government bank to migrate from an existing CBS to a new solution. In 12-15 months' time, the first branch will go live. iv. According to him, initially around 10 branches will go live and then the new CBS will be implemented in batches of around 50 branches. NOTE: i. "The advantage of a new CBS will be that it will be faster, efficient and would support newer applications like mobile banking. With a new CBS design and launch of new products will be faster. ii. Further the new solution is expected to offer better business analytics for the bank to decide is strategies. There will be also consistency in data. 6. Ashwani Kumar takes over as CMD of Dena Bank i. Veteran banker Ashwani Kumar has taken over as chairman & managing director (CMD) of Public sector lender Dena Bank, for a term of five years. ii. Mr. Kumar owns a rich banking experience of more than three decades serving. Before joining Dena Bank, he was serving the Corporation Bank as its executive director. Prior to that, he served Allahabad Bank. NOTE: Mr. Kumar started his banking career as a probationary officer (PO) in Allahabad Bank in the year 1981. With the passage of time, he held several key positions in the

bank. 7. Shah Rukh Khan Ranked First in Forbes India Celebrity 100 List: i. Shah Rukh Khan, the Bollywood superstar topped the inaugural Forbes India Celebrity 100 list. ii. The ranking was given based on the popularity as well as income of the biggest entertainers of India. iii. Second on the list was Salman Khan and MS Dhoni followed in the third position. iv. In the list of top 10 celebrities were Akshay Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar, Kareena Kapoor, Virender Sehwag, Virat Kohli and Katrina Kaif. NOTE: The list prepared by Forbes India is meant to rank most powerful Indians in media as well as entertainment sector. After collecting data, the ranking was given based on income of the celebrities which came from business of the entertainment sector as well as the fame which was measured in terms of online presence, media mentions and social media follower. 8. MP starts new scheme Sampark Setu on occasion of ASHA day today: i. Madhya Pradesh government today began a new scheme Sampark Setu on the occasion of ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activists) day today. ii. The objective of the scheme is to establish better communication between field units of health department and the district and state headquarters. iii. Under the scheme closed user group (CUG) SIM cards of BSNL would be provided to all the ASHA workers, auxiliary nurse-cum-midwives, multipurpose workers, supervisors and doctors and officials. iv. These closed user group sims will be helpful in keeping an eye on the health schemes in rural areas through live dialogue between health workers and Health Department employees and officers. 9. Anand Sharma launches eBiz portal: i. Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma launched an eBiz portal at the CII Partnership Summit in Agra today. ii. The portal is India''s Government-to-Business (G2B) portal developed by Infosys in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Model. iii. "This mission mode project will mark a paradigm shift in the Government''s approach to providing Government-to-Business (G2B) services for India''s investor and business communities," NOTE: eBiz will create a 24x7 facility for information and services and will also offer joined-up services where a single application submitted by a customer, for a number of permissions, clearances, approvals and registrations, will be routed automatically across multiple governmental agencies in a logical manner. 10. `Argo` and Jennifer Lawrence `big winners at SAG Awards: i. Ben Affleck's `Argo' won the Screen Actors Guild award for Best Ensemble Cast and Motion Picture ii. Daniel Day-Lewis scored the award for the Best Actor for his role in Steven

Spielberg's `Lincoln'. iii. Jennifer Lawrence won the SAG award for Best Actress for her performance in `Silver Linings Playbook'. iv. Tommy Lee Jones of `Lincoln' and Anne Hathaway of `Les Miserables' claimed the first prizes of the night and won honours for supporting actors. 11. Sreeramamurthy Janaki Refused to Accept Padma Bhushan on R-Day: Sreeramamurthy Janaki, the renowned playback singer, refused to accept the Padma Bhushan award. She refused on the grounds that only some people from the Southern states were awarded and that honour given to her was too late. NOTE: The singer had won four national awards and was selected for Padma Bhushan in the art category, among 24 other padma bhushan awardees who were from different fields. 12. Toyota becomes largest selling automaker in 2012: i. Japanese Auto maker, Toyota Motor Corp has once again emerged as the largest auto seller in the world in 2012 with total sales of 9.75 million vehicles around the world. ii. Toyota reported records sales during the year and surpassed rivals like General Motors and Volkswagen to regain its position as the top selling automaker in the world. iii. The company said that its total group-wide sales increased 22.6 per cent to 9.75 million, which is a new record in the company's 75 years of history.
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2. DAILY GK Updates January 28

DAILY GK UPDATE 27TH JANUARY 1.Novac Djokovic wins Australian open Men's single title: i. Novak Djokovic returned to his dominant best to win his third consecutive Australian Open title, denying Andy Murray a second major championship with a 6-7 (2), 7-6 (3), 6-3, 6-2 victory Sunday night at Rod Laver Arena. ii. The top-ranked Djokovic is the first man in the Open era to win three straight Austral ian titles nine

others have won back-to-back but were unable to win three in a row.

NOTE:i. In the grand semi-final clash yesterday Murray battled past Roger Federer 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2 to reach his third Australian Open and sixth Grand Slam final. ii. Victoria Azerankasuccessfully defended her Australian Open title and retained the number one world ranking after hitting back to beat a battered and bruised Li Na in three sets.

2. Indo-Pak water talks postponed i. Talks between the Water Secretaries of India and Pakistan, scheduled to be held in Islamabad during January 28-29, have been put off in the wake of tensions between the neighbours over ceasefire violations along the Line of Control. ii. The two-day talks were cancelled in the wake of tension between the two countries over ceasefire violations along the Line of Control. iii. The two countries were scheduled to discuss the Tulbul navigation project-Wullar Barrage issue during the talks. NOTE: This is the second high-level bilateral interaction that has been put off because of tension between India and Pakistan over ceasefire violations along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir 3. Incredible India at EMITT 2013 in Istanbul i. India Tourism is promoting the brand Incredible India at the ongoing Eastern Mediterranean International Tourism and Travel Exhibition, EMITT-2013 in Istanbul. ii. A team of tour and travel operators from different parts of India took part at the Mediterranean regions largest tourism and travel festival. iii. The four day event was inaugurated by Indias Consul General in Istanbul, Shri Vanlalhuma on Thursday NOTE: The move is aimed at showcasing Indias tourism destinations and attract a large number of foreign tourist from Turkey and other parts of the region. 4. Yash Pal, Rajesh Khanna, Dravid, Mary Kom among Padma awardees: i. Noted scientists Yashpal and Roddam Narasimha, cricketer Rahul Dravid, actor Rajesh Khanna and comedian Jaspal Bhatti (both posthumous), and boxer Mary Kom, are among the 108 eminent and illustrious personalities named for India's highest civilian honours, Padma awards, this year. ii. Among the Padma Vibhushan awardees are Yashpal, Roddam Narasimha and artist S. Haider Ali Raza. iii. Among the Padma Bhushan awardees are actors Rajesh Khanna and Sharmila Tagore, Bhatti, industrialist Adi Godrej, as well as Dravid and Mary Kom. iv. Actor Nana Patekar, Urdu poet Nida Fazli, wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, boxer Dingko Singh, filmmaker Ramesh Sippy, Magsaysay Award winner Nileema Mishra, Olympic medallist Vijay Kumar are among the Padma Shri awardees. NOTE: i. President Pranab Mukherjee approved the names of the 108 awardees, who include four Padma Vibhushan, 24 Padma Bhushan and 80 Padma Shri. ii. As many as 24 of the awardees are women. 5. K-5 ballistic missile successfully test fired i. India today successfully test fired a ballistic missile, with a strike range of around 1500 kilometres, from an underwater platform in Bay of Bengal. ii. Medium range K-5 ballistic missile was test-fired from an underwater ponto iii. K-5 missile, which is a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).

About K-5 ballistic missile: i. K-5 ballistic missiles is part of the family of underwater missiles being developed by DRDO for the Indian strategic forces underwater platforms. This missile will help India to achieve the capability of launching nuclear warheads from underwater facilities. ii. This is the first missile in the underwater category to have been developed by India. So far, India had the capability of delivering nuclear weapons from land and aerial platforms only. iii. K-5 ballistic missile, which is also known as BO5, has been developed by DRDO's Hyderabad-based Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL). NOTE: Only a select few nations including the US, France, Russia and China have this type of missile capability. 6. Indo-Japan SME meet in Chennai i. The Indo-Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IJCCI) is organising a two-day conference on SME (small and medium enterprise) in Chennai. ii. The conference will begin on February 18. iii. The two-day meet is being organised with the support of Indian Embassy in Tokyo, and Consulate-General in Osaka. iv. The conference will be followed by a Golf tournament on February 20 Objective: i. The objective of the conference is to bring together the SMEs of Japan and India under a common platform, and facilitate co-operation between businessmen of the two countries. ii. The conference will focus on the commonalities between the economies of the two nations, and work to beef up co-operation in areas that could further cement the ties between the two countries. NOTE: i. The conference is being held at a time when the SMEs in both the countries are going through a tough phase. ii. According to a rough estimate, India has around 50 million SMEs. iii. Japan, however, reportedly has twice that number. Iv. The forthcoming conference tries to build a bridge between the two communities in distress in both the countries for a better tomorrow, the release adds. v. Five Southern States and Gujarat have been invited to partner in the conference. 7. VP to inaugurate Global Partnership Summit in Agra : i. In Uttar Pradesh, Vice President Hamid Ansari inaugurate the Global Partnership Summit in the Taj city Agra today. ii. Many countries of Europe, North America and South America and Australia are participating in the Summit. A 29 member delegation from United states are coming to participate in the meet. NOTE: The ministry of commerce and industry in association of the CII is organising the 19th edition of The Partnership Summit 2013, for which Uttar Pradesh is the partner state.

ii. The theme for this year is "global partnerships for enduring growth". 8. SBI to open second branch in Chin i. State Bank of India (SBI) will next month open its second branch in China in the north-eastern port city of Tianjin to cater to the growing trade with India, particularly from the northern part of the country. ii. While much of the annual $66 billion bilateral trade is driven by Chinas more prosperous southern provinces, SBI officials believe the increasing trade from northern China and particularly through the fast-developing trade hub of Tianjin will provide a platform to grow the operations of the banks second China branch. iii. The Tianjin branch will open with $47 million capital. SBI Shanghai operates with $76 million capital, including 300 million RMB. NOTE: i. SBI Shanghai, in 2010, became the first Indian bank to acquire a licence from Chinese authorities to do business in the local Renminbi (RMB) currency. ii. Dinesh Sharma, CEO of the SBI Shanghai Branch, said the Tianjin branch would open towards the end of February. Under Chinese rules, banks have to go through a fiveyear waiting period before they can acquire an RMB licence. iii. SBI is also considering opening a third office in the southern port city of Guangzhou. 9. Chidambaram to launch RGESS in Mumbai i. Aiming to attract first-time stock market investors, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram will launch the much-awaited Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme (RGESS) in Mumbai on February 9. ii. The RGESS, which was announced in the Budget for 2012-13, seeks to provide tax benefits to first-time investors in stock markets. iii. Under the scheme, an individual with an income of less than Rs 10 lakh would get tax incentives for investing up to Rs 50,000 in the stock market. iv. As per the notification issued by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) on the RGESS, there would be a lockin period of one year on investments made under the scheme. v. For transactions undertaken by investors through their RGESS designated Demat account, depositories would be required to seek necessary transactional details from stock exchanges for enforcing lock-in. NOTE: The scheme was notified by the Department of Revenue, Finance Ministry on November 23 last year. 10. Indias 5-year steel output second highest in the world: i. Indias 33 per cent growth in steel production in the last five years was second only to China among the top-five producing nations. ii. Chinas production grew by 39 per cent during 2008-2012, the latest World Steel Association (WSA) data has revealed. iii. Indias production grew constantly in the last five years from 57.8 MT in 2008 to 63.5 MT in 2009, 69 MT in 2010, 73.6 MT in 2011 and 76.7 MT in 2012. iv. China, which produces nearly half of worlds steel, had output of 512.3 MT in 2008,

577.1 MT in 2009, 638.7 MT in 2010, 694.8 MT in 2011 and 716.5 MT in 2012. NOTE: i. Russia, which holds the fifth rank in the world order of steel production in 2012, had clocked a mere three per cent growth in output during the last five years. ii. Japan and the US, which occupy the second and third ranks respectively since 2010, have, in fact, produced less steel in 2012 than what they had produced in 2008. iii. India is projected to grab the second slot in the world of steel production within a year or two on new capacity expansions, mainly through the brown field route. 11. Hinduja group acquires Belgium media firm i. UK-based global conglomerate Hinduja group has signed a deal to acquire Belgian media company Alfacam, which provides TV facilities and services to broadcasters and production houses. ii. After this acquisition, the over $ 25 billion Hinduja group would look to expand Alfacams services and businesses in different parts of the world, including India. iii. The Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition was announced here on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meet by NRI billionaire brothers Gopichand Hinduja and Prakash Hinduja, as also Flemish Minister-President Kris Peeters iv. Alfacam is best known for its broadcasting vehicles for filming and broadcasting of major sports and entertainment events. They were also used in a big way at the Olympic Games in London last year. NOTE: Hinduja group is present across diversified businesses including banking, oil, power, transport, healthcare, technology, media and telecom. It has been on a major expansion spree in recent years 12. England beat India by 7 wickets in the 5th ODI England beat India by 7 wickets in the 5th ODI in Dharamshala on Sunday as India wins the series 3-2 and retained its No. 1 title in the ODIs. For the winners, Man of the Match, Ian Bell, remained unbeaten on 113.
1Like Share 3. DAILY GK UpdatesJanuary 27DAILY GK UPDATE 26TH JANUARY

1. Nation celebrates 64th Republic Day: i. The Nation celebrated the 64th Republic Day today with special parades and display of the rich cultural heritage and the armed forces might and achievements in various fields. To mark the day, several states announced welfare programmes and setting up of fast track courts to deal with crimes against women. NOTE: Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck with his Queen Jetsun Pema was

the Chief Guest at the 64th Republic Day Celebrations in New Delhi on Saturday becoming the third emperor from the tiny kingdom to grace the event, signifying the importance that India attaches to its neighbour. 2.108 eminent persons get Padma Awards: i. Pranab Mukherjee, the President of Union of India on 25 January 2013 approved conferment of 108 Padma Awards. ii. Four people have been conferred with Padma Vibhusan, twenty four are conferred with Padma Bhushan and 80 people would be receiving Padma Shree Awards. Out of all

the awardees twenty-four are ladies and 11 people belong to categories like NRIs, PIOs, Foreigners and Posthumous awardees. Padma Awards: i. Padma Awards are the highest Civilian Awards and are conferred to people in three different categories namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. ii. These Awards are conferred on people for the work done by them in different categories including art, social work, public affairs, science and engineering, trade and industry, medicine, literature and education, sports, civil service, and many more. iii. Padma Vibhusan is conferred on the people for the exceptional and distinguished services done by them iv. Padma Bhushan for distinguished service of high order v. Padma Shri is given to a person for his/her distinguished service in any field. These awards are announced on the eve of Republic Day celebration and are conferred by the President of India at a function organised at Rastrapati Bhawan. 3. Victoria Azarenka wins Australian Open women's title: i. Victoria Azarenka of Belarus has won the Womens Singles title of the Australian Open Tennis tournament at Melbourne. ii. The World Number One defeated Li Na of China, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the final on Saturday to win the title for the second successive time. 4. American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan won the men's doubles title Top seeded American brothers Bob and Mike Bryan won the men's doubles title. They defeated Dutch pair of Robin Haase and Igor Sijsling, 6-3, 6-4 in the final on Saturday. NOTE: Bryans brothers win record 13th Grand Slam doubles title. 5. Australian Open: Murray stuns Federer, meets Novak in final: i. Andy Murray became the first Briton to reach three Australian Open finals after ending his Grand Slam hoodoo against Roger Federer in a five-set thriller. ii. Murray had never beaten the Swiss at a major but was a deserved 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 63, 6-7 (2/7), 6-2 winner on Friday as he moved into Sunday's title decider against Novak Djokovic. 6. Dharamsala set to host fifth ODI between India-England: In Himachal Pradesh , the Dharamshala, a lovely hill town located in the lap of Himalayan foothills is all set to host the 5th and last one day international cricket match of current series between India and England at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association stadium on Sunday. The match will start at 9. 30 AM in the morning. NOTE: Chief minister Virbhadra Singh along with Dalai Lama are to be the chief guests.
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4.

DAILY GK Updates January 26

DAILY GK UPDATE: 25TH JANUARY 1. Three powerful bomb blasts rock Imphal: i. In Manipur, three powerful bomb blasts rocked Imphal City on Friday morning. ii. The blasts took place at different places of Imphal despite elaborate security arrangements to contain untoward incidents ahead of the Republic Day Celebration on Saturday.

the high security zone of the First Manipur Rifles Complex in Imphal at around 7.30 on Friday morning. iv. The second blast took place near Keishamthong Bridge on the bank of Nambul River under Imphal Police Station at around 10:15 on Friday morning. v. The third explosion occurred at Nongmeibung near Raja Dumbra Singh High School under Porompat Police Station in Imphal at around 11 on Friday morning. NOTE: However, there is no report of any arrest in connection with the blasts. No militant group has so far claimed responsibility for the explosions. No one was injured in the incidents.
iii. Police sources said, the first explosion took place at

2. National Voters Day observed today: i. National Voters Day was observed today with Vice President Hamid Ansari calling upon the citizens to value their vote and the importance of exercising their right to vote in electoral process. ii. Chief Election Commissioner V.S Sampath elaborated about the measures being taken to increase voters participation. 3. Nation celebrates Milad-un-Nabi with religious fervor & traditional gaiety: Milad-un-Nabi, the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad, is being celebrated across the country today with religious fervor and traditional gaiety. Thousands of Muslims thronged to pray in Dargahs and mosques. NOTE: The President, Vice President, the Prime Minister and the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi have greeted the nation on the occasion.In his message, the President Mr. Pranab Mukherjee said prophet's message of brotherhood, compassion, tolerance and service to humanity, guide and inspire the people to live a righteous and productive life. 4. RBI asks banks to issue Tier II bonds to retail investors: i. The Reserve Bank asked banks to issue bonds to retail investors so as to deepen the corporate debt market; however, it said that while doing so banks are advised to stay to the prescribed conditions. ii. The central bank also emphasised that the investor is aware of the risk characteristics of regulatory capital instruments. Banks usually raise Tier II capital by issuing subordinated debt to banks and large investors. iii. The bonds have a minimum maturity of 5 years. However if the bonds are issued in the last quarter of the year i.e. from 1st January to 31st March, they should have a

minimum tenure of 63 months. NOTE: As per the prescribed format, the amount of subordinated debt to be raised may be decided by the board of the bank. 5. IMF: World Economic Growth Rate would be 3.5 percent in 2013 i. International Monetary Fund (IMF) in at update to World Economic Outlook (WEO) on 23 January 2013, projected that the global economic growth rate would be 3.5 percent in 2013. ii. The update mentioned that the global economic growth would strengthen gradually as the limitations of the economic activities have seen a positive note with the start of the year. Some of the major projections of IMF are: i. Global growth would reach 3.5 percent in 2013, from 3.2 percent in 2012 ii. Crisis risks would narrow down but the downside risks will remain crucial iii. Main sources of growth would be the emerging markets, developing countries and the United States NOTE: The report described that if the risks of crisis doesnt materialize, then the expected targets of growth may be crossed and can be stronger then that is projected. 6. IMF forecasted Indian Economic Growth Rate to be 5.9 percent in 2013 i. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on 23 January 2013 projected that the economic growth rate of India in 2013 would be 5.9 percent. ii. The IMF also projected an increased growth rate of 6.4 percent for 2014 looking forward towards the gradual strengthening of the global expansion in Indias context. 7. Major Abup J Manjali Selected For Kirti Chakra: Kirti Chakra is the Second- Highest Peacetime Gallantry Award i. Major Abup J Manjali of the Rashtriya Rifles was selected for the award of Kirti Chakra for his extraordinary bravery efforts in counter- terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir. ii. Major Manjali is the only soldier to receive this second- highest peacetime gallantry award Kirti Chakra on the Republic Day. Apart from him, eight other jawans as well as officers were selected to be awarded with the Shaurya Chakra. NOTE: i. Major Abup J Manjali belongs to the Bihar Regiment and at present is deputed to Rashtriya Rifles. ii. It is important to note that the Kirti Chakra can be given away to military personnel as well as the civilians. iii. This award is the peacetime gallantry award which is equivalent to Mahavir Chakra. iv. Shaurya Chakra, on the other hand, is being given away to Major Sandeep Kumar of 13 Sikh Regiment for his bravery act in Northeast area. Apart from him, Navy officer will also receive Shaurya Chakra for saving lives in Mumbai fire incident. 8. ING Left Insurance Business in India; Sold 26 Percent Stake to Exide i. ING, the Dutch financial services group departed the insurance business in India by selling off 26 percent stake of ING Vysya Life Insurance to the Exide Industries, its

joint-venture partner. ii. The deal was worth 1100 crore Rupees. iii. Exide Industries, on the other hand is now searching for the foreign insurer who would buy this 26 percent stake. iv. As of now, the Exide Industries held 50 percent stake in ING Vysya Life Insurance Company and with the present deal, Exide Industries holds 74 percent overall stake in the company. v. Rest of the 24 percent is held by two promoters Hemendra Kothari Group and Enam Group. NOTE: i. It is important to note that ING is the 3rd insurancecompany to leave India. ii. The first insurer to exit from India was Australian insurer AMPwith its joint venture with Sanmar that sold the stake to Reliance Life Insurance. iii. The second insurer to leave from India was American insurer Chubb with the joint venture with HDFC. iv. Because of the financial crisis across the globe, a lot of insurers changed their expansion plans. The active insurers in India at present are Samsung Life of Canada and North American insurer Manulife. v. However, ING announced that it will retain the presence in thebanking sector in India. 9. IIMA to launch first ever case website from tomorrow: i. Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad -IIMA will launch its first ever case website- cases.iimahd.ernet.in from tomorrow. ii. The website is a unique online portal to enable academic institutes to explore, register as users, search cases, technical notes and exercises prepared by the IIMA faculty and Associates and buy them online. NOTE: The website provides details about the case collection of IIMA case method, buying process, and pricing scheme. 10. Uddhav Thackeray appointed as the Party President of Shiv Sena i. Uddhav Thackeray on 23 January 2013 was elected as the Party President for Shiv Sena during the National Executive Meet of the party held at Sena Bhawan, partys headquarters at Dadar in Central Mumbai. ii. He was elected to the post of the President of the Party on the day of birth anniversary of the party supremo and his father, Bal Thackeray. NOTE: Now, Uddhav will be responsible to take all the decisions of the party and make the appointments too. 11. Headley sentenced for 35 years for role in 26/11 i. David Coleman Headley, the Pakistani-American and the mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai Terror Attack 2008 was sentenced to 35 years in Prison on 24 January 2013 by a U.S. Court. ii. The Court sentence would be followed by a five years of supervised release. iii. The sentence was pronounced by the U.S. Federal District Court Judge Harry

Leinenweber, who said that Headley was a terrorist and numerous crimes were committed by Headley but his confessions turned up to be the reason that lenient sentences were issued for him. NOTE: i. The death penalty and extradition options were dropped because of the cooperation shown by him. ii. Headley, under a deal with U.S. Government supplied major information about the terror suspects, which was really helpful in carrying on the investigation and bring defendants like Ilyas Kashmiri, Tahawwur Rana and other Pakistan-based operatives under criminal charges. About David Coleman Headley: i. David Coleman Headley is a Chicago based Pakistani-American, who was involved as a mastermind in Mumbai Terror Attack and many other terrorist activities. ii. He is accused of carrying on the spying mission during the terror attacks of Mumbai in which 166 people died. iii. In 2009 he was the mastermind to plan the attack on the Danish Newspaper, Jyllands-Posten. 12. Errani-Vinci win Australian Open doubles title: Top-seeded Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci of Italy beat Australian pair of Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 for the Australian Open womens doubles championship. NOTE: The 16-year-old Ashleigh Barty was attempting to become the youngest Grand Slam champion since Martina Hingis won the Australian Open singles title in 1997. 13. Djokovic advances to Australian Open final i. Two-time defending champion Novak Djokovic advanced to his third consecutive Australian Open final with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 win over No. 4-seeded David Ferrer in the semifinals on Thursday night. NOTE:i. On Sunday, Djokovic will meet the winner of Fridays semifinal between No. 2ranked Roger Federer, a four-time Australian champion, and U.S. Open winner Andy Murray, who is ranked No. 3. 14. Fauja Singh, Announced Retirement : i. Fauja Singh, 101, the oldest marathon runner of the worlddecided to stop running in the competitions after Hong Kong marathon which will be held in February 2013. ii. However, before the Hong Kong marathon, Singh will be running in the Australia marathon as well. NOTE: i. Fauja Singh is also popularly known as the Turbaned Tornado in all the international events. Though Fauja Singh announced his retirement from marathon, but he admitted that he would keep running for inspiring the masses. ii. Fauja Singh was born on 1 April 1911. Fauja was also felicitated at the Buckingham Palace by the queen in London on December 7, 2005.
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5. DAILY GK Updates January 26

DAILY GK UPDATE: 24TH JANUARY 1. National Girl Child Day being observed today: i. The objective of this day is to raise consciousness of the society towards the girl child so that she can be valued and respected. ii. The Women and Child Development Ministry has been taking a multi pronged approach to address and reverse the trend of declining child sex ratio in the country. NOTE: These initiatives

aim at working towards ensuring that girls are born, loved and nurtured and grow up to become empowered citizens of the country with equal rights and opportunities. 2. China's top science award for Dr.C.N. R. Rao: i. Noted Indian scientist Dr C N R Rao has been conferred with China's top science award for his important contributions in boosting Sino-India scientific cooperation. ii. Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) yesterday gave its 2012 Award for International Scientific Cooperation to three scientists from India, Germany, and Russia. iii. Rao, 79, founder of Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore, shared the 2012 award with Herbert Jaeckle of Germany's Max Planck Society and Russian space physicist G A Zherebtsov. iv. He is currently the Head of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister. NOTE: The CAS is China's top academic and research institution for natural sciences.It has so far honoured 17 international scientists for their contributions in Sino-Foreign research cooperation, since the prize was instituted in 2007. 3. Jaipur Literature Festival begins today: Theme of this years literature festival is Buddha in literature. i. 6th Jaipur Literature Festival begins today. This is an important literary festival of the Asia-Pacific region. ii. During the five-day long event, 285 writers from India and abroad will discuss on literary and social issues. Spritual leader Dalai Lama will be the chief guest at the festival. NOTE: i. Writers of 16 Indian languages are participating in the festival. ii. A range of readings, talks, debates, performances, childrens workshops and interactive activities would be organized in the festival. iii. Jaipur literature festival is not only a writers conference but it provides a platform for interaction between readers and writers. During the 5 daylong event 285 writers from India and abroad will discuss on literary and social issues. iv. This year the festival will focus on Russian Literature.

4. RBI hikes FII limit in govt securities: i. The Reserve Bank on Thursday hiked FII investment limits in government securities and corporate bonds by USD 5 billion each, taking the total cap in domestic debt to USD 75 billion, with a view to bridging the current account deficit. RBI said: ii. The sub-limit of USD 10 billion for investment by FIIs and long-term investors in G-Secs stands enhanced by USD 5 billion iii. The limit in corporate debt, other than infrastructure sector, stands enhanced from USD 20 billion to USD 25 billion. NOTE: i. With increase of USD 5 billion in each of the two categories, FIIs and longterm investors can now invest USD 25 billion in G-Secs and USD 50 billion in corporate debt instruments, taking the total to USD 75 billion. ii. The earlier FII investment limit in G-Secs was USD 20 billion and for corporate debt it was USD 45 billion, including sub-limit of USD 25 billion for infra bonds. iii. In order to check outflow of foreign currency, the government recently hiked import duty on gold and also took steps to encourage mutual funds park their gold in deposit schemes offered by banks. 5. Developing nations on top for first time in '12 FDI index: UN The UN's trade and investment think tank UNCTAD said: i. Developing countries overtook their traditionally wealthier counterparts in attracting foreign direct investment for the first time last year, as industrialised nations bore the brunt of an 18 per cent plunge in FDI flows. ii. Last year, global foreign direct investments when a company in one country invests for instance in production facilities or buys a business in another country came in at USD 1.3 trillion, down from USD 1.6 trillion in 2011, iii. In a dramatic shift on the global investment scale, developing countries reaped USD 680 billion of that, or 52 per cent of the total. James Zhan, head's UNCTAD's investment and enterprise division said: iv. "For the first time in history, developing countries have attracted more investment than developed countries," v. The US, which remains the world's largest recipient of foreign direct investment, saw its FDI inflows slip more than 35 per cent to USD 147 billion, while Germany saw its net investment level plunge from USD 40 billion in 2011 to just USD 1.3 billion last year, mainly due to large divestments there. vi. Asia, which raked in 59 per cent of all FDI to developing countries, saw its inflow dip 9.5 per cent, with China, the world's second-largest recipient of such investments, registering a 3.4-per cent drop in 2012 to USD 120 billion. 6. Starbucks reaches Delhi, opens outlets at IGI Airport: i. Expanding its reach to new markets in India, coffee chain Tata Starbucks has announced opening of two outlets at the National Capital's Indira Gandhi International Airport. ii. While one outlet will be opened at the domestic terminal, another one will be started

at the international terminal of the airport. iii. "With this launch, Starbucks forays into a new market segment and expands the number of stores, reaching more customers in the market,". NOTE: Starbucks had entered the Indian market in October 2012 with the launch of three stores in Mumbai. 7. U.R. Ananthamurthy in Man Booker Prize shortlist: i. Eminent writer U.R. Ananthamurthy has been shortlisted among 10 other authors for the international Man Booker Prize for fiction. ii. Mr. Ananthamurthy, 80, is the only Indian among to have made it to the final list of the prestigious prize announced at the DSC Jaipur Literature Festival on Thursday. iii. Considered to be one of the most important voice of new movement in Kannada language, Mr. Ananthamurthy has written five novels, eight short story collections and three poetry collections that have been translated into other languages in India as well as in Europe. NOTE: i. The author studied English literature at the University of Mysore and earned his doctorate from University of Birmingham. ii. Other finalists of 2013 include Aharon Appelfeld (Israel), Lydia Davis (USA), Intizar Husain (Pakistan), Yan Lianke (China), Marie Ndiaye (France), Josip Novakovich (Canada), Marilynne Robinson (USA), Vladimir Sorokin (Russia) and Peter Stamm (Switzerland). iii. Peter Stamm is the first Swiss author who has made it to the final list. iv. The award, an offshoot of Britains better-known Man Booker novel-of-the-year prize, is awarded for a lifetimes work. It is open to authors of all nationalities whose work is available in English. v. The winner would be announced on May 22 in London, the chair of judges Christopher Ricks announced. 8. UP 10th & 12th pass students to get free laptops: i. In Uttar Pradesh, the cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, cleared the proposal to purchase 15 lakh laptops and tablets. ii. These laptops are to be given free to students who have passed class 10th and 12th exams, to fulfill the iii. Samajwadi Party's election promise made in its manifesto last year. iv. The laptops would cost Rupees 19,058 per unit and total government expenditure on the scheme will be Rupees 2,858 crore. 9. Li Na & Azarenka will clash for Aus Open title: i. Li Na used the heat to her advantage and worked No. 2-ranked Maria Sharapova around Rod Laver Arena in a 6-2, 6-2 win on Thursday to advance to her second Australian Open final in three years. ii. Sharapova was the favorite after conceding only nine games in her first five matches, a record at the Australian Open since it expanded to a 128-player draw in 1988. iii. Victoria Azarenka beat American teenager Sloane Stephens with straight set 6-1, 6-

4. NOTE: i. Li was the first Chinese player to reach a Grand Slam final when she lost here to Kim Clijsters in 2011. ii. Now Li will play for the Australian Open title against Azarenka. 10. India clinch series against England: i. India defeated England on Wednesday by 5 wickets in the fourth one day international cricket match at Mohali to clinch the 5-match series, with one game remaining. Put into bat, England compiled 257 for 7 in the stipulated 50 overs. Team India overhauled the target with 15 balls to spare and 5 wickets in hand. ii. The next one day international will be played at Dharamshala on Sunday. 11. India retains third spot in T20 rankings: At fifth, Virat Kohli is the highest placed Indian in the ICC rankings for Twenty20 batsmen, while India have managed to retain their third position in the team rankings issued on Thursday. NOTE: Among T20 teams, India, maintained their third position with 119 points while Sri Lanka stand firm at the top with 127 points, and T20 World champions West Indies at second with 122 points.
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6. DAILY GK Updates January 24

DAILY GK UPDATE: 23RD JANUARY 1. Govt will aim at 4.8% fiscal deficit in 2013-14: Chidambaram i. Expressing India's commitment to fiscal prudence, Finance Minister P Chidambaram on said the government will contain deficit at 5.3 per cent of GDP in the current year, and bring it down to 4.8 per cent in 2013-14. ii. Chidambaram said the government is committed to lowering the fiscal deficit by 0.6 per cent

every year for the next five years. iii. Containing the fiscal deficit at 5.3 per cent of GDP this year would also depend on the revenue receipts from disinvestment and spectrum sale as also the tax mop up. NOTE: i. Ratings agency Standard & Poor's and Fitch have threatened a downgrade of India's sovereign ratings. ii. As per the fiscal consolidation roadmap outlined by the Finance Ministry, the fiscal deficit would be brought down to 3 per cent of the GDP by 2016-17 fiscal. 2. Election Commission of India nominated Saina Nehwal and Mary Kom as the National

Icons i. The Election Commission (EC) of India on 22 January 2013 announced Saina Nehwal and Mary Kom as the National Icons to help promote, voter participation in India. ii. Saina Nehwal and Mary Kom, both are Olympic Bronze Medalists in the London Olympics 2012, in Badminton and Boxing respectively. iii. The duo, Nehwal and Mary Kom are roped in to be the National Icons to attract youth voters in the age group of 18 to 19 years in age. NOTE: i. The third National Voters Day would be observed by the Poll Panel on 25 January 2013 and some of the first-time voters would be given their photo identity cards on this day. ii. The National Voters day is celebrated on the foundation day of the Election Commission. iii. Apart from these two, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Captain of the Indian National Cricket Team and former President of India, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam are the existing National Icons of the Board and they will continue to be at the position. 3. Rajnath Singh is new BJP president : i. Rajnath Singh was on Wednesday unanimously elected president of BJP, capping last minute dramatic turn of events which saw Nitin Gadkari being forced out of the race for the second term. ii. The 61-year-old senior party leader from Uttar Pradesh takes the baton back from Nitin Gadkari whom he handed over the post in 2009. iii. Mr. Singh, who emerged as the consensus candidate on Tuesday night after Mr. Gadkari dramatically opted out of the race for a second term, was the only candidate to file the nominations and was declared elected unopposed. NOTE: Born on July 10, 1951 at Bhabhaura village in Uttar Pradeshs Chandauli district, Rajnath Singh obtained MSc degree in physics from Gorakhpur University and was appointed lecturer in the K B Post graduate degree college in Mirzapur in 1971. 4. Failure of governance root cause of crimes against women: Verma committee i. Justice J.S. Verma committee, set up to recommend measures to improve laws dealing with sexual offences, has received around 80,000 suggestions and wrapped up its work within 29 days. ii. He said sexual assault cases must be tried by women Judges. The failure of governance was the root cause of crimes against women. He also said it was equally shocking that there was total apathy of everyone who had a duty to perform. iii. Justice Verma, the head of the three-member panel, was approached by the Central government for the task on December 23. The other members of the panel are former Himachal Pradesh Chief Justice Leila Seth and former Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam. Highlights of Verma Committee report: i. Imminnent need to review AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act) in conflict areas ii. Sexual offences by armed forces and uniformed men in conflict areas should be brought under ordinary criminal law

iii. Recommends appointment of Special Commissioners with adequate powers to redress complaints of sexual violence against women in conflict areas iv. Ambiguity over the control of Delhi Police should be cleared v. Delhi gang rape case shows the failures of traffic regulations, maintenance of law and order and dealing of sexual assault cases vi. Every district magistrate should prepare census of missing children vii. Police action on peaceful Delhi protesters scarred Indian democracy NOTE: i. The Justice Verma Committee was constituted to look at existing legislation and suggest changes to check crimes against women. ii. Justice Verma critcize Home Secretary R. K. Singh for his praise of Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar in the aftermath of the Delhi gang rape incident, saying he was shocked to hear this when an apology was expected. iii. He said Youth has taught us what we, the older generation, were not aware of. I was struck by the peaceful manner in which the protests were carried out...the youth rose to the occasion,. 5. RBI directs urban co-op banks to extend interest subvention for exporters i. With a view to encouraging exports, Reserve Bank of India, RBI has directed urban co-operative banks to extend interest subvention of 2 per cent for exporters in segments like handicraft, carpets,small and medium enterprises and certain engineering goods, by a year till March 2014. ii. RBI in its notification has said that it has also been decided to extend the interest subvention of 2 per cent on rupee export credit on specified export sectors from 1st April 2013 to March 31, 2014. iii. Under the scheme, banks would reduce the interest rate chargeable to exporters. 6. West Bengal Government gave Heritage Status to Neta Jis Ancestral House The West Bengal Government on 22 January 2013, the day of Neta Ji Subhash Chandra Boses birth anniversary, declared that it would give a heritage status to his ancestral house at Kodalia in South 24 Parganas district. 7. World's largest Optical Telescope to be developed by Five-Nation Consortium i. A five-nation consortium including India would be constructing the worlds largest optical telescope, which would be the worlds most advanced ground based observatory. ii. This telescope will be developed in Hawaii at the summit of the Mauna Kea Volcano. iii. Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT) governing body on 22 January 2013 met to decide the contributions to be made by the member nations namely, India, Japan, Canada, China and the US in the development of worlds largest optical telescope. NOTE: i. The work on this telescope is expected to start in 2014 and the project is planned at an investment of 1.2 billion US dollar. ii. The Indian scientists would play a major role in the development of the key components of the telescope and 15 percent of the 492 mirror segments, each of 1.44 m in size, would be fabricated in India.

8. Japan to close embassy in Mali over worsening security situation i. Japan today said, it will close its embassy in Mali because of the worsening security situation in the war-torn country. ii. A foreign ministry statement said Japan will temporarily close the embassy in Mali, including in the capital of Bamako. NOTE: The decision came a day after Japan announced that at least seven of its citizens were killed in a hostage crisis in neighbouring Algeria. 9. Spice Global Entered Healthcare Sector in India: i. Spice Global, the diversified company entered into the healthcare sector and announced its plans to invest more than 1400 crore Rupees by 2016 in order to establish its 1st hospital. ii. The hospital called Saket City Hospital would have 1000 beds at first. iii. Global Founder and Chairman B K Modi announced that the company had already committed 400 crore Rupees for first phase of its hospital project in which there will be 230 beds by June 2013. NOTE: i. Spice Global is a Singapore-based company that has left its presence in various sectors such as finance, entertainment and mobility. ii. Spice Global is a 2 billion US dollar firm with its mark in various locations of the world. It employs more than 9000 employees across its different locations. 10. Djokovic & Roger Federer advances to Australian Open semis i. Novak Djokovic won his 19th consecutive match at Melbourne Park to keep alive his bid for a third successive Australian Open title, beating fifth-seeded Tomas Berdych 6-1, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 in the quarterfinals on Tuesday night. ii. Djokovic has now reached the semi-finals at an 11th consecutive major, second only to Roger Federers streak of 23. iii. The top-ranked Djokovic will next play No. 4 David Ferrer, who came back to beat fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro in five sets. iv. Roger Federer defeat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-3 to reach the Australian Open semifinals for a 10th consecutive year. v. The 17-time Grand Slam champion will now play Andy Murray, who advanced in straight sets over unseeded Jeremy Chardy of France.
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7. DAILY GK Updates January 24

DAILY GK UPDATE: 22ND JANUARY 1. Bhutan King is Chief Guest at R-Day Parade: i. Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck is to be the chief guest at this year's Republic Day

parade. ii. The King and Queen of Bhutan will pay a State visit to India from 23rd to 30th of this month. iii. During his visit the Bhutan king will meet with the President Pranab Mukherjee, Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson

Mrs

Sonia Gandhi. iv. The Bhutan King is also to be the chief guest at the Confederation of Indian Industry Partnership Summit-2013 to be held at Agra from 27th to 29 of this month. NOTE: King's visit will contribute to further strengthening and expanding the close bilateral relations between the two countries. The unique and special relations between the two neighbouring countries are characterized by everlasting friendship, deep understanding and mutual trust. 2. India, Lanka sign two pacts at end of Jt. Commission meet: India and Sri Lanka today signed two agreements including one on combating International Terrorism and Illegal Drug and Human Trafficking. An agreement on Avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion was also signed by visiting Srilankan foreign minister G L Peiris and his Indian counterpart Salman Khurshid in New Delhi. NOTE: The agreements were singed at the end of 8th round of joint India - Srilanka joint commission meeting which reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relationship. Both the countries also inked the agreed minutes of the Joint Commission meeting. 3. Govt. declared use of MGNREGA linked Post Office Accounts for Direct Cash Transfer: i. The Union Government of India in the third week of January 2013 amended the August 2008 notification to allow MGNREGA beneficiaries to receive other Government benefits and deposits in their post office saving account. ii. With this order of the Union Finance Ministry more than 3.5 crore post office accounts in existence has turned up to be ready for the Aadhaar-linked Cash Transfer Scheme of Government of India. iii. Earlier, the accounts linked with the MGNREGA workers of the country were used for receiving the wages under the rural employment guarantee scheme. NOTE: i. The Aadhaar number would be used for authentication of the identities of the beneficiaries under the new Direct Cash Transfer initiative. ii. There exists of a total of 8.26 crore MGNREGA accounts in the country and out of this 43 percent (3.5 crore) of the accounts exists in post offices of India. 4. OP Chautala: jailed for corruption i. The ex-chief minister of the Indian state of Haryana Om Prakash Chautala and his son Ajay, also a politician, have been sentenced to 10 years in jail for corruption. ii. Last week Chautala and 54 others were convicted of forging documents to hire 3,206 teachers between 1999 and 2000. iii. Prosecutors said well-qualified candidates were rejected in favour of those who offered bribes for jobs. iv. It is estimated that the scam was worth about 1.5bn rupees ($28m; 18m).

NOTE: Chautala is the leader of the Indian National Lok Dal party and the son of former deputy prime minister Devi Lal. The scandal only came to light in 2008 when the federal Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed charges against Chautala and the others. 5. Ikea wins Indian agency approval for stores: i. India's foreign investment agency has approved Ikea's entry into the Indian market, bringing the Swedish firm closer to being the first major foreign retailer with wholly owned outlets. ii. kea plans to open 25 stores, investing about $2bn (1.3bn) over the next 15 to 20 years. iii. The proposal now needs approval from the federal cabinet. iv. The government is committed to play a constructive role in encouraging FDI (foreign direct investment) specially in areas which create jobs and provide technological advancement," trade minister said. NOTE: Last year India changed its policies to allow some foreign retailers to own 100% of their Indian subsidiaries. It also allowed foreign multi-brand retailers, such as Wal-Mart and Carrefour, to own as much as 51% of outlets. 6. State Bank of India pitches for cut in repo rate, CRR i. Pitching for a cut in interest rates and cash reserve ratio by the Reserve Bank, SBI Chairman Pratip Chaudhuri today said the move will boost investment and growth. ii. He said "As RBI's monetary policy review is slated on January 29, we have already requested for a cut in cash reserve ratio by up to 100 basis points (1 per cent) and repo rate by 50 basis points (0.5 per cent),". iii. Lowering of interest rates, would considerably improve the investment climate which remained sluggish. iv. Rise in investment would also brighten the employment scenario by giving a boost to economic activities, the SBI chief said, warning that India might face an Europe-like situation if the prevailing scenario continues. 7. Google may soon replace passwords with 'physical keys' i. Search giant Google is set to kill off passwords and is experimenting with USB keys, mobile phones and even jewelry that can act as a physical 'key' to give users access to their account. ii. Google Vice President of Security Eric Grosse said: we feel passwords and simple bearer tokens such as cookies are no longer sufficient to keep users safe," the pair write in their paper. iii. To log, users simply place the tiny Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive into their computer. iv. The firm is also believed to be experimenting with wireless chips that are already built into some mobile phones, and can even be built in jewelry. v. "One option uses a tiny USB key called a YubiKey. When the user plugs the key into

a latop, they are automatically logged into all of their Google accounts - without ever having to type in a password," . 8. Kohli became the Quickest Indian and Second at World Level to complete 4000 ODI Runs i. The Indian Cricketer Virat Kohli on 19 January 2013 completed his 4000 runs in One day International cricket tournament. ii. He is the 12th Indian batsman and 84th at world level to reach this milestone. iii. By scoring these runs in just 93 innings, he became the first quickest from India and second at world level to accomplish this milestone. iv. Viv Richards, the West Indies player reached this milestone in 88 innings in the year 1985 and is placed at the 1st position in the list of crickets to touch the mark of 4000 runs in less number of innings. v. Both Richards and Kohli played in 96 matches to reach the score. vi. Before Kohli, the former Indian Captain Sourav Ganguly had this record of scoring the fastest 4000 runs in ODI in 110 matches and 105 innings. 9. Li Na storms into semi-finals in Australian Open Tennis: Li Na of China storms into the semi-finals in the womens singles on Day 9 of the Australian Open Tennis The Chinese Ace seeded 6th caused an upset when she beat fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska in straight sets 7-6, 6-3. Li will now await the winner of the other all Russian quarter-final between Ekaterina Makarova and Maria Sharapova. 10. 14yr old Narayanan holds Chinese GM Shanglei to draw India's latest International Master (IM) 14-year-old S L Narayanan became the youngest star, as he held Chinese Grand Master Lu Shanglei to a draw in the ninth round in the Chennai Super Kings 5th International Grandmaster chess tournament 2013 at Chennai. 11. 4th ODI: India vs England to be played at Mohali tomorrow The fourth One-Day International Cricket match between India and England will be played at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali, tomorrow. At present, India lead the five-match series 2-1.
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8. DAILY GK Updates January 24

DAILY GK UPDATE: 21ST JANUARY 1. Moody retains India's rating at existing Baa3 level:

i. Retaining India's credit rating at the existing level, global agency Moody's has cautioned that a high fiscal deficit could pull down the growth in the coming years. ii. On the positive side, the global rating agency reaffirmed sovereign credit rating of India at Baa3, which indicates investment grade, with a stable outlook.

NOTE: Moody's expect Indian economy to grow by 5.4 per cent in the current fiscal and 6 per cent in 2013-14. Last fiscal, the economy grew by 6.5 per cent. 2. Deputy PM of Turkmenistan arrives in New Delhi: i. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov arrived in New Delhi today. ii. He is leading a delegation which will participate in the 4th meeting of the IndiaTurkmenistan Inter-Governmental Joint Commission on Trade, Eco, Scientific and Technological Cooperation in New Delhi tomorrow. NOTE: Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed will lead the Indian delegation. Turkmenistan has emerged as a potentially important partner in India's quest for energy security. 3. India, Australia to hold first round of negotiation on Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement in March: i. India and Australia today agreed to hold the first round of negotiations on Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement in March this year.The talks will be held in New Delhi. ii. This was announced by External Affairs minister Salman Khurshid in a joint press conference at the end of bilateral talks with Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr in the National Capital. iii. During the talks Indian and Australian negotiators will work towards concluding the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement between the two countries. This will enable the export of Uranium from Australia to India. iv. Australian Foreign Bob Carr said, both countries agreed to work towards strengthening regional and global institutions such as the East Asia Summit and G20 in particular ahead of Australia's chairmanship in 2014.

4. Increased railway fares comes into effect from today: i. The increased railway fares have come into effect from today. ii. The fare hike is expected to mop up an additional 6,600 crore rupees per year for the government. This is the first increase in rail fares in a decade's time. The proposals will rake in an additional 1200 crore rupees between January 21 and March 31 this year. NOTE: Developmental charges on passenger tickets will be not applicable. All chargeable fares would be in multiples of five rupees. The fare hike also covered services like Rajdhani, Shatabdi and Duronto type trains. However, it exempted platform tickets from any hike. 5. Govt hikes import duty on gold, platinum to 6%: i. The government on Monday hiked the import duty on gold and platinum to 6 per cent from 4 per cent with immediate effect - a move aimed at curbing imports of the precious metals to check the widening current account deficit.

ii. Department of Economic Affairs Secretary Arvind Mayaram said that: The government will link Gold Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) with gold deposit scheme, which will enable mutual funds to unlock their physical gold and invest in gold- linked schemes offered by banks. iii. "The changes proposed to the Gold deposit scheme will make it attractive for individuals to deposit their idle gold with the banks under the Gold deposit scheme," NOTE: Gold imports in 2011-12 amounted to USD 56.5 billion and in the current financial year, till December, they are estimated at USD 38 billion. 6. Naval Offshore Patrol Vesssel INS Saryu inducted into Indian Navy: INS Saryu, Naval Offshore Patrol Vesssel (NOPV) indigenously designed in house and built by Goa Shipyard Limited was inducted today into Indian Navy by Air Marshall P K Roy, Commander in Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command at an impressive function at Goa Shipyard Limited at Vasco in Goa. NOTE: i. INS Saryu would be the largest offshore patrol vessel to be operated by the force. ii. The vessel equipped with all the sophisticated systems will carry out its responsibilities with all the challenges in the Indian waters. iii. The primary role of the ship is to undertake surveillance of the exclusive economic zones, anti-piracy patrols, fleet support operations, providing security to offshore assets and carry out escort duties for high value assets. iv. Weighing around 2,200 tonnes, the 620 crore Rupees has a complement of eight officers and 105 sailors and can carry a helicopter, which could either be a Chetak or an advanced light weight helicopter. 7. India, Bangladesh to set up Joint Inspection team for successful implementation of Border Trade: India and Bangladesh have decided to set up a Joint Inspection team for successful implementation of Border Trade along the International Boundary of Mizoram state and Bangladesh. NOTE: i. The two countries have agreed to set up a Joint Inspection team under the leadership of Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Mrs. Pankaj Saran after a recent meeting with Bangladesh Minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts Mr.Dipankar Talukdar. ii. The team will inspect the works including roads, transport of goods and services, identifying Integrated Land Custom Station and Integrated Check post along the Mizoram-Bangladesh border. 8. President inaugurates new airport terminal: i. President Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday inaugurated a brand new integrated terminal in the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata which has a capacity to handle 20 million passengers annually as compared to the present 7.46 million. ii. The state-of-the-art world class facility has been built by ITD Cementation India Limited in a joint venture with its parent Italian-Thai Development Public Co Ltd, Thailand.

iii. While underlining the economic importance of the terminal, Mukherjee praised the public sector units, including the Airport Authority of India, for doing an "exceedingly well-done" job. 9. Government to launch '181' women helpline: i. In a bid to check the increasing rate of crime against the feminine gender in the national capital, the Delhi Government will soon launch a round-the-clock helpline '181' for offering immediate help to women in distress. ii. The number '181' can be dialled from landline and mobile phones. NOTE: The helpline, which will operate from the Chief Minister's office in Delhi Secretariat, will be connected with all the 185 police stations across the city. 10. Delhi raises cap on subsidized gas cylinders from 9 to 12 for BPL families: i. The Delhi government has decided to raise the cap on subsidised cooking gas cylinders from the present 9 to 12 cylinders for BPL card holders. ii. The decision, which will benefit about five lakh households, was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief minister Ms. Shiela Dikshit held in New Delhi today. 11. MP CM announces Mukhyamantri Yuva Swarozgar Yojna. In Madhya Pradesh, the State Government will start Mukhyamantri Yuva Swarozgar Yojna. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that Under the scheme, the State Government will give bank guarantee for industries worth up to 25 lakh rupees and 5 percent loan subsidy for 5 years. 12. HAL to be lead integrator for production of combat aircraft: i. The Defence Ministry today clarified that the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd,HAL, would be the lead integrator for producing 108 multi-role combat aircraft in the country. ii. Dassault, which has bagged the IAF deal for supplying 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft, has asked the Ministry to define the role of HAL in the project. iii. Speaking at the Aero India 2013 press conference in New Delhi,Secretary (Defence Production) R K Mathur said that the role of HAL is already defined in the Request for Proposal for the MMRCA project and the main body, aero-engines, air frame and the integration shall be done by the HAL. NOTE: As per the tender, first 18 of the 126 aircraft are to be supplied by Rafale from its facilities and the rest 108 are to be license produced and integrated by the HAL at its facilities. 13. Google-GETIT Entered into Partnership to Roll Out Digital Marketing for SMEs: i. Digital marketing company GETIT Infoservices on 19 January 2013 rolled out DigiGains, a name give to platform for digital marketing, for the benefit of Small and Medium Entreprises (SMEs) in the region. ii. The motto behind entering into partnership to furnish to the strong demands for digital advertising from SMEs and market Google AdWords products and as part of it they would develop, launch and manage digital campaigns for SMEs.

iii. Getit's key role is to provide an extensive pan-India reach with its strong field force and it is supposed to be involved in complete servicing the Google adwords campaign. iv. The initiative is going to help Coimbatore, housing over 50000 SMEs, mainly in engineering, automotive components, textile machinery and pumps and motors, to reach a global level at lower cost with measurable results and personalization. NOTE: It is evident that India is emerging as the third largest internet market and its Ecommerce business likely to touch 4000 crore rupees in 2015 against present 1200 crore rupees, in that way SMEs withhold he capacity to exploit this cost-effective powerful media to enhance their business through digital marketing. 14. 58th Idea Filmfare Awards: Barfi! Bags Seven Awards: i. 58th Idea Filmfare Awards were given away on 20 January 2013 at YRF Studio, Andheri, marking 100 years of the Indian Cinema. ii. At the 58th Idea Filmfare Awards, Barfi!, the much-acclaimed film grabbed seven Black Lady awards while, Kahaani bagged five awards. The award for the Best Actor was given to Ranbir Kapoor for his deaf-mute performance in Barfi! iii. Vidya Balan, on the other hand was adjudged as the Best Actress for Kahaani. Barfi! was awarded with the Best Film award, while Kahaanis director Sujoy Ghosh won the Black Lady for the Best Director. Iv. The lifetime achievement award was given away to Yash Chopra posthumously. Yash Chopras wife Pamela collected this award on his behalf. Rest of the awards was as follows: i. Best Lyricist: Gulzar for Challa (Jab Tak Hai Jaan) ii. Best Music Director: Pritam for Barfi! iii. Best Playback (Female): Shalmali Kholgade for the song Pareshaan iv. Best Playback (Male): Ayushmann Khurrana for the song Pani da Rang v. Lifetime Achievement Award -Yash Chopra vi. Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Female): Anushka Sharma (Jab Tak Hai Jaan) vii. Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Male): Annu Kapoor (Vicky Donor) 15. Tamil writer M.S. Udayamurthy passes away: i. Noted Tamil writer and social activist M.S. Udayamurthy died on Monday following cardiac arrest. ii. Udayamurthy, 85, is survived by two sons and a daughter. iii. Author of several books on self-improvement, Udayamurthys prominent works include Ennangal (thoughts) Unnal Mudiyum Thambi (You can, brother), nee than thambi mudhal amaichar (you are the chief minister). NOTE: An environmental activist, Udayamurthy, founder of Makkal Sakthi Iyakkam (Peoples Power Movement), actively pursued projects like linking of rivers. 16. Mercedes to Launch New Formula One Car in February 2013: Mercedes decided to uncover its 2013 Formula One car for Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton on 4 February 2013 at the pre-season test start in Spain.

The new F1 car called F1W04 would be launched at Circuito de Jerez. NOTE: Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 world champion joined Mercedes from McLaren, replacing Michael Schumacher, the 7-times champion. The team of Mercedes was positioned at number 5 in constructors list of 2012. 17. Volkswagen launched its new ad Campaign, Fast Start : The automobile company, Volkswagen in the third week of January 2013 unveiled its new advertising campaign called Fast Start to restate the strength, safety standards and new features in its car, Polo and Vento. NOTE: The campaign has been designed with the motive of forwarding the brands core DNA and to meet the demands of the consumer, as well. This campaign has also been promoted in form of a Unique Promotional Campaign named LUCKY 13, a content designed for the buyers of Vento and Polo. Lucky 13 has been created to make 13 lucky for customers and change the pre designed perception. 18. India back to No. 1 spot in ODIs By defeating England by seven-wicket in Ranchi in the third ODI on Saturday and 127run win at Kochi, the world champions are No. 1 in the ODI rankings with 119 points. Their current opponents, England, are No. 2 with 118 points. NOTE: India lost the first ODI at Rajkot though, which took England to the No. 1 spot ahead of South Africa. After the Kochi defeat, England and South Africa swapped positions on the rankings table. 19. Mumbai ease into Ranji Trophy final for the 44th time: i. Mumbai on Monday showed why they are miles ahead of the other domestic outfits, making short work of Services en route their 44th appearance in the Ranji Trophy final. ii. The 39-time champions will meet Saurashtra in the final to be played in Mumbai from January 26-30. iii. Mumbai dismissed Services for 240 on the sixth day to take a huge first innings lead of 214 runs, which sealed a spot in the title round.
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9.

DAILY GK UpdatesJanuary 24

DAILY GK UPDATE: 20TH JANUARY 1. Mahakumbh attracts academics from Harvard: i. Besides the millions of pilgrims, tourists that usually flock to the Mahakumbh Mela in Allahabad, there is a new class of visitors the religious gathering has attracted this year: academics and students from Harvard University. ii. Intrigued by the sheer scale and complex dynamics of the mela, a group of top Harvard don...See More
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1. DAILY GK UPDATE: 20TH JANUARY 1. Mahakumbh attracts academics from Harvard: i. Besides the millions of pilgrims, tourists that usually flock to the Mahakumbh Mela in Allahabad, there is a new class of visitors the religious gathering has attracted this year: academics and students from Harvard University. ii. Intrigued by the sheer scale and complex dynamics of the mela, a group of top Harvard don s have

been quietly working on a big multi-disciplinary project to study its various aspects. iii. The effort, dubbed 'Mapping India's Kumbh Mela', is underpinned by the desire to figure out just how tens of millions of Indians gather peacefully in one spot to celebrate this ancient rite of religious passage. iv. A key faculty member associated with the project Diana Eck says: "There's no doubt that the mela is an incredible, even astonishing, human undertaking. Just the organizational logistics involved in managing so many people over a few months in one spot is tremendous. Our project seeks to understand this unique phenomenon better. NOTE: i. Project members examined the pop-up city being erected just as they will continue to study it when the township is deconstructed in March. ii. They will also study a whole host of logistical activities during the festival. Public health researchers will spread out in Allahabad to examine how the sanitation infrastructure holds up, and how the hundreds of medical clinics across the township will function. 2. Congress appoints Rahul Gandhi as Party VP: i. Rahul Gandhi has been appointed as vice President, of The Congress party. The decision was taken by the Congress Working Committee at its meeting in Jaipur yesterday. ii. His name was proposed by Senior Congress leader and Defence Minister A.K.Antony and the Working committee accepted it. iii. Accepting the post of Vice President in the Congress party, Rahul Gandhi told the Working Committee meeting that he was confident that the party can transform the country. NOTE: Rahul becomes the third Vice President of the Congress after Arjun Singh under Rajiv Gandhi and Jitendra Prasada under Sitaram Kesri. 3. US President Barack Obama to take oath for his second term today: i. President Barack Obama takes the oath of office for his second four-year term in a private White House ceremony today. ii. Obama will be sworn in for his second term by Chief Justice John Roberts at the White House. The present term of the US President ends at noon (local time). iii. Vice President Joe Biden will also take the oath in a sperate ceremony. 4. IAEA, Iran talks end without deal: Diplomat i. Two days of talks between the UN atomic agency and Iran have ended in Tehran, apparently without agreement, a diplomatic source said on Thursday, the last round ended in stalemate in June in Moscow.

ii. The head of the IAEA, Yukiya Amano, had last week also poured cold water on prospects for a deal, saying in Tokyo that he was "not necessarily optimistic". iii. Iran vehemently denies seeking or ever having wanted an atomic bomb and says that the IAEA's conclusions are based on forged documents -- material that it has not even been allowed to see. NOTE: Some observers suggested that Iran was waiting until after the IAEA talks to arrange a parallel meeting with six world powers -- the United States, China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany. These talks are focused more on Iran's current activities, and in particular uranium enrichment. 5. Personal appearance for FEMA related cases optional: RBI i. The Reserve Bank on Friday said Appearing for a personal hearing in FEMA cases is not mandatory, before the compounding authority is optional and the applicant can choose not to appear for it and has no bearing on the penalty imposed. ii. It also clarified if the applicant opts for appearing for the personal hearing, RBI would encourage the applicant to appear directly for it rather than being accompanied by legal experts or consultants. iii. "...appearing for or opting out of personal hearing does not have any bearing whatsoever on the amount of penalty involved in the compounding order. NOTE: The clarification came as many applicants interpret a related rule to mean that personal hearing is compulsory and that consultants or advocates must represent them in the personal hearing before the compounding authority. 6. IBM signed Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with UPES Dehradun: i. IBM, the American technology corporation in the month of January2013 signed a MoU with University of Petroleum & Energy Studies (UPES), Dehradun in order to create a unique opportunity for students and faculty to learn new skill sets on IBM soft ware products. ii. As per the MoU the partnership will focus on training UPES faculty and students on cutting edge technologies and aim to bridge the academia-industry gap by training the faculty and students on different software tools and technologies. iii. Students will be benefited with the understanding of latest developments in the field of software engineering and they can also apply their learning experience to solve realworld problems. The certifications and a hands-on experience in problem solving will make them more employable. 7. Myanmar calls for international development assistance: i. Myanmar has urged international donor nations to help in the development of the country's battered economy and in improving the living standards of its impoverished population. ii. Speaking at the first Development and Cooperation Forum in the administrative capital of Naypyitaw today, President Thein Sein told delegates that Myanmar will fulfill those goals more successfully if it received assistance from the international

community. 8. Japanese poet Toyo Shibata dies at 101: Japanese poet Toyo Shibata, who started writing at the age of 92 and whose first anthology sold almost 1.6 million copies, died on Sunday. NOTE: She kept writing poems until she was about 100. Her first anthology "Kujikenaide" (Don't Lose Heart) was originally self-published in 2009 and won praise for its sense of humour and forward-looking attitude. 9. Saurashtra make Ranji final in 75 years: i. Saurashtra on Sunday thrashed Punjab by 229 runs to enter the Ranji Trophy final for the first time in 75 years. ii. Saurashtra scored 477 in the first innings and took a vital 178-run lead over Punjab by dismissing them for 299. iii. However, the Punjab out for 119. Saurashtra took just 21 overs to clean up the eight remaining wickets on the fifth and final day this morning. NOTE: In 2006, Saurashtra had won the Ranji title by beating the Ajay Jadeja-led Rajasthan here. 10. Saina out of Malaysia open Badminton super series: India's ace shuttler Saina Nehwal today crashed out of the Malaysia Open Badminton Super Series. World number 12 Tzu Ying Tai of Chinese Taipei notched up a 22-20, 2114 win against Saina Nehwal in a 35 minute match.
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2. DAILY GK Updates January 20

DAILY GK UPDATE: 19TH JANUARY 1. U R Rao joins Satellite Hall of Fame: i. Former ISRO Chairman Prof U R Rao is joining the highly prestigious Satellite Hall of Fame in Washington. ii. The rare honour of Space Scientists was bestowed on him by the Society of Satellite Professionals International. iii. The Hall of Fame recognises the invaluable contribution of the visionaries who have transformed life

for the better on planet earth through satellite technology. NOTE: i. Over 40 illustrious Space scientists inducted into the Hall of Fame. They include Sir Arthur C Clarke, Dr James Van Allen, Dr William Pritchard, Dr Harold Rosen, Dr Fredric dAllest, Dr Takayashi Yoshida, Dr Peter Jackson and Dr Olof Lundberg. ii. The induction of Prof Rao into the Satellite Hall of Fame will take place on March 19

this year at a gala function to be held in Washington,D.C. 2. AICC Chintan Shivir ends in Jaipur: i. Two days Chintan Shivir of All India Congress committee concluded at jaipur today. ii. The AICC delegates discussed various social economic and party issues. After the two day's discussion in the evening a draft based on delebrations of group discussion will be reviewed in Congress Working Committee meeting in the evening. Congress president. iii. Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister ManMohan Singh and Party General Secretary Rahul Gandhi were present during the group discussions. NOTE:Discussion among the delegates were mainly on safety of women, direct cash subsidy and youth leadership. 3. PM, Sonia Gandhi inaugurate Ghat Ki Guni tunnel: i. Jaipur has got a safer alternative to its accident-prone connector to NH-11 with the inauguration of Ghat Ki Guni twin-tube tunnel by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in the presence of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. ii. With a combined length of 2,800 metres, the twin-tube tunnel, bored through Jhalana hills at a cost of Rs 150 crore, would help ease traffic congestion on the existing connector and systematise vehicular flow at the Eastern Gateway of the city. iii. After the inauguration of the twin-tunnel near Jawahar nagar bypass, Rajasthan Urban Development and Housing Minister Shanti Dhariwal said that that the project would prove to be a milestone. NOTE: Before this, vehicles had no option but to pass through a narrow passage at Ghat Ki Guni, leading to massive traffic jams on the accident-prone two km serpentine road which rose in a steep slope towards the National Highway 11 to Agra. 4. Special officer be appointed in each police station to deal with juveniles: SC In view of growing number of minors getting involved in various offences, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed that a special officer be appointed in every police station across the country to deal with juveniles. NOTE: A bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir also directed that the police must register FIR and conduct probe in every case of missing child and a unit of specially trained police officers be formed in each district to handle cases relating to juveniles. 5. MP CM to launch Atal Jyoti' scheme tomorrow: i. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will launch Atal Jyoti' scheme in Jabalpur district tomorrow. The scheme aims to provide 24-hour power supply to rural power consumers. ii. It also includes provision of supplying minimum 8 hours power supply in a day for agriculture sector. iii. In Jabalpur district, the scheme will directly benefit 1352 villages and over 31 thousand agricultural consumers. 6. Chinas Economy Grew 7.8 Percent In 2012: According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Chinas economy which is said to

be the second largest economy of the world grew just 7.8 percent in 2012, which is the 13-year low. In the year 2010, the economy of China increased 10.4 percent. NOTE: The figures by NBS came when Xi Jinping will soon be taking over as the new President of the country. Initially the economy was in a slow pace when the GDP grew 7.6 percent in 1999. The NBS however announced that the economy of the country was expected to grow at a stable pace in 2013. 7. UN meet to curb mercury pollution: i. At a UN meeting in Geneva, more than 140 countries have agreed on a set of legally binding measures to curb mercury pollution. ii. UN Environment Programme - UNEP - spokesman Nick Nuttall said a treaty to rid the world of a notorious health-hazardous metal was agreed today morning. iii. Ahead of the five-day meeting, the UNEP published a report warning that developing nations were facing growing health and environmental risks from increased exposure to mercury. NOTE: i. The rules, known as the Minamata Convention and named after the Japanese town that experienced the world's worst cases of mercury poisoning, will open for nations to sign at a diplomatic conference later this year. ii. Mercury can produce a range of adverse human health effects, including permanent damage to the nervous system. 8. US-China deal for continuing sanctions against N Korea: i. The United States and China have made a deal under which the UN Security Council will expand existing sanctions against North Korea for staging a ballistic missile test. ii. The deal was struck after weeks of intense negotiations involving US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi, following December 12 launch. iii. It called for a tightening of the existing sanctions and warned of new measures if North Korea staged a new rocket launch. 9. Nagaland to conduct years first round of 3 day long IPPI from tomorrow: i. With the rest of the country, Nagaland will also be conducting the years first round of three-day ong Intensified Pulse Polio Immunisation (IPPI) from tomorrow. ii. Children upto 5 years of age numbering over 2.4 Lakhs will be administered oral polio vaccine in 2462 polio booths being set up in the State. iii. A total of 9848 vaccinators and 492 supervisors and 14 district monitors will supervise and oversee the smooth conduct of the programme. 10. Roelant Oltmans appointed as the Director (High Performance) for Indian Hockey Team: i. Hockey India on 17 January announced that Roelant Oltmans, the Dutch Coach would serve the Indian Hockey Team as Director - High Performance and would look forward towards the sports in India till 2016 Rio Olympics.

ii. Oltmans would be responsible for the planning the training program as well as calendar for both the junior and the senior Players in Men and Women sections.
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3. DAILY GK Updates January 19

DAILY GK UPDATE: 18TH JANUARY 1. National Bravery Awards: 22 children selected i. 22 children including 4 girls have been selected for 2012 National Bravery Awards. ii. The coveted Bharat Award will be conferred on 17 year old Master Tarang Atulbhai Mistry of Gujarat who saved four people from drowning in the Narmada River. iii. The prestigious Geeta Chopra Award will be conferred on 18-year old Kumari Renu who was

instrumentral in exposing the perpetrators of inhuman treatment of a children's home. iv. The Sanjay Chopra Award will go to 11 and a half year old Master Gajendra Ram of Chattisgarh who saved a child from drowning in a well. v. The Awards were announced at a function held in New Delhi this afternoon. 2. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the Continuation of JNNURM The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the continuation of the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) to sanction new projects and capacity building activities till 31st March, 2014 under Urban Infrastructure and Governance (UIG) and Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) components of JNNURM. NOTE: The proposal would enable provisioning of creation of urban infrastructure, particularly in small and medium towns, in all States and UTs. These projects would be subsumed in the next phase of the JNNURM for the 12th Five Year Plan. 3. 50% cut in reserve price of CDMA spectrum The government has approved a 50 per cent reduction in the reserve price of spectrum used by CDMA mobile operators. Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said: i. "The Cabinet has approved 50 per cent reduction in CDMA spectrum (reserve) price which was fixed earlier at Rs 18,200 crore (pan India 5MHz)," ii. After 50 per cent reduction, pan-India 5MHz of 800 MHz spectrum (CDMA radiowaves) will now cost Rs 9,100 crore. iii. The Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, considered the recommendation of the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) which suggested a 50 per cent cut in the reserve price of 800 MHz band. 4. Govt imposes 2.5 per cent import duty on crude edible oil:

i. The government imposed 2.5 per cent import duty on crude edible oil to protect domestic farmers, but duties unchanged on refined cooking oil feared a hike in retail prices. ii. The decision was taken at the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA). At present, crude edible oil attracts no import duty but there is 7.5 per cent duty on refined edible oil. NOTE: In 2011-12 oil years (November-October), the total import of vegetables oils (edible and non-edible oil) was an all-time high of 10.19 million tonnes. In the first two months of the current oil year, imports are up by 5 per cent. 5. London-Based Indian Researcher Selected For Award for Alzheimer's Drug Mahaveer Golechha, the London-based Indian researcher was selected to be felicitated for an award that includes his work on a drug that can be a potential cure of Alzheimer's disease. Golechha, 27 would travel to San Francisco for receiving this Young Investigator Scholarship Award which will be awarded by the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation at its 7th Annual Drug Discovery for Neurodegeneration Conference in February 2013. Mahaveer Golechhas research on the drug: In the study conducted by Golechha, he found discovered that naringin has essential anti-Alzheimer activity. This in turn could be essential for further research for developing cure of the disease. Alzheimer's disease is primarily the neurodegenerative disorder which affects mostly the elderly. 6. First North East International Tourism Mart begins in Guwahati: i. The first ever North East International Tourism Mart begins at Sarusajai stadium in Guwahati today. ii. Tourism ministers, tour operators, hoteliers from across the globe are participating in the mega extravaganza. iii. The international tourism mart is showing North-Easts tourism products and their prospective before a global audience. Delegates from the US, Australia, Italy, Swizerland and ASEAN countires, among others are taking parts in the fair. NOTE: The 10th annual convention of the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India will also be held at the same venue after the end of International tourism mart. 7. Chinese Author Zhao Jiang to launch her First Book in Tamil, Chinas Travel Attractions: i. Zhao Jiang the Director of the Government-run China Radio Internationals (CRI) Tamil station has written a book in Tamil titled Chinas Travel Attractions. The book will carry her Tamil name Kalaimakal. ii. This is her first book in Tamil and would make a debut in the Chennai Book fair that is going on in YMCA College Ground in Nandanam and will continue till 23 January 2013.

iii. The book named Chinas Travel Attraction is a compilation of the history and culture of the Beijing, Sanghai and Tibet and can be considered as an introduction these. The book also carries the story of changes seen by the Chinese Capital in recent past to its turning up as a city of subways. About Zhao Jiang: i. She has served as a broadcaster in China Radio Internationals for 13 years ii. She completed her undergraduate degree in Tamil from Communications University of China the only school in Beijing that teaches Tamil. 8. Union Cabinet of India Approved Presidents Rule in Jharkhand i. The central government of India recommended to the President Pranab Mukherjee, to impose Presidents rule in the state. ii. The former Chief Minister of Jharkhand, Arjun Munda resigned from the office after his government was concentrated to minority after the withdrawal of support of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). iii. In the meeting, the Union Cabinet of India discussed Jharkhand Governor Syed Ahmeds report for imposition of President's rule and eventually referred this matter to President for taking the necessary action. NOTE: I. Jharkhand was created as a state in 2000 and since then, it has been kept under the Presidents Rule two times. ii. 1st Presidents Rule: imposed on 19 January 2009 because of loss of majority following the resignation of CM Shibu Soren iii. 2nd Presidents Rule: imposed on 1 June 2010, because of loss of majority following the resignation of CM Shibu Soren iv. Presidents Rule is imposed in case of failure of constitutional machinery in States under Article 356. 9. Saina sails into Malaysian Open semis: i. Saina Nehwal defeated Japanese Nozomi Okuhara by 21-11, 14-21 2-0 in a 43-minute contest of the Malaysian Super Series in the women's singles competition here on Friday. ii. She will next take on the winner between two-time All England champion Tine Baun and sixth seed Tzu Ying Tai of Chinese Taipei tomorrow. 10. Cycling champ Armstrong confesses to using drugs: i. Lance Armstrong has finally confessed to using performance enhancing drugs during his cycling career. ii. He also admitted that he cheated to win all seven of his Tour de France titles. iii. Armstrong revealed his secrets in an interview with US talk show host Oprah Winfrey. Yesterday, hours before the interview went to air, the International Olympic Committee stripped him of the bronze medal he won at the 2000 Games. iv. A cancer survivor who inspired millions with what had seemed like a fairytale career, Armstrong said he did not believe he could have achieved what he did without breaking

the rules due to the culture of drugs in cycling. NOTE: i. Armstrong's admission came just months after the U.S.Anti-Doping Agency released a detailed report describing him as the ringmaster of the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen. ii. Armstrong has already been banned for life, stripped of his all race wins and dumped by his sponsors. 11. Ranchi ready to host first ever cricket match: India vs England 2012-13 i. Jharkhand's capital is set to host its first international cricket match when India take on England in a One-Day International (ODI) in the newly built 39,000-capacity JSCA International Stadium here Saturday. ii. The stadium, located in the outskirts of the city in Dhurwa, is around 10 minutes away from the Birsa Munda Airport. iii. The ground does not have fences which gives every spectator an unrestricted view. There are two major pavilions with five viewing levels. There are two grass hill tops too located on the east and western stand.
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4. DAILY GK Updates January 18

DAILY GK UPDATE: 17TH JANUARY 1. India to see 6.1 % economic growth this year: UN i. Indian economy is projected to grow at a slower pace of 6.1 per cent this year even as exports and capital investments are likely to be much better than in 2012, according to the United Nations. ii. The UN has trimmed its growth forecast from 7.2 per cent estimated in June 2012. iii. "GDP growth in India will accelerate to 6.1 per cent in 2013 and 6.5 per cent in 2014 as

a result of stronger growth of exports and capital investment.. iv. However, the forecast of 6.1 per cent growth for this year is much better than 5.5 per cent expansion seen in 2012, as per the UN 'World Economic Situation and Prospects 2013' report. NOTE: i. Indian economy accounts for almost three-quarter of South Asia's overall GDP. ii. Economic growth in South Asia fell to its lowest in 10 years in 2012. iii. UN ESCAP's (Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific) Chief Economist Nagesh Kumar today said that India has huge growth potential in the long term. India and China are playing a major role in the growth of world economy. 2. Govt raises cap on supply of subsidised LPG cylinders to 9: i. The government on Thursday raised the cap on supply of subsidised LPG cylinders to nine bottles from six per year and allowed oil companies to hike diesel prices by a "small quantum" periodically.

ii. There will be no change in LPG and kerosene rates, Oil Minister M Veerappa Moily said on Thursday after the meeting on Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA). NOTE: Consumers will get a quota of five subsidised cylinders between September 2012 and March 2013 and from 1st April, 2013, they will be entitled to nine cylinders per annum. 3. World Bank slashed the Global Growth Forecast to 2.4 Percent: i. The World Bank on 15 January 2013 projected that the world economy would expand 2.4 percent in 2013, little higher than the 2.3 percent achieved in 2012. ii. In June 2012, the Bank forecasted the growth up to 3 percent, but due to the slow growth rate, high unemployment rate and less confidence in businesses across the developing nations it managed to revise the forecast earlier made. NOTE: The report from the lead author of the Banks Global Economic Prospects Andrew Burns describes that the predicted recoveries of the bank in 2012 would be carried forward towards the end of the first quarter and second quarter of 2013. 4. China appointed Wei Wei, a Career Diplomat as Ambasador to India: Wei Wei would be the successor of Zhang Yan in India Chinese President Hu Jintao on 16 January 2013 appointed the career diplomat and its current envoy to Singapore Wei Wei as its new Ambassador to India. He has served as a diplomat of China in countries like, Ethopia, Brunei, Zimbabwe and Kenya. 5. India and Bangladesh Decided Increasing Rail Link Projects: i. India and Bangladesh decided in the third week of January 2013, to speed up its rail link projects in order to increase the contact among the people of two neighbouring nations. ii. Railway delegations from India and Bangladesh discussed about the operational, technical as well as financial matters as well. iii. Delegations from India and Bangladesh also agreed in the meanwhile to increase frequency of the Maitree Express as well as introduction of the system of return tickets. NOTE: As of now, there are four ongoing rail link projects and these are Chilahati (Bangladesh)-Haldibari (India), Birol (Bangladesh)-Radhikapur (India), Akhaura (Bangladesh)-Agartala (India) and Shahbazpur (Bangladesh)- Mahishashan (India). 6. The Union Cabinet Sanctioned Appointment of 2000 Judges for the Fast-Track Courts: i. The Union Cabinet, in its letter sent on 9 January 2013, to the high courts as well as the state governments asked them to enhance strength of the subordinate judiciary from 18000 at present to 20000. ii. The Law Ministry approved 80 crore Rupees for recruiting these 2000 additional judges in the country for the fast track courts. NOTE: i. This happened in light of the gang rape of the 23-year-old Para-medical student on 16 December 2012, after which lawyers, officials as well as jurists discussed how long trials put the victims at a disadvantage.

ii. Inspite of all such efforts, there are over 3.20 crore cases pending in the various courts of the country. Out of these, a total of 2.76 crore cases were pending in the subordinate courts and 44 lakh were pending in the high courts, as per the Law Ministry. 7. Patiala House Became First District Court to Use Complete E-Stamping Facility: i. Patiala House court complex in New Delhi on 16 January 2013 completely switched over to the e-stamping facility. Patiala House court complex is one of the six district courts in New Delhi. ii. E-stamping arrangement in Patiala House court complex was inaugurated by the district judge of Patiala House court, I S Mehta. iii. With the complete e-stamping facility at the Patiala House, it became the first ever district court to make use of this facility completely, while doing away with the stamp papers. iv. This action will help in making sure hassle-free transactions as well as keeping fraudulent practices under check. NOTE: E-stamping was first introduced in April 2008 and is now also accessible in all the denominations. The city government, on an average collects 200 crore Rupees revenue in a month through this facility. 8. Parl panel recommends 5 kg of foodgrain entitlement per person: i. A Parliamentary panel has recommended five kilograms of foodgrain entitlement per person, a month under the National Food Security Bill awaiting passage in Parliament. ii. The Standing Committee on Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution in its report submitted to the Lok Sabha Speaker today, has agreed to the proposed coverage of 75 per cent of the population in rural and 50 per cent in urban areas. iii. Committee Chairman, Vilas Muttemwar said, the rice will be available at three rupees a kilogramme, wheat two rupees and millets one rupee. NOTE: The total quantity of foodgrains required to be distributed will be about 568 lakh tonnes, a year. He said the committee did not favour cash transfer in lieu of foodgrain entitlements before banking infrastructure and accessibility facilities are in place in all parts of the country. 9. Special Mobile Court awarded One Year Sentence on Corruption Charges in MGNREGS: i. A Special Court constituted for trial of the corruption cases in implementation of the MGNREGS (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) on 16 January 2013 awarded one year sentence along with 40000 rupees as penalty to the assistants of the field. ii. This was first ever event in India where judgment related to the corruption charges in MGNREGS was delivered by a Special Court. iii. The sentence awarded also carries a term that failure in payment of the penalty imposed would lead the accused to jail for another eight months. NOTE: The State Government of Andhra Pradesh in January 2012 constituted a Special

Mobile Court for carrying on the trials of the cases of the MGNREGS in Karimnagar and Medak districts of the state. The Case: The public prosecutor of the mobile court G. Venkata Ramulu filed a case against a field assistant B. Praveen Goud, in Karnalpally village of Chegunta mandal for misuse of the funds. Based on the complaints the Judge of the special court, K. Venkateswara Rao delivered his judgment after Praveens involvement in the corruption charges was proved. 10. Union Cabinet recommends Presidents Rule in Jharkhand: i. The government on Thursday decided to recommend to President Pranab Mukherjee to impose central rule in Jharkhand, where Chief Minister Arjun Munda has resigned after his government was reduced to a minority. ii. The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, discussed the report of Jharkhand Governor Syed Ahmed who has favoured imposition of Presidents rule while keeping the 82-member state Assembly in suspended animation. iii. The Chief Minister had sought dissolution of the Assembly after ally Jharkhand Mukti Morcha withdrew support to his government. NOTE: Jharkhand, which was created in 2000, has been placed under Presidents rule twice. 11. MTNL launches video telephony in Delhi & Mumbai: i. Government Telecom Service Provider MTNL today launched its video telephony service in Delhi and Mumbai, the first by any service provider in these two cities. ii. Inaugurating the service in New Delhi, Communications Minister Kapil Sibal said that this service will change the way people communicate with each other without travelling and will improve their quality of life in many ways. iii. The Minister said that the service is ideal for communication and applications like tele-medicine, tele-education and e-governance adding that the service would save time, cost and will improve productivity. NOTE: Using this service, calls can be made within India on MTNL/BSNL HD-Voice and video telephony network and the video call charges would be Rs. 2.50 per minute. 12. Maharatna status for BHEL: The Committee of Secretaries led by Cabinet Secretary has cleared the proposal to grant Maharatna status to Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited. Addressing a gathering of BHEL employees in Tiruchirapalli, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Praful Patel said this.He urged BHEL to tap all opportunities including new business sectors like solar energy. NOTE: i. BHEL had a long and glorious tradition of contribution to the development of the nation and it is one of the finest companies in the world. ii. The 49,000-strong technical and committed workforce of BHEL hailing from all parts of the country, was one of the biggest assets of the country.

13. Saina rises to 2nd, Kashyap in top-10 of BWF rankings i. Olympic bronze-medallist Saina Nehwal attained a new high as she climbed to a career-best second in the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings released on Thursday. ii. Saina gained a rung to be second with 80091.7444 points. iii. The Indian, who is currently competing in the Malaysia Open Super Series, is a distant second to top-placed Olympic champion Li Xuerui of China who has 94626.7153 points. iv. In the men's list, Olympic quarter-finalist Parupalli Kashyap also headed northwards as he reached a career-high 10th. v. Kashyap, who was 11th in the previous rankings, has 51986.6900 points and is the only Indian in the top-25 of the BWF list. 14. Golf: First major Tournament of year-Abu Dhabi Ch'ship begins; i. The first major Golf major tournament of the year begins in Abu Dhabi today. ii. World Number One and two, Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods will be among the top players to fight it out for the $2.7million prize purse at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championships.. iii. The tournament also features four times Champion Martin Kaymer, last years winner Robert Rock, Justin Ross, Paul Casey, Jason Dufner among others. Indian challenge in the tournament is led by Jeev Milkha Singh.
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5. DAILY GK Updates January 16

DAILY GK UPDATE: 16TH JANUARY 1. Kamal Nath Elected As the Leader of Indian Delegation for World Economic Forum 2013: i. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh elected Kamal Nath, the Union Minister for Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs, as a leader of Indian delegation for annual meetings for World Economic Forum which will be held in Davos from 23 to 27 January 2013. ii. There will be other three members in the delegation and these involve Power Minister

Jyotiraditya Scindia, Heavy Industry Minister Praful Patel and Commerce & Industry Minister Anand Sharma. NOTE: i. Kamal Nath being chosen as the leader of the delegation surprised the government because this is the first time when someone not from the ministries of finance or commerce is leading the delegation. ii. Back in 2006 as well, when the economy was at its boom, Kamal Nath launched India Everywhere campaign, depicting India as a lucrative destination for the investment purpose and for placing it in the top most table at the global level.

2. RBI governor to launch financial inclusion programme in UP district today: RBI Governor D Subbarao will today kickstart Financial Inclusion programme at Lalpur Karauta village in Barabanki district of Uttar Pradesh. The RBI Governor yesterday met Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow. The RBI Governor assured him that 3,000 new bank branches will be opened in rural areas of Uttar Pradesh by the end of 2014. 3. Sensex Crossed Crucial 20000 Mark after Two Years: The Bombay Stock Exchange Sensex for second time in a row on 15 January 2013 touched 2-years high. The shares remained supported inspite of governments delayed implementation of the controversial rules related to tax avoidance. NOTE: However, till the time the RBI reviews the policy on 29 January 2013, analysts are expecting that the earnings would remain crucial catalysts for the Indian shares, as the investors would look for the signs of profit improvement in 2013. Analysts predicted that in the fiscal year 2013-14, the Sensex EPS would grow by 13-14 percent. 4. Mahindra Satyam Tied up with Japanese Firm TechMatrix for Healthcare Services: i. Mahindra Satyam on 15 January 2013 signed an agreement with the Japanese firm TechMatrix Corporation digging at business opportunities in the healthcare market in the Association of South-East Asian Nations region. ii. As per the pact Hyderabad Based firm Mahindra Satyam would also look at selling cloud-based healthcare solutions. iii. Mahindra Satyam is going to host the cloud and mobile-based services in Singapore and Malaysia, while providing direct sales and IT services to clients throughout throughout ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) region. iv. Moreover, ICHIGO LLC, the subsidiary arm of TechMatrix is suppose to provide its Teleradiology network infrastructure product line and NOBORI, its cloud service for medical and healthcare information. NOTE: The major purpose of tie up between the two companies is to focus on delivering state-of-the-art healthcare solutions to public and private hospitals and image scanning centres, which is directly aimed at reducing healthcare costs while improving the quality of services. 5. Haryana retains U-20 National Womens Hockey title: Haryana beat Uttar Pradesh by 1-0 at the finals. Haryana retained the Under-20 National Womens Hockey title by defeating Uttar Pradesh at finals held at Gachibowli stadium in Hyderabad. Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan gave away the trophy to Haryana at a ceremonial valedictory programme this evening. 6. Recruitment scam: Chautala convicted, sent to judicial custody: i. Former Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, his MLA-son Ajay Chautala and 54 others were on Wednesday convicted by a Delhi court for the illegal recruitment of over 3000 junior basic trained (JBT) teachers in the state. ii. The court has fixed January 22 for pronouncing the quantum of sentence, all the

convicts were taken into judicial custody. iii. Apart from the Chautalas, Sanjiv Kumar, the then Director of Primary Education, Chautala's former Officer on Special Duty Vidya Dhar and Sher Singh Badshami, political advisor to the then Haryana CM were convicted by the court in the case. iv. The court had framed charges against them under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery), 468 (forgery for cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) of the IPC and and provisions of the PCA. 7. Somdev out of Singles & Sania out of Womens doubles in Australian Open: i. India's Somdev Devvarman crashed out of the Men's Singles section. Jerzy Janowicz of Poland edged past Somdev, in a five set game, 6-7, 3-6, 6-1, 6-0, 7-5 in the second round. ii. In the Women's Doubles, the Indo-American duo of Sania Mirza and Bethanie Mattek-Sands bowed out, after losing to the Spanish pair of Silvia Soler-Espinosa and Carla Suarez Navarro, 6-7, 3-6 in the first round. NOTE: The Indo-Canadian pair of Mahesh Bhupathi and Daniel Nestor and the IndoAmerican duo of Rohan Bopanna and Rajeev Ram have advanced into the Men's Doubles second round of the Australian Open Tennis tournament at Melbourne. 8. S.Africa retains top spot as world number one team in latest ICC rankings: i. South Africa retains its position as World number one team in the latest ICC Test cricket rankings followed by England and Australia. ii. India continues to remain at the fifth spot after Pakistan. iii. Australias star batsman Michael Clarke maintains his top billing among the test batsmen. iv. He is closely followed by Protean Hashim Amla who replaces the Caribbean Shivnarain Chanderpaul at the second position. v. South African paceman Dale Steyn leads the pack of bowlers followed by fellow paceman Vernan Philander. vi . Indias Pragyan Ojha is the lone Indian to figure in top ten. He is placed ninth among the test bowlers. Jacques Kallis remains as the number one test All rounder with his versatile performance. The latest ICC teat rankings were released in Dubai yesterday.
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6. DAILY GK Updates January 15

DAILY GK UPDATE: 15TH JANUARY 1. Pakistan SC orders arrest of PM Raja Pervez Ashraf: SC ordering the arrest of PM Raja Pervez Ashraf for allegedly receiving bribes in power projects

The Supreme Court's order to arrest Prime Minister comes in a case the court has been hearing for over a year. i. 62-year-old Ashraf, who became Prime Minister after the exit of Yousuf Raza Gilani in June last year, has been accused of receiving kickbacks and commission in the Rental Power

Projects (RPPs) case as federal minister for water and power. Mr Ashraf has denied accepting bribes for approving power generation projects when he was minister for water and power in 2010. ii. It is not clear as to what will be the political fallout of the Supreme Court's order against Ashraf as this is probably the first case of an incumbent Prime Minister being ordered to be arrested in a corruption case. It remains to be seen whether the ruling PPP will elect a new leader to replace Ashraf. iii. The prime minister's adviser, Fawad Chaudhry, condemned the order, labelling it unconstitutional . Mr. Ashraf is set to lead the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) into general elections due in May. 2. India-Vietnam sign MoUs for co-operation in MSMEs: i. India and Vietnam today signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of micro,small and medium enterprises. ii. The MOU was signed by Minister of Planning and Investment of Vietnam MR. Dao Quang Thu and Ambassador of India in Vietnam Mr. Ranjit Rae at Hanoi. iii. The MOU will focus on building capacity for developing policy and institutional frame work through exchange of experts for the development of medium,micro and small enterprises. iv. According to MOU India will conduct survey and feasibility studies to identify thrust areas and opportunities for development of these enterprises in Vietnam. v. Both the countries will organize trade fairs and exchange of business missions to promote partnership projects.India will provide managerial and technical skill training also to Vietnam for better marketing of products. 3. Renowned sculptor Jasuben Shilpi passes away: i. Renowned sculptor Jasuben Shilpi, popularly known as The Bronze woman of India, passed away in Gujarat, last night following cardiac arrest. ii. Winner of many national and international awards, 64-year-old Ms. Shilpi was recognized by Indian as well as international community as a bronze sculpture artist. iii. Apart from statues of Mahatma Gandhi, Rani Laxmibai and Sardar Vallabbhai Patel in Gujarat, bronze sculptures made by her are installed in the states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Uttaranchal and Rajasthan, iv. Her works like bronze standing figures of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr are installed in Florida University, Jacksonville, Chicago and City of Charlotte, North Carolina, . NOTE: i. Ms. Jasu Shilpi made it to the Limca Book of Record in 2005 for her statue of Rani Laxmibai riding on a horse. ii. She had made more than 225 large size statues and 525 bust size statues in bronze. 4. AIFF lifts two-year ban on Mohun Bagan: In a massive reprieve for Mohun Bagan, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) on Tuesday revoked the two-year ban on the club while imposing a fine of Rs. 2 crore for

abandoning its I-League derby against East Bengal midway in December 2012. The decision was taken during the AIFFs executive committee meeting, chaired by President Praful Patel. Patel said that : i. The executive committee, after due deliberation, Mohun Bagan will be continue to play in the current season, but they will lose all the 12 points they have earned so far in the league. They will start with zero points and will have to pay Rs. 2 crore as compensation, ii. We have also asked them to provide an undertaking that they will never again breach the rules or get involved in an act of indiscipline, iii. Among other decisions related to the contentious issue, no official from Mohun Bagan will be allowed to represent the club in AIFF or I-League meetings in the current calendar year. NOTE: The I-Leagues core committee had earlier banned Mohun Bagan from the ILeague for two years for breaching of rules. 5. Halimah Yacob Became First Woman Speaker of the Singapore Parliament i. Halimah Yacob (58) became the first woman and the 9th Speaker of the Singapore Parliament on 14 January 2013. ii. She replaced Michael Palmer, the former People's Action Party MP. Palmer got down from the post of Speaker of the Parliament and as an MP on 12 December 2012. Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong nominated her for the designation of speaker. iii. Halimah Yacob came down from her post of Minister of State (Social and Family Development) and was elected as the Speaker by Members of Parliament. iv. In her role, she is expected to play an independent role during all the parliamentary debates, but she stressed the fact that she would remain ahead for the Singaporeans' concerns and would also share the views on various policies. About Halimah Yacob: i. Halimah Yacob, 58, is an Indian-origin woman born in Singapore. ii. She belongs to the People's Action Party. iii. She has remained the Minister of State, Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports from 21 May 2011 to 31 October 2012. iv. She has also held office as the Minister of State, Ministry of Social and Family Development from 1 November 2012 to 13 January 2013. 6. India Affected By the Cyber Spying Campaign Called Red October: Kaspersky Lab, the Russian cyber security firm on 14 January 2013 revealed that India is one among various nations which are hit by the cyber spying which has been targeting governmental, diplomatic and scientific research organisations for around 5 years. The cyber spying campaign is termed Red October or Rocra by the Kaspersky Lab. ii. Rocra significantly affected countries like Kazakhstan, Russia, India, Belgium and Azerbaijan apart from other countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Soviet republics. iii. Rocra infected hundreds of the computers across the world in categories such as research institutions, government, diplomatic/embassies, nuclear/energy research, trade and commerce, aerospace and military as well as oil and gas companies.

About Red October: i. Rocra is the short name given to Red October. Apart from attacking the established computer workstations, Rocra can also steal the data from various smartphones, catch the files from the removable disk drives as well as abandon the network equipment configurations. ii. Rocra can also scan through the local network FTP servers as well as email databases. iii. The attacks of Rocra are very carefully chosen. The configuration of the hardware as well as software of the victims device is what drive every operation. Apart from the software and the hardware, every habit of document use and the native language also drive the operation. 7. Haryana bags Krishi Karman Award for highest wheat production: i. Haryana State has bagged the Krishi Karman Award for Best Performing State in Wheat Category for the year 2011-12. ii. It is for the consecutive second year that Haryana has been chosen for this Award. iii. Haryana Chief Minister, Mr. Bhupinder Singh Hooda received the Krishi Karman Award for the State from the President of India, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, at an Award Ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on Tuesday. NOTE: The award consists of Rs one crore in cash, a trophy and citation. Haryana has been given this award for highest wheat production of 130.69 lakh tonnes with productivity of 5182 Kg. per hectare during 2011-12. Two farmers of Haryana have also been given award of one lakh rupees each along with citation for highest production of wheat per hectare. 8. Punjabs First Shariat Panchayat to be inaugurated in March 2013: i. The first Shariat panchayat of Punjab scheduled to be inaugurated on 3 March 2013 will be first of its kind in the state. ii. This will allow the Muslim community to deal with the cases. iii. The first Shariat panchayat of the state would be inaugurated in Malerkotla, which is the Muslim town in Sangrur district. NOTE: i. The panchayat would deal with three main types of the disputes and these are inheritance, marriage and divorce. ii. The Punjab Wakf Board chairman Mohd. Izhar Alam explained that the panchayat would ensure speedy and inexpensive settlement of these kinds of disputes in the Muslim community in Punjab. iii. In case the litigants were unsatisfied with verdict of the panchayat, they would be free to move to civil court. iv. Shariat panchayats were already opened in states like Karnataka, Orissa, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh. 9. Kamal Sharma appointed as Punjab BJP president: In Punjab, Kamal Sharma, the Political Adviser to the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has been appointed the president of the Punjab unit of Bhartiya Janata Party. He has taken over from the incumbent president Ashwani Sharma who completed his three year term. Thirteen office bearers have also been appointed by the party.

10. India records 57 percent drop in fresh HIV cases Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said India has recorded a 57 percent drop in fresh HIV cases and the govt is making all efforts to sensitize people especially the youth of the country. Asserting that creating awareness is not an easy task, the Minister said, the Red Ribbon Express train, which concluded its third phase yesterday reached one crore 14 lakh people with an awareness message on HIV and AIDS and on other health issues. 11. India levels series with emphatic win: Man of the Match : Ravindra Jadeja India finally found their winning touch as they relied on a brilliant all-round display to thrash England by 127 runs in the second cricket one-dayer in Kochi today. India posted a competitive 285, riding on captain Mahendra Singh Dhonis 72 and Ravindra Jadejas 61, before the bowlers bundled out the visitors for a paltry 158 in just 36 overs to level the five-match series 1-1. The two teams will now travel to Ranchi for the third ODI to be played on January 19. 12. Badminton: Malaysia Open Super Series begins in Kuala Lumpur today i. The Malaysia Open Super Series Badminton tournament kicks off in Kuala Lumpur today. All the qualification matches will be played today, while the main draw will begin tomorrow. ii. Indias shuttle queen and London Olympics Bronze medalist Saina Nehwal has been given a top billing in the Womens Singles section. iii. Saina will play her opening match against Juan Gu of Singapore tomorrow. iv. London Olympics quarterfinalist P. Kashyap, Ajay Jayaram and teenage sensation PV Sindhu are among the other Indian shuttlers, who are participating in the 6-day tournament.
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7. DAILY GK Updates January 15

DAILY GK UPDATE: 14TH JANUARY 1. India-Pak flag meeting fails to ease border tension: Brigade-level meeting lasts only 15 minutes India conveys outrage over the killing of two soldiers, no discussion on restoration of cross-LOC trade and travel. i. The Brigade-level flag meeting between Indian and Pakistani authorities at Chakan Da Bagh near the Line of Control in Poonch on Monday afternoon ended without any breakthrough.

ii. Official sources revealed the meeting on the Zero Line between Commander of the 10th Brigade, Brig. T.S. Sandhu and his Pakistani counterpart, lasted just 15 minutes. The two were joined by over a dozen of the field commanders from the two sides. iii. Brig. Sandhu made it clear to the other side that India reserved the right to

retaliate until there was publicly an apology besides returning of the severed head of Lance Naik Hemraj and the weapons looted from the two slain soldiers. iv. He also demanded an assurance that there would be no repeat of such an unprecedented and unprofessional heinous act. v. He also made it clear that the Indian Army would respond to such a violation of the November 2003 ceasefire with appropriate and quick response. vi. It was not immediately clear as to what was the response from the Paksitan side. 2. Govt. postpones GAAR implementation by 2 years to 2016: Giving a big relief to overseas investors, the government has postponed implementation of controversial GAAR provisions by two years to April 1, 2016. Finance Minister P Chidambaram said in New Delhi on Monday that: "Having considered all the circumstances and relevant factors, the government has ...decided that provisions of Chapter 10A of the Income Tax Act (dealing with GAAR) will come into force from April 1, 2016 as against April 1, 2014," NOTE: i. The proposal, however, generated controversy, with investors expressing apprehensions that it would result in unnecessary harassment by tax authorities. ii. The General Anti Avoidance Rules (GAAR) provisions, introduced by the then Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Budget 2012-13, were aimed at checking tax avoidance by overseas investors. iii. Shome Committee which was set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in July last year to look into investor concerns. 3. Vice President leaves for 4-day visit to Vietnam: i. Vice President Mohd. Hamid Ansari has left on a four-day visit to Vietnam today. ii. His visit marks the 40th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic ties and 5th anniversary of strategic partnership between the two countries. iii. The objective of the visit is to give further impetus to ties between the two countries and is expected to sign some strategic, trade and other bilateral agreements. iv. The two countries are also working on increasing cooperation in fields of defence and security.India has been providing training to Vietnamese forces. v. India considers Vietnam as an important part of its Look East Policy. 4. International Paralympic Committee Decided to Launch International GP Circuit for Disabled: This international grand prix circuit is scheduled to be launched in April 2013 i. International Paralympic Committee (IPC) decided to launch the international grand prix circuit especially for the elite athletes who are disabled. ii. The version of IPC of the strong Diamond League shall comprise of eight meetings in all, at various venues across the world. Two of these venues which also include the final one shall be held in Britain. 5. World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT-12) Held in Dubai: International telecommunication Union (ITU) summoned the World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates which was held from 3 to14 December 2012. i. In the landmark conference, it was decided that the current International Telecommunications Regulations (ITRs) shall be reviewed.

ii. The delegates from the length and breadth of the world agreed to a fresh international treaty called New Global Telecoms Treaty, which will welcome the power of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to everyone in the world. iii. More than 2000 delegates from across the world were registered for this conference. The main points of the treaty were as follows: i. The treaty basically embarks general principles for making sure that there is free flow of the information across the world. ii. There was special emphasis on the future efforts for helping the developing countries, on promotion of accessibility to the disabled as well as on emphasising the right to freedom of expression of people over all the ICT networks. About WCIT-12: i. WCIT-12 was among the most open treaty-making conferences of the world which had live as well as archived webcasting. There was English-language captioning of the meetings of substantive working committee (Committee 5 Review) as well as the conference Plenary sessions. ii. There were in all, 1275 proposals to this conference from the member States. WCIT12 included around 1600 delegates onsite from 151 Member States. This also included around 70 Ministers, Ambassadors and Deputy Ministers. 6. Sri Lankan President Kicked Out First Woman Chief Justice of the Country over Graft: i. Mahinda Rajapaksa, the President of Sri Lanka, on 13 January 2013 kicked out the first woman chief justice of the country, Shirani Bandarnayake after endorsing her impeachment by the Parliament that caught her guilty on the corruption charges. ii. It is worth noticing that Bandarnayake was fired despite widespread protests by the lawyers as well as others. iii. Bandarnayake, 54, was given the notice in which the President ordered her to move down from the post. iv. Impeaching Bandarnayake was initially declared unconstitutional by the courts. v. The parliamentary committee had declared on 8 December 2012, that Bandarnayake was guilty of 3 charges out of 14. vi. The three charges in which she was held guilty were those of financial impropriety which were based on non-declaration of the assets. 7. New Shatabadi Train flagged off between Chandigarh and New Delhi: i. Railway Minister, Pawan Kumar Bansal today flagged off a new Shatabadi Train between Chandigarh and New Delhi from Chandigarh railway station. ii. This train will leave Chandigarh at 11.40 in the forenoon and reach at new Delhi at 3.00 p.m. in the afternoon. iii. In its return journey train will leave New Delhi at 7.15 p.m. and will reach at Chandigarh at 10.35p.m. NOTE: It is first Shatabadi from which will originate from Chandigah while two other shatabadi trains are running between Kalka and New Delhi via Chandigarh. New train will run from Monday to Saturday and it will not run on Sunday. 8. Argo Won Best Picture and Best Director Awards : Golden Globe Awards 2013 In the prestigious Golden Globe Awards 2013, the hostage-crisis movie Argo thrashed Lincoln to bag best picture as well as best director awards on 13 January 2013.

NOTE: The award-winning movie Argo is actually inspired by 1979 crisis US diplomats in Iran. In the category of Best Drama, other nominees were Django Unchained, Zero Dark Thirty as well as Life of Pi. 9. Aus Open: Somdev makes a winning start: i. Somdev Devvarman, started his Australian Open campaign in style as he cruised past Germany's Bjorn Phau in the opening round of the men's singles event, in Melbourne. ii. Somdev, whose ranking has plummeted to 551, defeated Phau, who is ranked 78, 63 6-2 6-3 in close to a two-hour match in Melbourne. iii. The 27-year-old Indian will next take on the winner of another first round match between Simone Bolelli of Italy and Polish Jerzy Janowicz. 10. Rusi Framroze Surti, Former Test Cricketer Died At 76: Rusi Framroze Surti, the former all-rounder of India from Surat died on 13 January 2013 in Mumbai. Surti was often also called poor man's Garry Sobers and played 26 Test matches for India from the time period of 1960 to 1969. He played for Rajasthan as well as Gujarat in Ranji Trophy. 11. Second India- England ODI at Kochi tomorrow: The second One Day International Cricket match between India and England will be played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Tuesday. The visitors are leading the five-match series One-Nil, by winning the first encounter played at Rajkot by nine runs.
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8. DAILY GK Updates January 15

DAILY GK UPDATE: 13TH JANUARY 1. Maha Kumbh begins at Allahabad ! 1.1 crore pilgrims may take dip on the occasion of Makar Sankranti... i.The world's largest religious gathering, the Maha Kumbh, began at Allahabad on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. ii. The inaugural day of the two-month-long congregation, often described as the "greatest show on earth", was marked by the first "Shahi Snan" of 13 "akharas" wherein Naga Sadhus - a martial

order of ascetics who move about either naked or scantily clad with matted hair and ash smeared bodies - marched to Sangam in processions with their leaders perched atop ornately decorated elephants, horses and chariots and musical bands in attendance in a unique blend of austerity and opulence. iii. Devotees from across the country had started pouring in since on Sunday evening and the influx continues despite cold weather and elaborate security arrangements on account of which bathers are being made to park their vehicles several kilometres away from the holy confluence and reach the Sangam on foot.

iv. More than one crore people are expected to take a holy dip at the Sangam, confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. NOTE: The Mela, which is held every 12 years, will conclude on Maha Shivaratri that is on the 10th of March. 2. India and Pakistan to hold Brigade-Commander level flag meeting in Poonch sector on Monday: i. In a bid to de-escalate tension along the Line of Control (LoC), India and Pakistan will hold a Brigade Commander-level flag meeting in Poonch sector on Monday during which the recent intrusions and the brutal killing of two jawans by Pakistani soldiers will figure. ii. Defence Spokesperson, Col. R. K. Palta said that Pakistan agreed to hold the Flag meeting, in a communication through a hot line in the sector. iii. The Indian Army had sent a hotline message to the Pakistan Army on January 11 and asked for a flag meeting to discuss the issues of brutal killing of two jawans by Pakistani troops and increasing incidents of firing and ceasefire violations in the Poonch sector. NOTE: i. This is the second Brigade Commander-level flag meeting to be held in the Poonch sector in the last 6 months. The first such meeting was held at Chakan-Da-Bagh LoC point on June 23 following the killing of two Indian soldiers and injuries to four other jawans in ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops between June 11 to June 16. ii. The jawans were killed on January 8 by Pakistani troops after intruding deep into Indian territory along the line of control. India had also summoned the Pakistan High Commissioner in Delhi to protest against the provocative attack. 3. India for the Second Year reported No Fresh Polio Cases: i. India for the continuous second year reported no fresh cases of Polio. One more year of success with zero fresh cases of polio, would win India a status of polio free nation, in 2014. ii. In 2009, India shared about a half of the polio cases witnessed by the world. But the success achieved since then, can be termed as the biggest public health success story of the century. NOTE: The report submitted by the National Certification Committee of India to the 11member Regional Certification Commission of WHOs South East Asia Region is under review. Continuous three years absence of Polio that is caused due to the wild polio virus (WPV) coupled with the intense surveillance would help India in being declared the Polio-free Nation in 2014. 4. Koto Okubo, Worlds Oldest Living Female died at 115: Koto Okubo, the lady who received the title of worlds oldest lady alive after the death of Dina Manfredini of United States, died on 12 January 2013. The 115 years old Okubo was born on 24 December 1897 in a town near Tokyo, Japan. 5. Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence win Golden Globe awards: i. Jennifer Lawrence beat veterans like Meryl Streep and Judi Dench to win the best actress trophy in the musical or comedy category for Silver Linings Playbook . ii. Hugh Jackman won the best actor trophy for his role of Jean Valjean in Les

Miserables at the Golden Globes on Sunday. iii. The best supporting actress honour went to Anne Hathaway for her portrayal of a dying prostitute, Fantine, in Les Miserables iv. Christoph Waltz won the supporting actor trophy for his role as Dr King Schultz in slave-revenge drama Django Unchained". v. Austrias Amour won the Golden Globe for best foreign language film. vi. Best Animated Feature Film Globe went to Brave. 6. 'Life of Pi' wins best original score at Golden Globe: i. Composer Mychael Danna won the best original score motion picture award for "Life of Pi" at the 70th edition of the prestigious annual Golden Globe awards here. ii. Danna beat Alexandre Desplat ("Argo"), Dario Marianelli ("Anna Karenina"), Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimek, Reinhold Heil ("Cloud Atlas") and John Williams ("Lincoln") to walk away with the prestigious trophy at a glitzy gala Sunday night. NOTE: i. Directed by Ang Lee, "Life of Pi" is based on Canadian author Yann Martel's Man Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name. It is about the journey of an Indian boy who survives a storm and is left on a life-boat with a tiger. ii. The Oscar-winning director chose an entirely Indian cast for 'Pi' depicting Indian culture beautifully in the adventure-drama. iii. He shot the 3D film in places like Munnar and Pondicherry in South India. iv. Lee made several trips to India and finally chose Delhi student Suraj Sharma to play the lead in the film, over 3000 others. v. He also cast noted Indian actors - Irrfan Khan, Tabu and Adil Hussain to play key roles in the movie. 7. Astronomers discovered Largest Cosmic Structure in the Universe: i. Astronomers in the first week of January 2013 discovered the largest known structure in the Universe called Large Quasar Group (LQG) that is powered by super massive black holes clump together. This cluster of galaxies spans across four billion light years. ii. Quasars are considered to be the nuclei of galaxies of the universe, which undergoes brief period of extremely high brightness making them visible in the sky from extreme distant positions. iii. The newly, discovered LQG carries a dimension of 500 megaparsecs (Mpc). The elongated structure makes its longest dimension to a size of 1200 Mpc or 4 billion light years, which is 1600 times larger than the distance between the Milky Way Galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy. iv. The LQG was identified by a research team from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) that is led by Dr. Roger Clowes and the significant size of the same is challenging the Albert Einsteins Principle of Cosmology. NOTE: i. The principle states the Universe when viewed at a large scale, it seems to be the same; it doesnt matters that from where it is being observed from. The Einsteins principle is just an assumption but was never demonstrated after observations so its beyond reasonable doubts. ii. The modern calculations of astrophysicists states that they cant find any structure larger than 370 Mpc and these calculations are made on the basis of modern theory of cosmology and the principle of cosmology.

iii. One will take 4 billion years to cross the LQG if one travels with the speed of light and this is just not because of its huge size but also because it has challenged the accepted principle of cosmology given by Einstein. 8. Internet Activist and Co-founder of Reditt, Aaron Swarth committed Suicide: i. Aaron Swarth, the internet activist and co-founder of Reditt committed suicide by hanging himself on 11 January 2013. ii. The 26 years old computer genius was the developer of the early version of the RSS (Rich Site Summary) web feed system was facing federal criminal charges in cases of a controversial fraud and hacking allegations. iii. He was largely credited as the co-author of the specifications of the RSS 1.0 web feed format at the age of 14. iv. RSS feed generally is a format that supports the users to find out content from the sites, where updates keeps on changing regularly like a news website or a blog. NOTE: i. In July 2011, he faced troubles after being indicted for a wire fraud, computer fraud and other related charges of stealing millions of academic articles and journals by a federal grand jury. ii. He was accused for stealing all the journals and four million articles from the digital archive JSTOR (an online archive and journal distribution service) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. iii. To steal those, he used MITs Computer Network. He was a fellow at the Harvard University's Edmond J Safra Center for Ethics. iv. In case Swartz conviction was proved in the court of law, he would have faced a 1 million dollar fine along with 35 years in prison. 9. Inaugural Hockey India League kicks off in New Delhi: i. The Hockey India League- HIL will kick start at the Major Dhyanchand Stadium in New Delhi from Monday. ii. The opening match of the League will be played between Delhi Waveriders and Punjab Warriors at 8 PM. iii. Punjab's skipper Jamie Dwyer, SV Sunil, and Shivendra Singh form a strong forwardline for the team, while Delhi too possess a formidable attack with the likes of Gurvinder Singh Chandi, Yuvraj Walmiki, and Danish Mujtaba in their ranks.. iv. Five teams, namely Delhi Wave Riders, Mumbai Magicians, Punjab Warriors, Ranchi Rhinos and Uttar Pradesh Wizards are taking part in the competition. NOTE: The tournament will feature 34 matches spread over 28 days. A prize money of 25 lakh rupees will be awarded to the player of the tournament while the emerging player of the tournament will receive a reward of 20 lakh rupees. 10. Urvashi Dholakia wins Bigg Boss 6: i. TV actress Urvashi Dholakia has won the sixth season of reality show Bigg Boss defeating her nearest rival Iman Siddique. ii. With Urvashi's win, this is the third time in a row that a TV 'bahu' has won the reality show. iii. Previously, TV actresses Shweta Tiwari and Juhi Parmar had won season 4 and 5 of Bigg Boss, respectively. iv. Urvashi has won Rs 50 lakh and a trophy as the prize, while Colors channel gave Rs

10 lakh to Imam for being a 'wholehearted entertainer'. He had been given Rs 5 lakh by the channed during the show earlier.
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9. DAILY GK Updates January 15

DAILY GK UPDATE: 12TH JANUARY 1.Nation celebrates 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda: i.The nation is celebrating Swami Vivekananda's 150th birth anniversary, the day which is also observed as National Youth Day. ii. Remembering Swami Vivekananda on Saturday, various functions are being held at Belur Math, the headquarters of Ramakrishna Mission and at Swamiji's ancestral home in Kolkata .

iii. At Rashtrapati Bhawan President Pranab Mukherjee will inaugurate the anniversary celebrations in the presence of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and several Union Ministers. iv. A set of commemorative coins and commemorative stamps on Swami Vivekananda will be released on the occasion. This bright star of Indian history passed away at a young age on 4th July, 1902. 2.Money Laundering and Banking Bills 2012 turned into Law: The President of India Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent to the Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Bill, the Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2012 and Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2012 to make it a law of the land. i. To strengthen the provisions of bad debts by the financial institutions and banks the Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws (Amendment) Bill 2012 was passed. ii. Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2012 would be shaping the way ahead to corporate houses to enter the field of Banking this is one of the key reform legislation. iii. The Parliament in its winter session approved the Prevention of Money Laundering (Amendment) Bill 2012 that needed to enlarge its definition of money laundering offences so that it can curb the practice of funding the terrorists operations. iv. The Bill sought removal of 5 lakh rupees as fine in existence under the act and proposed a provision of taking away of the profits of the crime even under situation, where the conviction was not proved but the offence of money laundering happened and the property in question that is involved in the offence. v. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha during the winter session on 29 November 2012. 3. Postage Stamp on Silk Letter Movement released by President: The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee on 11 January 2013 released a Commemorative Postage Stamp on Silk Letter Movement at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

The Silk Letter Movement: The Silk Letter Movement refers to the golden history of Indias freedom struggle in which, the Deobandi leaders tried to generate a pan-Islamic revolt in British-India against the British Empire by gaining support of Afghanistan and Turkey Governments. Obaidullah Sindhui and Maulana Mahmood Hasan were the two main leaders of the movement. 4. Women members appointed for first time in Shura Council in Saudi Arabia: i. In Saudi Arabia, women members have been appointed for the first time in the Shura Council which is the top consultative body in the Government. All members are appointed by the king and serve four-year terms. ii. The Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz has named 30 female members in the 150 member advisory body. The decision has been welcomed by the women activists who said a lot still remains to be done to improve the status of women in Saudi Arabia. iii. The Saudi move follows a royal decree issued by the King which stipulates that at least 20 per cent of members in the council should be women. NOTE: i. The royal decree says that the women must observe Islamic law and be properly covered, and will enjoy full rights in the council, have a separate entrance to the chamber and sit in a special section apart from men. ii. In September 2011,the king granted women the right to vote and run in the 2015 municipal elections. iii. Saudi Arabia for the first time allowed its women athletes to participate in the Olympics last year. iv. The Kingdom remains the only country where women are not allowed to drive themselves as driving licenses are not issued to them. They have to be accompanied by a male guardian while moving out in public life. 5. UP Govt to bear education expenses of gangrape victim's brothers: i. Uttar Pradesh government will bear all educational expenses of the two brothers of the 23-year old Delhi gangrape victim. ii. The government took the decision after Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav visited the girl's native Medawar Kala village yesterday to meet her family, district magistrate A B Chandramauli said here today. iii. During the visit, the Chief minister gave a cheque of Rs 20 lakh to the parents of the girl and assured them all possible help from the state government. iv. He also asked the district authorities to ensure development of the village which has been selected under the "Lohia Samagra Gram Yojna" this year. 6. Simon Taufel The First Umpire to deliver the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture 2013: i. Simon Taufel, the umpire who has been the five-time ICC Umpire of the Year from 2004 to 2008 would be the first umpire to deliver the prestigious MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture that would take place on 24 July 2013. ii. This announcement was made by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on 11 January 2013. iii. The lecture of 2013 would be the 13th lecture, ever since its inception and Taufel would be the third Australian after Adam Gilchrist (2009) and Richie Benaud (2001

the first lecture) to deliver this lecture. About MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture: MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture first began in the year 2001 in the memory of the former Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) president Colin Cowdrey. He played an important role in enshrinement of the Spirit of Cricket in the preamble of the Code of the Laws of Cricket in the year 2000. 7. Santosh Trophy from February 1: i. The 67th Santosh Trophy National football championship kicks off in Lucknow and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh on February 1 and ends with the final in Kochi on March 3. ii. The championships qualifying phase has been divided into two rounds, with the stronger teams bunched in qualifying round I and the other teams in qualifying round II. iii. Two teams from each of the four qualifying round I groups will progress to the quarterfinal league while only one from each group will make the grade from qualifying round II. NOTE: Defending champion Services, last years runner-up Tamil Nadu and the semifinalists, Kerala and Manipur, have been given a direct berth into the quarterfinal round. 8. AITA to appoint special committee to address players' concern: i. The All India Tennis Association (AITA) on Saturday decided to appoint a special committee, likely to be headed by a retired judge, to address the demands made by revolting players. ii. The proposal to appoint the committee was made by AITA President Anil Khanna. It will be formed on 3rd February when the national federation proposes to have its next Executive Committee meeting. iii. The committee will be headed either by a retired judge or a senior retired government officer of equal status and an eminent tennis player. iv. It will go into the matters relating to Davis Cup and arrive at a suitable agreement with the players for Davis Cup matches. NOTE: A total of 11 players, including Somdev Devvarman, made themselves unavailable for the upcoming South Korea tie unless the AITA fulfill their demands with regards to playing conditions. 9. David Ferrer wins Heineken Open for 4th time: World No. 5 and top seed David Ferrer beat secondseeded Philipp Kohlschreiber 76 (5), 61 on Saturday to win the Heineken Open title for the thirdstraight year and fourth time overall. NOTE: The win gave Ferrer the 19th singles title of his career and his eighth in the past 12 months. His win in Auckland last January gave him the first of seven singles titles he won in eight finals appearances in 2012. 10. England beat India by nine runs in the Rajkot one-dayer: England defeated India by 9 runs in the first one day international cricket match at Rajkot yesterday, to lead the 5-match series, one nil. i. Chasing a stiff target of 326, India lacked the batting firepower and were restricted to a 316 for nine in a high-scoring contest to concede a 1-0 lead to visitors in the five-

match series.. ii. Opting to bat first, England rode on a record 158-run opening stand between captain Alastair Cook (75) and in-form Ian Bell (85) to post an imposing 325 for four on a batting paradise at the newly built Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium. iii. Ian Bell top scored with a brilliant 85, while Skipper Alistair Cook made 75. For India, Pacer Ashok Dinda bagged two wickets. iv. In reply, India managed to make 316 for 9 in 50 overs. vi. The second ODI will be played at Kochi on 15th Jan,Tuesday.
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10. DAILY GK Updates January 12

DAILY GK UPDATE: 11TH JANUARY 1.Microsoft to shut down Windows Live Messenger Service ! Microsoft in the Month of January 2013 announced plans to shut down its Messenger service from 15 March 2013 which is formerly known by Windows Live Messenger/MSN Messenger. i. The plan would involve enabling users to move down to Skype from 15 March 2013. ii. Over 100 million users of the service were notified by email over short period of time.

NOTE: i. It will be evident from 15 March 2013 that Messenger users will be unable to sign into Messenger and use the service. From the proposed date Microsoft encourage to download Skype from where one can exchange instant-messages and have chats with your Messenger friends. The only advantage is that one can use his or her Windows Live login ID for login to Skype. ii. Skype started testing Windows and Mac releases last year in the month of September 2012 which allowed users to use their Windows Live accounts to login to Skype and send and receive instant messages and check if their friends were online across the whole array of Windows sites such as Xbox, Outlook, Hotmail, and Messenger. 2.SC sets aside appointment of Upa Lokayukta in Karnataka i. The Supreme Court on Friday set aside the appointment of Justice (retd) Chandrashekaraiah as Upa Lokayukta of Karnataka on the ground that he was appointed by the government without consultation with the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court. ii. A bench of justices K S Radhakrishnan and Madan B Lokur held that the consultation with the chief justice is mandatory before appointment of Upa Lokayukta and the chief minister did not hold any "meaningful" consultation with the chief justice. iii. The bench said the chief minister has committed error by not consulting the chief justice and held that the appointment of Upa Lokayukta is void ab initio (to be treated as invalid from the outset). NOTE: Bench had also urged the state government and chief minister to expeditiously start a fresh selection process as mandated by the Lokayukta Act to find a new Upa

Lokayukta as the post cannot be held vacant for long. The Karnataka High Court had on 3rd April last year quashed the appointment of justice Chandrashekaraiah as the Upa Lokayukta holding that the selection procedure was "not in conformity with law". 3.GAIL India Commissioned Dabhol Liquefied Natural Gas Terminal i. GAIL India announced successful commissioning of 5 million tonne capacity Dabhol liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on 10 January 2013 at Ratnagiri in Maharashtra. ii. This is the third LNG terminal. The remaining two are set up at Dahej and Hazira in Gujarat. iii. With the commissioning of 5 million tonnes (MT) capacity Dabhol LNG terminal, the overall capacity of India to manage the imported LNG reached approximately 20 MT per annum. iv. The Dabhol LNG terminal was set up at a cost of 4000 crore Rupees. This terminal would play a crucial role in meeting the demands of the industries in Maharashtra. v. The Dabhol LNG terminal would act as entry for natural gas to western as well as southern parts of India including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Maharashtra. NOTE: i. Ratnagiri Gas and Power Private limited (RGPPL) operates the Dabhol LNG terminal. ii. RGPPL is the joint venture of NTPC and GAIL India as the prime shareholders along with the rest of the equity held by Maharashtra State Electricity Board and financial institutions. iii. GAIL however is the commercial operator of this terminal and had started commissioning cargo for it back in December 2012. 4.RBI: Private Sector of India registered a Net Profit of 4.3 percent in First Half of 201213 i. The data released from the Reserve Bank of India on 9 January 2013 reported that the Private Corporate Sector of India registered a net profit of 91800 crore rupees in the first half of 2012-13 (April to September), which is 4.3 percent higher than the one reported in the first half of the 2011-2012. ii. The report states that with a net profit margin of 17 percent, the performance of the Information Technology (IT) sector was better, when compared with the manufacturing and non-IT service sectors. iii. The net profit margin of the non-IT service sector and manufacturing sector were 4.9 percent and 5.7 percent respectively. iv. The manufacturing companies show a rise in its net profit by 2.4 percent, which is equivalent to 61200 crore rupees and the non-IT companies dropped down by 3.9 percent, from the one recorded previous year. v. The companies involved in computer and activities related to it show a rise in net profit of 18.6 percent that is equivalent to 18200 crore rupees. vi. The financial companies registered a net profit of 27.3 percent that was equivalent to 8500 crore rupees, when compared to previous year profit. NOTE: The details of the report states that the operating profit (EBITDA) of these companies has gone up by 4.9 percent to 1.88 lakh crore rupees. 5.CJI Altamas Kabir constituted Special Bench to Hear Crimes against Women

Chief Justice of India Altamas Kabir on 10 January 2013 set up a Special Bench of Justices of A.K. Patnaik and Gyan Sudha Misra to hear cases of crime against women. NOTE: The Bench is going to start its hearing from 14 January2013 onwards and already a total of 526 cases relating to rape, dowry and other sexual offences from year 2002 had been listed before the Bench which is anticipated to take up the matters on day-to-day basis. Cases of accused languishing in jails will be given priority and will be taken up first. 6.Union Cabinet approved Higher Funds for Indira Awaas Yojana The Union Cabinet on 10 January 2013 approved the Ministry of Rural Developments proposal to increase the unit cost under Indira Awaas Yojana (IAY), keeping under consideration the sharp increase in the cost of materials. i. As per the approved cost, unit assistance under the scheme in plain areas had been increased from 45000 to 70000 rupees and for the hilly and difficult areas it had been increase from 48500 to 75000 rupees. ii. The enhancement of unit assistance provided for homestead site to rural below poverty line (BPL) had been increased from 10000 rupees to 20000 rupees. The unit assistance is provided to those households who have neither agricultural land nor a house site. NOTE: Indira Awas Yojana is a major scheme of the Ministry of Rural Development which directly aims at addressing rural housing issues by providing grant for construction and upgradation of dwelling units of BPL families. The priority is especially given to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes, freed bonded labourers and physically challenged persons with financial assistance. 7.Assembly polls in Tripura on 14th Feb; Meglaya, Nagaland on 23rd Feb i. Assembly elections in Tripura will be held on 14th Feb and in Meghalaya and Nagaland on 23rd Feb and their results will be out on 28th Feb, the Election Commission announced on Friday. ii. The EC also announced bye-elections to nine assembly constituencies in Mizoram, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Punjab on 23rd February and in Assam, Bihar and Maharashtra on 24th February, but their results will be out together on 28th February. iii. Electronic voting machines will be used in elections to the three north-eastern states as well as in bye- elections in the seven states. 8.Malala Yousafzai Honoured with France's Simone de Beauvoir Prize for Women's Freedom ! i. Malala Yousafzai, 15, the schoolgirl from Pakistan shot by Taliban for campaigning girls education, on 9 January 2013 received France's Simone de Beauvoir Prize for Women's Freedom in Paris. ii. Malalas father Ziaudin Yousafzai received the honour on her behalf. iii. The award is accompanied with 2.5 million Rupees honorarium. NOTE: In the first week of January 2013, Malala Yousafzai got released from the British hospital. She is waiting for the reconstructive surgery to be performed on the skull. Malala was shot by the Taliban in her head after her school bus drove through Mingora town of Swat Valley of Pakistan. United Nation Declared November 10 as Malala day.

Malala Yousafzai awarded with Bravery Award by World Peace and Prosperity Foundation. 9. 37 Year Old Woman Became First Complete Body Donor of AIIMS Chandrakanta Rawat, the 37-year-old Uttrakhand woman became the first complete body donor in January 2013 at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. Chandrakanta Rawat was admitted to the hospital on 2 January 2013 and was declared brain-dead. Rawats husband permitted the doctors to retrieve her organs. NOTE: Heart, two kidneys as well as liver of the woman were used for the patients in need while other organs such as bones and cornea were kept to be used in the future. While the heart of the woman was used for the purpose of transplant at AIIMS, her kidneys were transported to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and liver was utilised at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, Vasant Kunj for the purpose of transplant. 10.Manpreet Kaur Won Maiden National Title in National Weightlifting Championship 2013 ! Manpreet Kaur, 23, of All India Police claimed the womens +75kg gold medal in the final day of the National weightlifting championship at SRM University campus, Uttar Pradesh on 10 January 2013. Final Result: Women + 75kg: i. Manpreet Kaur (AIP) snatch 85kg, clean and jerk 104kg, total 189kg ii. Binitha Devi (Kar) snatch 86kg, clean and jerk 101kg, total 187kg iii. Amanpreet Kaur (Pun) snatch 84kg , clean and jerk 101kg , total 185kg Mens: + 105 Kg: i. Himanshu Kumar Chang (RSPB) snatch 154kg, clean and jerk 192kg, total 346kg ii. Sandeep Kumar (SSCB) snatch 135kg, clean and jerk 193kg, total 328kg iii. Pardeep Kumar (MP) snatch 139kg, clean and jerk 188kg, total 327kg
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11. DAILY GK Updates January 12

DAILY GK UPDATE: 10TH JANUARY 1.Govt approves Rs 12,517 cr capital infusion in PSU banks: The government on Thursday approved a proposal to inject Rs 12,517 crore in public sector banks to help them enhance the lending activity and meet the capital adequacy norms. Finance Minister P Chidambaram said this will be completed by march this year and enable the banks to maintain their Cash reserve ratio, about 9-10 public sector banks will get benefit from the

capital infusion programme. The government has been infusing funds in the public sector banks in the last couple of years to strengthen their finances

NOTE: i. Capital infusion is based on an assessment made by the Finance Ministry about the capital needs of public sector banks for meeting Basel III norms, to be complied with in a phased manner, ending by March 2018. ii. The implementation of the capital adequacy guidelines based on the Basel III capital regulations was to begin from 1st January 2013. 2.India,Mauritius meet to review bilateral Double Taxation Avoidance Convention: India and Mauritius will meet next month in New Delhi to review the bilateral Double Taxation Avoidance Convention, DTAC which seeks to prevent misuse of the provisions of the near three-decade old treaty. During his meeting with Mauritius Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam at Port Louis, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma expressed hope the two nations will be able to move forward on the issue at the Joint Working Group, JWG meeting. NOTE: i. India is likely to press for changes in the treaty so that information regarding source based taxation of capital gains could be shared between the tax authorities. ii. India will also pitch for incorporating benefit limitation clauses in the agreement with a view to prevent the misuse of the treaty. iii.The JWG comprising members from the two sides was constituted in 2006 to put in place adequate safeguards to prevent misuse of the DTAC. 3.Allahabad Bank Signed MoU with Chamber of Indian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises: Allahabad bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Chamber of Indian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (CIMSME) in Kolkata on 4 January 2013. The MoU was signed to support the priority sector lending. CIMSME is basically a body that represents interest of the companies in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector, with the financial institutions, banks, concerned ministries as well as other organisations. NOTE: i. According to the agreement, CIMSME would help in activating the proposals from the members for the due consideration of the bank. ii. Once the bank sanctions the loan, CIMSME would help the bank in following-up as well as recovering the dues. CIMSME would also help in providing the early signs of warning, if they exist. iii. MoU signed between the two will basically help in accelerating the process of faster clearance of loan proposals which lie under MSME. iv. It would additionally, also enable the bank in acquiring quality proposals as well as boosting up the credit flow to this sector. 4.Rajiv Takru appointed Secretary of Financial Services in the Finance Ministry He will succeed Dinesh Kumar Mittal.. Rajiv Takru , the Senior IAS officer on 9 January 2013 promoted and appointed as Secretary of Financial Services in the Finance Ministry. i. The job of Rajiv Takru is that of looking after the functioning of banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions. ii. Rajiv Takru, is a 1979-batch officer of Gujarat cadre and was earlier CEO of Prasar Bharti and had worked in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. NOTE: Also, in an another appointment , the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC)

headed by Prime MinisterManmohan Singh had approved the appointment of Ravi Mathur as Secretary in the Department of Disinvestment under the Finance Ministry. i. Ravi Mathur, is a 1979-batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre and is currently Additional Secretary in Ministry of Labour and Employment. ii. Prof K Vijayraghavan, was also appointed by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) as Director, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore as Secretary, Department of Biotechnology. 5.Jack Lew to replace Geithner as US Treasury Secretary: US President Barack Obama has decided to nominate his Chief-of-Staff Jack Lew as his next Treasury Secretary to replace Timothy Geithner. Lew, who previously served as Director of the Office of Management and Budget in the Clinton and Obama Administration, is a member of the Democratic Party. 6.Cochin Shipyard launched Aadesh ! The First Fast Patrol Vessel for Coast Guard.. Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) on 8 January 2013 launched the first fast patrol vessel (FPV), built for the Indian Coast Guard. The vessel which is named Aadesh was launched by Jayasree Muralidharan, in the presence of M.P. Muralidharan, Director General of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and K. Subramaniam, Chairman and Managing Director of the Coast Guard. The vessel is the first in a series of 20 numbers fast patrol vessel (FPVs) contracted by CSL for the Indian Coast Guard. The ship was designed by the Kochi-based SEDS and this is the first association between CSL and a local design house. Specification of Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV): i. It has a designed speed of 33 knots with propelled water jets to attain the speed. ii. Its primary role includes fisheries protection and monitoring, patrol within exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and coastal patrol, anti smuggling, search and rescue operations and for anti piracy operations. iii. The secondary role of vessel is to provide communication link and escort convoys during hostilities and war time. iv. Although it is small in size and complex but is technologically very challenging. 7.Supreme Court rejected Sahara Petition on Refund of 24000 crore Rupees: A bench of justices K S Radhakrishnan and J S Khehar, dismissed Sahara group's petition for review of its verdict directing its two firms Sahara India Real Estate Corporation (SIREC) and Sahara Housing Investment Corporation (SHIC) to refund around 24000 crore rupees to their investors with 15 percent interest per annum. The bench asserted that all the contentions raised by the companies were considered by it while passing its August 2012 verdict and there is no need to review the same. NOTE: Chief Justice Altamas Kabir on 5 December 2012 had modified the judgment granting the group nine more weeks to pay back 24000 crore rupees with interest to over three crore investors. 8.NASA to send aircraft in stratosphere to study climate change: NASA will send a remotely piloted research aircraft 65,000 feet over the tropical Pacific Ocean in January, 2013 to probe unexplored regions of the upper atmosphere and detect how a warming climate is changing Earth.

i. The first flights of the Airborne Tropical Tropopause Experiment (ATTREX), a multiyear airborne science campaign with a heavily instrumented Global Hawk aircraft, will take off from and be operated by NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California. ii. ATTREX will study moisture and chemical composition in the upper regions of the troposphere, the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere. iii. The troposphere layer between the troposphere and stratosphere, 12 km to 17 km above Earth's surface, is the point where water vapor, ozone and other gases enter the stratosphere. iv. Studies have shown even small changes in stratospheric humidity may have significant climate impacts. NOTE: The Global Hawk is able to make 30-hour flights, NASA said in a statement. Six science flights are planned between 16th January and 15tMarch. The ATTREX team also is planning remote deployments to Guam and Australia in 2014. 9.Life of Pi Nominated For BAFTA 2013: Life of Pi and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, the Hollywood films which had their shooting in India were chosen for the major BAFTA Awards 2013. The political drama of Steven Spielberg, Lincoln is leading its way with ten nominations. NOTE: i. Suraj Sharma, the Indian actor was already nominated for the BAFTA Awards 2013 for the category of Rising Star. ii. He acted as the Pi in Life of Pi directed by Ang Lee. iii. Ang Lee was nominated for Best Director category in BAFTA for Life of Pi. iv. Life of Pi is running for the categories original music, cinematography; best adapted screenplay, production design, special visual effects, Sound and editing. v. The British Academy Film Awards 2013 will be held at Royal Opera House on 10 February 2013. 10.National under-20 Women's Hockey Ch'ship gets underway in H'bad today. i. The 39th Under-20 National Women's Hockey Championship will be held in Hyderabad from today ii. 21 teams from various states will play 18 league matches and seven knockout matches before the final match on the 16th of this month. iii. President ofthe Indian Hockey Federation Dinesh Reddy said the National Womens Hockey team will be picked from the week-long tournament. 11.ICC ODI rankings table set to change: With upcoming India-England, Oz-Lanka series The International Cricket Council, ICC's ODI Championship table is up for changes in the wake of forthcoming India-England series and the Australia-Srilanka series which gets underway tomorrow and the South Africa-New Zealand series on 19th of this month. i. England currently holds number one spot by virtue of being a fraction point ahead of South Africa. In case it wins the India-England series, it will emerge as the clear leader in the ODI table. ii. India is placed third behind South Africa.

iii. India stands a chance to climb up to number one ranking if it defeats England 5-0 in the forthcoming ODI series. iv. Among Indian players, Virat Kohli, MS Doni, R.Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja figure among the top 10 in the ODI list. v. Among the batsmen, Protean Hashim Amla is at number one followed by fellow countryman AB Devilliers. vi. Indias Virat Kohli is at number three followed closely by the skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. vii. Among the bowlers, Pakistan Offspinner Saeed Ajmal maintains his top billing followed by his country man Mohammad Hafeez. viii. Indias R Ashwin is on number seven. ix. In the All rounders category Pakistan skipper Mohammed Hafeez is the leader followed by Bangladeshs Shakib Al Hassan. Indias Ravindra Jadeja is at number seven in the latest ODI rankings. 12.Tendulkars son selected for Mumbai U-14 squad: i. Sachin Tendulkars son Arjun has been selected to play for Mumbai U-14 in the West Zone leg matches of the BCCI tournament which will be held in Ahmedabad from January 20 to February 1. ii. Arjun, who is 13-year-old, bats left-handed and scored his maiden century at the U14 level for Khar Gymkhana at the Cross Maidan against Goregaon Centre. iii. His innings of 124 had 14 boundaries and a six which helped Khar Gymkhana beat GC by an innings and 21 runs. iv. This century helped break into the Mumbai U-14 probables list for an off-season training. NOTE: The teenager has been in the news in junior cricket circle in Mumbai for his allround abilities as he once scalped eight for 22 bowling left-arm pace for Dhirubhai Ambani International School helping them beat Jamnabai Narsee School, back in November 2011.
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12. DAILY GK Updates January 10

DAILY GK UPDATE: 9TH JANUARY 1.Train fares to be hiked from 21Jan: Railway Minister The government today announced an increase in railway fares for passengers, the first upward revision in nine years, which will help generate 66 billion rupees for the cash-strapped railways.The fare hike will be effective from January 21. NOTE: Hike in Fares: i. Second Class ordinary suburban fares has been raised by 2 paise per kilometer.

ii. Second Class ordinary non suburban services by 3 paise per Kilometer.

iii. Second class Mail or Express train fares have been increased by 4 paise per kilometer and Sleeper class by 6 paise per Km. iv. Hike in AC Chair Car and AC three Tier, will go up by 10 paise per kilometer. 2.Aadhaar card to be accepted as proof to get passport: Ministry of external Affairs i. The Ministry of External Affairs on 8 January 2013 decided and consequently advised all Passport Issuing Authorities to accept Aadhaar letter as Proof of Address and Photo identity in conjunction with any other prescribed documents for proof of address/identity for the purpose of passport application. ii. Presently, it is being seen that the authorities accept passport applications based on about 14 documents such as voter ID card or electoral photo identity card (EPIC), ration card, PAN, driving license, birth certificates among others. NOTE: i. Aadhaar is a 12 digit individual identification number issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India on behalf of the government. This number will serve as a proof of identity and address, anywhere in India. ii. Any individual, irrespective of age and gender, who is a resident in India and satisfies the verification process laid down by the UIDAI, can enroll for Aadhaar. 3.India test-fires manoeuvrable version of BrahMos: i. India today successfully test-fired a highly manoeuvrable version of the 290-km range supersonic cruise missile BrahMos from a naval warship off the coast of Vishakhapatnam in Bay of Bengal. ii. The present test firing is considered to be the 34th launch of BrahMos after the successful October 2012 launch from INS Teg in the Arabian Sea. About BrahMos Missile: i. BRAHMOS is a two-stage missile with a solid propellant booster engine as its first stage which brings it to supersonic speed and then gets separated. ii. The liquid ramjet or the second stage then takes the missile closer to 3 Mach speed in cruise phase. iii. Stealth technology and guidance system with advanced embedded software provides the missile with special features. iv. The BrahMos missile system was inducted into the Indian Navy in 2005 when it began arming the Rajput-class guided missile destroyers and inducted subsequently in many warships. v. BrahMos is capable of acquiring data not only from the American GPS but also from Russian GLONASS satellite systems also, which ensures double redundancy. vi. The missile has identical configuration for land, sea and sub-sea platforms and uses a Transport Launch Canister (TLC) for transportation, storage and launch. 4.E-fund management system introduced in implementation of MGNREGA in Puducherry: In Puducherry, e-fund management system has been introduced in the implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). i. The MGNREGA which has been implemented in the Union Territory since 2008 is providing jobs to about 1,56,000 people. ii. The entire wage amount has been paid to the beneficiaries through bank accounts only and the UT is the first among the States to achieve 100% account payment.

iii. Now, the Govt. of UT has introduced e-fund management system in all the three blocks and the entire data about attendance and measurements are listed into the Management Information System (MIS). iv. The wage lists generated through MIS-MGNREGA are being authenticated through digital signatory of the BDOs and forwarded to banks electronically. v. All beneficiaries under the scheme will hereafter receive their payment in their bank account instantaneously. 5.Brij Bihari Lal Butail elected new Speaker of HP Legislative Assembly: Senior Congress leader, Brij Bihari Lal Butail was unanimously elected new Speaker of Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly today . NOTE: Five time MLA in 1985, 93, 98, 2003, and 2012 Mr.Butail was Revenue Minister in 2003, Chief Parliamentary Secretary in 1995 and Chief Minister Advisor 2005. 6.Narendra Modi inaugurated 6th Vibrant Gujarat summit: Narendra Modi on 8 January 2013 inaugurated the biennial(held every second year) Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors meet by throwing open a mega trade exhibition that has over one thousand firms from as many as 16 countries displaying their products. i. The highlight of the sixth edition of the summit is an international conference of academic institutions with expected participation of 200 delegates from 130 institutions from 50 countries. ii. Unique and interesting displays from various companies are a centre of attraction at the Global Trade Show: like a unique Solar Aircraft model from Solvay Group, Craft Village by Industrial Extension Cottage, Solar Village by Gujarat Energy Development Agency and Gujarat Power Corporation Ltd. About Vibrant Gujarat summit: i. Vibrant Gujarat is the name given to a biennial investors' summit held by the government of Gujarat. ii. This platform offers a unique opportunity to corporate houses, institutions and industrial giants to showcase their innovations, products and services to a large gathering of Indian and global summit delegates and also allows having meaningful business-to-business interactions resulting in serious business and trade opportunities. iii. Apart from Partner Countries Japan and Canada, various other countries like USA, UK, Australia, Netherlands, Rwanda, Israel and Mozambique etc., have marked their presence at the event. 7.LinkedIn appointed Nishant Rao as Country Manager for India Operations: i. Professional networking Web site LinkedIn on 8 January 2013 appointed Nishant K. Rao as the new Country Manager for its India operations. ii. With the appointment of Nishant Rao the former Country Manager Hari V. Krishnan promoted into a larger role as the Managing Director of Asia-Pacific and Japan. iii. The role of Nishant Rao will be that of focusing on scaling up operations and staying committed to LinkedIns value proposition of connecting Indias professionals to make them more successful and productive and helping enterprises hire, market and sell effectively. NOTE: LinkedIn is the worlds largest professional network with 187 million members globally. It has over 18 million members in India.

8.Akbaruddin Owaisi Arrested For Delivering Hate Speech! i. Akbaruddin Owaisi, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) MLA who was indicted of making hate speech was arrested on 8 January 2013 after going through the medical tests in government hospital in Hyderabad. ii. The MIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi is facing charges which range from sedition to waging a war against the state. iii. He was booked under the charges of promoting hostility between different groups as well as performing actions which are harmful to the harmony, apart from the charge of attempting to wage war against the state. iv. The charge if proved, leads to life imprisonment or death sentence. NOTE: Akbaruddin Owaisi, who is the member of Andhra Pradesh assembly, is at present facing five charges which include doing public mischief, threatening people for giving false evidence, criminal conspiracy, sedition and disobeying the official orders. He was booked in Nirmal Town by the police on grounds of delivering malicious speech in town on 22 December 2012 at a public meeting.
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13. DAILY GK Updates January 10

DAILY GK UPDATE: 8TH JANUARY 1.RBI may allow partial SLR conversion to meet Basel-III norms: The Reserve Bank has hinted at allowing part of the statutory liquidity ratio (SLR) holdings of banks to be treated as liquid assets under the Basel-III guidelines, which will come into effect next fiscal. RBI Deputy Governor Anand Sinha told reporters at Sunda ys Basel committee meeting: i. "We already have quite a bit of liquidity ratio requirement.... If you look at our SLR, it is

supposed to be maintained continuously. ii. "Therefore, question arises whether we add some more liquidity on top of SLR, which will be definitely not good for our banks. iii. So, we are looking at carving out SLR so that a part of it can become usable. iv. However, Sinha did not offer any details on how much of the SLR holdings can be converted. v. Currently, the SLR is pegged at 23 %, while the average industry holding is above 28 %. vi. Referring to Sundays Basel committee meeting, which extended the final implementation deadline by a year to March 2019, Sinha said now banks have to be 100 percent compliant with the liquidity management from 2019 NOTE: The Basel III framework, which was adopted in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis to safeguard banks in case of stress, seeks a higher liquidity coverage ratio that requires banks to hold marketable high quality liquid assets. As per the RBI estimate, domestic banks need Rs 1.4-1.5 trillion for complying with the

guidelines. 2.Justice D.K. Jain appointed as the Chairman of Law Commission: Union Govt. of India appointed Justice D.K. Jain as Chairman of the 20th Law Commission of India. i. He would take on the chair of the Chairman of the Law Commission on 24 January 2013 after he retires of a Judge of Supreme Court on the same day. ii. He would be heading the commission as its chief for a period of three-years from the date of being in the office. 20th Law Commission of India i. The 20th Law Commission of India was constituted with the Order of the Government of India with effect from 1 September 2012. ii. The commission is responsible for identification of obsolete laws and suggest measures suitable for quick grievance handling and redressal of the citizens. iii. It would also be examining the laws that effects poor and suggest measures which would help in harnessing the law and the legal process for the economically weaker and poor section of the society. iv. Commission is also responsible for offering advices on complex issues to the Government. 3.Students can opt regular, distance degree together: UGC panel: i. The expert Committee has recommended that, "a student enrolled in a degree programme under regular mode may be allowed to pursue a maximum of one additional degree programme simultaneously under open/distance mode from the same or a different university. ii. However, two degree programmes under regular mode may not be allowed simultaneously as it may create logistic, administrative and academic problems." iii. The committee, set up by the University Grants Commission (UGC), has sought opinion of vice chancellors of all universities in the country before implementation the recommendations. NOTE: i.The panel has also recommended that "a student pursuing a degree programme under regular mode may be allowed to pursue a maximum of one certificate/diploma/advanced diploma/PG diploma programme simultaneously either in regular or open and distance mode in the same university or from other institutions." ii. "The joint degree programme are not only permissible by the UGC but also needs to be encouraged. Interested universities may make necessary enabling ordinances specifying details and procedures in this regards and may sign Memorandum of Understanding to execute the award of joint degrees," the panel recommended. 4.National Data Centre for UIDAI to come up in Gurgaon: The Chief Minister of Haryana, Bhupinder Singh Hooda on 7 January 2013 laid the foundation stone of the state-of-the-art National Data Centre of Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) at Maneshar, Gurgaon in Haryana. NOTE: The centre that will spread in an area of five-acres would serve as the respiratory system for the UIDAI and would store all the basic biometric and demographic information of the residents, before the 12-digit Aadhaar Number is issued.

i. The development work of the UIDAI center would be completed by mid 2014 and is being developed as a green data centre and abides to all the global standards and guidelines. 5.Deputy Vietnam PM arrives in New Delhi on 3 day visit to India: Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam Vu Van Ninh arrives in New Delhi this evening on a three-day visit to India. During his stay, the visiting dignitary will hold discussions with several leaders to bolster cooperation between the two sides. 6.Munda quits, seeks dissolution of Jharkhand Assembly: i. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on 7 January 2013 announced withdrawal of support from the existing Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) led coalition Government in Jharkhand. ii. Governor Mr. Syed Ahmed has asked Mr. Munda to continue as the caretaker Chief Minister till the final decision. iii. The support withdraw by JMM has reduced BJP to a minority party in the State Assembly. NOTE: The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha gave two reasons for the withdrawal of its support from the BJP and they were, Chief Minister Arjun Mundas refusal from recognizing the JMMs claim on the agreement to hold the Chief Ministers office for 28 months each party and also because of the derogatory remarks against Shibu Soren by Nishikant Dubey, MP from Godda. Status of seats of different Political Parties in 81-member Assembly JMM 18 seats BJP 18 seats All Jharkhand Students Union 6 seats Janta Dal United 2 seats Congress 13 seats Jharkhand Vikas Morcha 11 seats Since its formation in the year 2000, there have been eight Chief Ministers in the Jharkhand and the state has seen President Rule twice. 7.Uttkhand govt to strictly implement 'no work no pay' rule: i. Uttarakhand govt. has decided to strictly implement "no work no pay" regulation to discourage government employees from resorting to frequent strikes in support of their demands. ii.The decision to enforce the regulation was taken by the state cabinet at its meeting chaired by Chief Minister iii. Vijay Bahuguna in Dehradun on Thursday. iii. Government employees' pay for the strike period will be deducted from their salaries under the regulation which has been in existence for a long time but has never been strictly enforced in the state, Chief Secretary Alok Kumar Jain said. NOTE: i. Uttarakhand has witnessed prolonged strikes over the past few months on the issue of reservation in promotion badly affecting work in government offices across the state. ii. About 30,000 ministerial employees in Uttarakhand have been on a strike for the last nine days in support of a host of their demands including pay revision.

iii. Their determination to go ahead with their agitation in a phased manner may be one of the factors that prompted the government's decision to strictly impose "no work no pay" as a deterrent, official sources said. 8.Helicopter service for remote tribal areas in Himachal: i. Himachal Chief Minister V B Singh launched a helicopter service for remote snowbound tribal areas of the state from Shimla on Sunday. ii. The government has taken a helicopter from Pawan Hans Helicopter service on a five-year lease. iii. The 26-seater helicopter would start to and from flights to tribal areas. iv. Under the conditions of lease, a minimum 40 hours flying would be mandatory and per hour charges would be Rs 3.27 lakh. v. The left out hours could be carried forward to next month and a total 480 hours flying would have to be done during the year. vi. The helicopter will undertake the maidan flight to Dodra Kwar in Shimla district on 8th January and other snowbound areas would be covered as per the flight scheduled prepared by General Administration Department (GAD). 9.News Broadcasting Standards Association Issued Guidelines for Reporting of Sexual Crimes: The News Broadcasting Standards Association (NBSA) on 7 January 2013 issued certain guidelines for the television channels to exercise discretion and sensitivity, while reporting the sexual assault cases. Keeping in view, the Section 228A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), NBSA directed television channels to keep the identity of the victims involved in sexual assault, hideous. NOTE: i. The guidelines were a result of the Zee News television interview of the friend of Delhi gangrape victim. ii. The name of victim was also disclosed in one international publication. iii. The news channels were advised to balance the right to privacy of the survivor as well as his/her family with the public interest. iv. Channels were therefore asked to secrete the identity of victims of sexual assault, aggression and violence. v. The privacy should be respected and name, photographs as well as other private details should not be disclosed. vi. The television channels were directed to practice sensitivity, sound judgement as well as discretion, especially while disclosing the details of sexual assault because these details re-traumatised the survivor. 10.N.A.K. Browne inaugurated a Medium Lift Helicopter Complex at Phalodi: i. The Chief of the Air Staff, N.A.K. Browne inaugurated the Medium Lift Helicopter Complex on 7 January 2013 at Phalodi, near Jodhpur. ii. The complex has been developed with the purpose of raising the new Mi-17 V5 helicopter Unit. iii. The Hanger Complex inaugurated by the Chief is one of the biggest pre-engineered hangers of its type and in the Indian Air Force. iv. The new air base would be utilized by the Air Force in the forthcoming exercises

namely Iron Fist scheduled for 22 February 2013 and Live Wire in March 2013. 11.Lionel Messi won the FIFA Ballon dOr Award for fourth time: i. Lionel Messi, the Argentine footballer won FIFA BallondOr Award on 7 January 2013 as a reward to his 91-goal in a year for Barcelona and Argentina, in the year 2012. ii. Messi voted to be the best player for the fourth year in a row managed to beat his close competitors, Cristiano Ronaldo of iii. Spanish champion Real Madrid and Barcelona teammate Andres Iniesta. iii. Messi has left behind the three time FIFA winners namely Zinedine Zidane of France and Ronaldo of Brazil. About The FIFA Ballon dOr Award i. FIFA Ballon dOr Award was started in the year 2010 after merging the two, France Football's Ballon d'Or and the men's FIFA World Player of the Year Award. ii. It is the associations football award that is awarded to the years best performer. iii. The player is selected via voting process and the votes are casted by the captains and coaches of the International Teams as well as the journalists from across the world.
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14. DAILY GK Updates January 8

DAILY GK UPDATE: 7TH JANUARY 1.South Korea Became First Country in Asia to Order Chemical Castration of Child Rapist: South Korean court ordered the first-ever chemical castration of the country. i. The sentence of chemical castration was given to 31-year old pedophile (a person who is sexuallyattracted to children) along with 15 years of jail term. ii. The order was the first-ever since South Korea passed the law in 2011 allowing chemical

castration or hormonal treatment for offenders who are at the risk of repeating crimes. iii. The defendant, Pyo was charged against a crime of having sex with 5 teenagers six times between November 2011 and May 2012.The defendant met these teenagers through chat service of a Smartphone. iv. Pyo threatened these minors to circulate their sexual acts as well as nude photos on the Internet through online video footage. Additionally, he raped the minors while also threatening them using deadly weapons. v. Judge Kim Ki-young of the Seoul Southern District Court in his ruling explained that Pyo committed crime against various victims for longer time NOTE: In Asia, South Korea was first country to order such a treatment. Other countries to adopt this treatment are Denmark, Germany, Poland, Sweden as well as U.S. state of California. The verdict of the Seoul court was passed at a time when India too is debating whether punishments like chemical castration should be introduced or not. 2.PM to lay foundation of BPCL-Kochi Refinery today:

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation for the Integrated Expansion Project of the BPCL-Kochi Refinery at Ambalamugal in Kochi this evening. i. The Integrated Expansion project, which will be carried out at a total cost of 20,000 crore rupees is the single largest investment in Kerala in recent years. ii. The project is aimed to meet the country's growing energy needs and make auto fuels more environments friendly. iii. It involves increasing the refining capacity of the BPCL-Kochi Refinery from the current 9(.)5 million metric tonnes to 15(.)5** million metric tonnes per annum. iv. The BPCL Kochi Refinery will also be diversifying into propylene based petro chemical industry by investing nearly 6000 crore rupees. NOTE: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who arrives in Kochi this evening, will inaugurate the 11th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas tomorrow and will take part in the meeting of Global Advisory Council of Overseas Indians. 3.Crime against women: CJI wants fast-track courts ! Chief Justice of India (CJI), Altamas Kabir today asked all high courts to set up fast track courts to deal exclusively with offences against women. In a letter to all the chief justices of high courts he said that the delay in disposing such cases might be one of the factors for rise in crimes against women, therefore the time has come to deal expeditiously with such cases. i. The CJI said the high court chief justices should get in touch with the state governments for appointment of judicial officers but in the meantime some court should be designated as fast-track courts to exclusively deal with offences against women. 4.Omar Abdullah inaugurates First Civil Air Service in J&K: In an effort to promote tourism and facilitate the movement of people of Kargil which remains cut-off with other parts of the state during winter, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday launched a commercial air service to the mountainous area. i. The air service will keep Kargil residents connected with the state and also promote tourism in the state. ii. Air Mantra will operate daily flights from Kargil to Jammu, with its 17 seater aircraft. 5.Haradhan Bandopadhyay, Renowned Bengali Actor Passed Away: Haradhan Bandopadhyay, (86) the renowned Bengali actor died on 5 January 2013 in Kolkata after struggling for his life for 15 days. About Haradhan Bandopadhyay: Haradhan Bandopadhyay worked in a total of 66 films and he had a career span of six decades. He worked with Satyajit Ray in movies such as Mahanagar, Shonar Kella, Jai Baba Felunath and many more. He worked with some of the renowned directors such as son of Satyajit Ray, Sandip Ray and Mrinal Sen. His recent performance was in Anurag Basu film- Barfi. Apart from this, another Hindi film in which he made appearance was Parineeta. In 2012, Haradhan Bandopadhyay was also conferred with the Banga Bibhushan award by the government of West Bengal. 6.Indian Institute of Astrophysics to Develop Worlds Largest Solar Telescope:

The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bangalore in the first week of January 2013 informed about its decision to come up with worlds largest solar telescope in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir. i. The project would commence by the end of year 2013 and the telescope is likely to be placed at Hanle or Merak village near Pangong Lake in Ladakh. ii. The telescope would be a 2-metre class, state-of-the-art National Large Solar Telescope (NLST). iii. The project has been planned with a budget of 300 crore rupees and expected that the project would complete by 2017. NOTE: It would help the researchers to understand the process of creation and decay of sunspots along with other fundamental processes that takes place on the surface of sun. i. Also help in filling the longitudinal gap between Europe and Japan. ii. Also provide crucial information on nature of magnetic fields due to its unprecedented spatial resolution. 7.Former South African Bowler Neil Adcock died from cancer: Former South Africa fast bowler, Neil Adcock died at the age of 81 in Howick, KwaZuluNatal province of South Africa. He had pneumonia and was also suffering from cancer for a long period of time. i. Neil Adcock made his Test debut in year 1953 at home against New Zealand. ii. Neil Adcock had played 26 Tests for South Africa between 1953 and 1962, and took 104 wickets at an average of 21.10. iii. Neil Adcock was the first South African quick bowler to take 100 Test wicket. 8.Dhoni climbs to fourth spot in ICC ODI rankings: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has returned to the top five in the latest ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen following his consistent performance with the bat in the recently-concluded three-match ODI series against Pakistan. NOTE: Although India lost the series 1-2, Dhoni scored 203 runs in three games, including a century, and that helped him move up two places to fourth position in the chart. i. Suresh Raina in 26th (up by one) spot and Yuvraj Singh, who re-entered the rankings in 41st position. ii. Virat Kohli has climbed down a place to third with 824 points. 9.Shane Warne banned, after ugly T20 bust-up with Marlon Samuels: Australian star Shane Warne was banned for one match and fined Aus$4,500 (US$4,700) on Monday after an ugly, foul-mouthed clash with West Indian Marlon Samuels during a Twenty20 match in Melbourne. NOTE: The spin legend, captaining the Melbourne Stars against city rivals the Renegades in the domestic Big Bash tournament on Sunday, was furious that Samuels pulled back David Hussey when the batsman was turning for a second run. And when Samuels was batting later in the game, Warne confronted the West Indian with the words "F**k you, Marlon." In the next over, Warne, in the field, threw the ball at the Jamaican's chest and

Samuels reacted by tossing his bat down the pitch towards the Australian. The two players squared up and had to be separated by the umpires.
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15. DAILY GK Updates January 8

DAILY GK UPDATE: 6TH JANUARY 1.RBI set up Working Group to review Banking Ombudsman Scheme: NOTE: The Reserve Bank of India had set up a working group to evaluate and make improvements in the grievance redressal mechanism for bank customers. The working group constituted in the RBI is going to review, update, and revise the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, 2006. i. As per the RBI annual report of the Banking Ombudsman Scheme 2011-12, In Financial Year

2011-12, the banking ombudsmans office of the RBI received around 72889 complaints. ii. It disposed off 94 per cent of the customer complaints. iii. About one-fourth of the total customer complaints were about banks failure to meet commitments and non-observance of fair practices code. iv. Presently, we have 15 Banking Ombudsmen with unambiguous jurisdiction covering the 29 States and seven Union Territories in India. 2.11th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas begins in Kochi: i. The theme of the Convention is 'Engaging diaspora: The Indian growth story'.. ii. The President of Mauritius, Rajkeshwur Purryag will be the Chief Guest of the convention.. NOTE: The eleventh Pravasi Bharatiya Divas convention, a three event will begin from Monday in Kochi. The Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will formally inaugurate the event on 8th January. Over 2000 delegates from different parts of the world are expected to participate in the three day event. The convention will see a series of seminars on subjects ranging from tourism, pure sciences, skill development, India's growth, greater opportunties, engaging young overseas Indians, investment opportunities in states, innovation and technology and India's growing soft power. President Pranab Mukherjee will deliver the valedictory address on Wednesday and give away the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awards. I'm proud to be a Bihari, says Mauritius president: Mauritius President Rajkeswur Purryag turned emotional and broke down a number of times while remembering his forefathers and grandfatherLakshman Paryag, who went to Mauritius, and his brother Chawwa, who stayed back here. Purryag said, "Their memory is embedded in my blood. My forefathers went to a distant place but kept Bihar and India alive in their hearts." He arrived here on Sunday along with his wife Aneetah Purryag.

Purryag said the relations between India and Mauritius is not that of two nations but that of two brothers. 3.18th National Level Meeting b/w Myanmar and India: NOTE: The 18th National Level Meeting between Myanmar and India was held on 28 29 December, 2012 in New Delhi. The major area of Discussion was that of drug trade, arms smuggling and extremism/terrorism. The Indian delegation was led by A.K Mangotra, Secretary, Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India. While the Myanmar delegation was led by Brig. Gen. Kyaw Zan Myint, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Highlights of the discussion Held Between India and Myanmar: i. Both sides discussed and agreed to cooperate closely on issues like insurgent Groups along the border, arms Smuggling & drug trafficking, border management issues, Myanmar Fishermen in A&N jails, illegal smuggling of wild life parts, inspection and verification of pillars etc. ii. Both sides expressed satisfaction over opening of a third Border Liaison Office (BLO) between Changlang, India and Pangsau, Myanmar. iii. Both the leaders emphasized on nurturing BLOs to promote cooperation between law enforcement agencies of both the countries for peace and tranquility along the border. It was decided to open a fourth BLO in Nagaland sector between Ukhrul, Manipur, India and Somra, Myanmar. 4.Nalco Commissioned its First Wind Power Project: NOTE: National Aluminium Co Ltd commissioned its first wind power project at Gandikota in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. i. Nalco which is the Government-owned manufacturer and distributor of aluminum products had invested around 275 crore rupees for the 50-MW Suzlon-erected project. ii. Nalco signed a power purchase agreement with the States power transmission utility Transco and has begun inoculation of power to the State grid. iii. Also, setting up of the second wind power is on the line which is supposed to be of 50 MW, and will be situated in Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan. The cost of this project is estimated to be around 190 crore rupees. 5.Swiss bank Wegelin to close after US tax evasion fine: NOTE: Switzerland's oldest bank is to close permanently after pleading guilty in a New York court to helping Americans evade their taxes. i. Wegelin, which was established in 1741, has also agreed to pay $57.8m (36m; 44m euros) in fines to US authorities. ii. It said that once this was completed, it "will cease to operate as a bank". iii. The bank had admitted to allowing more than 100 American citizens to hide $1.2bn from the Internal Revenue Service for almost 10 years. iv. Wegelin, based in the small Swiss town of St Gallen, started in business 35 years before the US declaration of independence. v. It becomes the first foreign bank to plead guilty to tax evasion charges in the US. 6.Virat Kohli named CEAT International Cricketer of the Year:

CEAT awards is based upon Ceat Cricket Rating (CCR).. NOTE: Vice-captain of Indian Cricket team Virat Kohli was named the International Cricketer of the Year while Pakistan cricket team bagged the top honours for the best team at the CEAT Cricket Awards 2011-12 in New Delhi. i. Virat Kohli had deafeated Hashim Amla, Kumar Sangakkara and Michael Clarke to bag the prestigious award. ii. The Former Pakistan cricket captain Zaheer Abbas was honoured with the lifetime award while Saeed Anwar got the best audience choice awards. iii. Unmukt Chand, the man who led the Indian side to win the U-19 World Cup 2012 was declared the Indian Youngster of the Year award. 7.Bowlers give India thrilling win by 10 runs in third ODI: NOTE: India gave themselves a boost ahead of their series with England by winning a thrilling third and final one-day international against rivals Pakistan. Saeed Ajmal took 5-24 as Pakistan bowled out India for 167 in 43.4 overs and the visitors were well set before collapsing from 144-6 to 157 all out. Pakistan still won the series 2-1 while the Twenty20 series ended level at 1-1. 8.Sania Mirza and Bethanie Mattek-Sands wins Brisbane Title: NOTE: Indian Tennis player Sania Mirza and her American partner Bethanie MattekSands lifted the WTA Brisbane International trophy with a win against Kveta Peschke and Anna-Lena Groenefeld, with 4-6 6-4 10-7 in the summit face-off of the 1000000 US dollar event. i. The win is supposed to be Sania's first doubles title of the season and 15th of her career. ii. Sania and Mattek earned 470 ranking points each and shared 51022 US Dollar as prize money. 9.Andy Murray wins Brisbane Title: NOTE: Scotland's Andy Murray called on all his experience to defeat rising Bulgarian star Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (7/0), 6-4 and retain his Brisbane International title on Sunday. The 87-minute victory gave Murray his 25th ATP career title and was the perfect preparation for the Australian Open beginning in just over a week. 10.Janko wins Chennai Open: NOTE: World number nine Janko Tipsarevic won the ATP Chennai Open with a masterful fightback to defeat young Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in the final on Sunday. Tipsarevic won the Chennai title for the first time after four unsuccessful attempts, including a loss to big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic in last year's final. 11.Wozniacki wins Sydney International opener: NOTE: Former No.1 Caroline Wozniacki cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 win over Poland's Urszula Radwanska on Sunday to open the Sydney International. After starting the season with an upset first-round loss to qualifier Ksenia Pervak at the Brisbane International, the seventh-seeded Wozniacki needed just 26 minutes to win the first set in steamy conditions and with boyfriend and No. 1-ranked golfer Rory McIlroy watching at Sydney Olympic Park. 12.Richard Gasquet wins Qatar Open:

NOTE: Richard Gasquet beats Nicolay Davydenko to win Qatar Open with3-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3 in the final of the Qatar Open. The tournament win, in Doha, was the eighth of Gasquet's career.
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16. DAILY GK Updates January 5

DAILY GK UPDATE: 5TH JANUARY 1.General consensus to redefine juvenile age from 18 to 16 yrs in view of rape cases: Shinde NOTE: Home Minister says that there was a general consensus in the meeting of Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police of the States in New Delhi to redefine the juvenile age from 18 years to 16 years to deal the growing cases of sexual assault. On death penalty in rape cases, the Home Minister said all suggestions put forward by the

Chief Secretaries and DGPs would be considered by the Government. He said by April 2013, important citizen services will be launched. 2.P.A. Sangma launches NPP, forms alliance with NDA: Book will be the national symbol of the party because we believe that only literacy and education can empower the weaker sections, said Mr. Sangma NOTE: P.A. Sangma, who broke away with the NCP last year to contest the Presidential elections, on Saturday launched National Peoples Party (NPP) and joined hands with the BJP-led NDA. Launching the NPP at the national level, Mr. Sangma said it has been active for long as a recognised party from Manipur. He announced that former Union Minister Arvind Netam will be the Working president of the party. On the corruption issue, NPP supported a strong Lokpal bill and total independence of CBI and CVC. 3.Indian economy may grow 6% in 2013: Kaushik Basu India's economy could expand by around 6% in 2013, World Bank chief economist Kaushik Basu said on Friday, attributing the current slowdown to global factors. Amid global slowdown impacting India, the government had lowered the country's economic growth for the 2012-13 fiscal to 5.7-5.9% from its earlier projection of 7.6%. The GDP had expanded by 6.5% in 2011-12, which was nine-year low. 4.Gross direct tax collections up 8 %: NOTE: According to a Finance Ministry: Led by strong growth in personal income tax collections, gross direct tax collections increased by 8.01 per cent to Rs.4.28 lakh crore in the first nine months of the current fiscal from Rs.3.97 lakh crore in the same period in the previous year. i. Gross collections of corporate taxes showed an increase of 4.94 per cent at Rs.2.83 lakh crore (Rs.2.70 lakh crore). Net direct tax collections (gross minus refunds) were up by 13.7 per cent to Rs.3.68 lakh crore (Rs.3.24 lakh crore). ii. Net direct tax collections (gross minus refunds) were up by 13.7 per cent to Rs.3.68

lakh crore (Rs.3.24 lakh crore). The government had also warned evaders of excise, Customs and service tax to pay their dues or face penal action which could include arrest, prosecution and property attachment. 5.Sunmeet Kaur wins Rs 5 crore on KBC! Sunmeet is a HSC pass housewife and takes tutions as a financial helping hand for her husband NOTE: Sunmeet Kaur Sawhney, originally hailing from Punjab, residing in a rented house at Mumbai has won the winning amount of 5 crore rupees in the ace game show, Kaun Banega Crorepati. Kaur sadi: It's a delightful day as a woman for the first time in the history of the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati. 6.Software engineer gets first successful intestinal transplant: In context with the intestinal transplant for the Delhi gangrape victim, Dr Trehan declared that the victim was not medically fit for the surgery NOTE: The first successful and healthy intestinal transplant surgery in India was given to a Himanshu, a 30-year-old software engineer on 24 November 2012 at Medanta Medicity, Gurgaon. The chairman managing director of Medanta, Dr Naresh Trehan announced that this was the first successful intestinal transplant in India and it provided new hopes to the country. Himanshu waited for two years before he got lucky with a matched organ. On November 24, 2012, doctors found a perfect match. A 20-year-old patient who had passed away had the same blood group and was fit to donate. 7. 3 day long International Buddhist Conference starts today in Patna: Buddhist spiritual leader Dalai Lama will inaugurate the function NOTE: A three day long International Buddhist Conference begins today in Patna. he meet is hosted jointly by state department of Art and Culture and Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee. Nearly 1500 delegates from various parts of the world are expected to attend the conference. 8.Gerda Lerner, The Womens History Pioneer Died at 92: NOTE: Gerda Lerner, the leader in womens history as well as the founding member of National Organization for Woman died on 2 January 2013 at Wisconsin at the age of 92. She founded the doctoral programme in the womens history in Madison at the University of Wisconsin. 9.Bank of Switzerland Pay 58 Million Dollar to US in Tax Evasion Case: The bank was blamed for assisting around 100 US clients in hiding huge amount of money in the overseas accounts from federal tax collection agency. NOTE: The oldest bank of Switzerland, Wegelin & Co became first foreign bank that pleaded guilty in the United States for the case of tax evasion. Wegelin & Co which laid its foundation in 1741 entered its statement in federal court of Manhattan and agreed to pay a sum of 20 million dollar as a repayment to the IRS, 22 million dollar fine, apart from additional 15.8 million dollar which represented the gross fees that the bank earned on undeclared accounts of the US taxpayers between the time duration of 2002 to 2011. The bank admitted on 3 January 2013 that it assisted various American clients to conceal over 1.2 billion dollar from Internal Revenue Service

(IRS). 10.Delhi Transport Corporation won the Lowest Accident Rate Award for 2012: NOTE: The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) was awarded with the Lowest Accident Rate Award for 2012. The awards were presented by the Association of State Road Transport Undertakings (ASRTU) and were received by Rajeev Verma, Chairperson cum Managing Director of DTC. The award includes a cash reward of 50000 rupees and a trophy. 11.Williams wins Brisbane title; Murray into final: NOTE i: Serena Williams capturing her 47th career title with a comprehensive 6-2, 6-1 victory over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in Saturdays Brisbane International final. Williams has won 35 of her past 36 matches, including titles at Wimbledon, the Olympics, the U.S. Open, the season-ending championship and now the first event of 2013. NOTE ii: Defending champion Andy Murray advanced to the Brisbane International final after fifth-seeded Kei Nishikori retired with an injured left knee during their semifinal on Saturday. The 25-year-old Murray will now play Grigor Dimitrov in Sunday's final. 12.Radwanska beats Wickmayer to claim Auckland title: NOTE: World No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland beat Belgiums Yanina Wickmayer 6-4, 6-4 to win the ASB Classic, her 11th career title. She showed no signs of rustiness in her first tournament since October and said she felt confident as she headed towards the first Grand Slam of the season. 13.Qatar Open: Nikolay Davydenko vs Rihard Gasquet in final: NOTE: The Qatar Open Tennis Championship Final will be played between the Russian giant killer Nikolay Davydenko and tournament number two seed Rihard Gasquet in Doha today. Davydenko moved into the final stunning the World Number three and tournaments favourite player, David Ferrer 6-2,6-3 in straight sets yesterday. In the other semifinal Richard Gasquet came from behind to defeat the Germanys Daniel Brands 7-5, 7-5. 14.Brisbane International: Sania, Bethanie vs Anna-Lena, Kveta in Doubles title clash: NOTE: India's Sania Mirza and her American partner Bethanie Mattek Sands will play their Women's Doubles title clash of the Brisbane International Tennis tournament in Australia today. For the first title of the new season, the unseeded Indo-American pair will clash with German-Czech combination of Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Kveta Peschke.
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17. DAILY GK Updates January 5

DAILY GK UPDATE: 4TH JANUARY 1.Chief Justice of India Inaugurated First Fast-Track Court in Delhi for Hearing Rape Cases: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Altamas Kabir inaugurated the first fast-track court in Delhi on 2 January 2013

for dealing with the crimes against females. The first fast-track court is one among other four fast-track courts which would deal with the cases of crime against the w omen. This court is set up in the

Saket Court Complex and the first case to be heard here is that of the Delhi gangrape which took place on 16 December 2012. Other fast track courts would function from 3 January 2013 at Rohini, Tis Hazari and Dwarka in New Delhi. 2.Can't direct suspension of MPs, MLAs facing criminal cases: SC "The issue of disqualification of MPs and MLAs is not in our jurisdiction," a bench comprising justices K S Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra said on Friday NOTE: The Supreme Court declined to hear a plea for disqualification of MPs and MLAs charge sheeted for crime against women but agreed to go into issues of fast track trial of rape cases and implementation of laws for safety of women. Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra which was hearing two PILs filed after the December 16 gangrape incident, said it can only give notice to the government on limited issues as some of the prayers made in the petitions were beyond its jurisdiction. "What is our power on MPs and MLAs. Obviously, such a sweeping relief can't be sought," the bench said referring to the prayer made for a direction for suspension of MPs and MLAs who have been charge-sheeted for crime against women. The bench also asked the government to apprise it about the terms and references of the Justice J S Verma committee which was set up to review and strengthen the existing law on rape and offences against women. 3.Govt. launches CCTNS pilot project: The CCTNS would be a comprehensive database for crimes and criminals. NOTE: Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde has launched the pilot phase of Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System in New Delhi on Friday. An ambitious project to create a comprehensive and integrated system for effective policing and sharing data of crimes and criminals among 14,000 police stations across the country was formally launched in New Delhi today. The Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) aims at creation of a nation-wide networking infrastructure for evolution of IT-enabled sophisticated tracking system around 'investigation of crime and detection of criminals'. Home Secretary R K Singh said the CCTNS would be a comprehensive database for crimes and criminals, and it would be easier for the law enforcement agencies to track down a criminal moving from one place to another. 4.Urjit Patel Was Appointed As the Deputy Governor of the RBI: Urjit Patel was chosen over current Deputy Governor Subir Gokarn and International Monetary Fund (IMF) economist Kalpana Kochhar NOTE: Urjit Patel was appointed as the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India on 3 January 2013. Urjit Patel succeeds Subir Gokarn, who handled Monetary Policy in RBI. The three-year term of Subir Gokarn terminated in November 2012 but he was given an extension which ended finally on 31 December 2012. About Urjit Patel: Urjit Patel is an economist with hawkish point of view on inflation. He authored a research paper called Dynamics of Inflation Herding: Decoding India's Inflationary

Process along with Gangadhar Darbha, ED, Nomura. Patel was also a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group and was also a part of IDFCs management committee for almost 10 years ever since it was first incepted. From 2005-2008, he also worked in board of Multi Commodity Exchange of India. Urjit Patel was NRI at Brooking Institution, Washington DC from 2006-2007. As an academic as well as consultant, Patel also provides advice to Indian government on different panels. He was the board member in Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation as well. 5.S. Ramakrishnan took over as Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre: He replaced P S Veeraraghavan NOTE: A senior Scientist from ISRO, S. Ramakrishnan took over as the Director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram in the first week of January 2013. Ramakrishnan carries a four decades of experience in rocketry and headed the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) at ISRO. About S. Ramakrishnan: He is an expert in aerospace propulsion, launch vehicle systems and project management. Before Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre he served as director (project) at VSSC and Chairman of Flight readiness review panel. He was hounoured with a Padma Shri in 2003 He served as the Mission Director for PSLV C1, C2, C3 and C4 flights. He played a major role in helping India accomplish its first satellite Launch Vehicle SLV-3. 6.First Hindu American Congresswoman takes oath on Bhagavad Gita: Tulsi, 31, was administered the oath of office by the John Boehner, Speaker of the House of Representatives NOTE: Tulsi Gabbard from Hawaii has created history by not only becoming the first Hindu ever to be sworn in as a member of the US House of Representatives, but also being the first ever US lawmaker to have taken oath of office on the sacred Bhagavad Gita. "I chose to take the oath of office with my personal copy of the Bhagavad-Gita because its teachings have inspired me to strive to be a servant-leader, dedicating my life in the service of others and to my country," Gabbard said after the swearing in ceremony on Thursday. Proud of her Hindu religion, she is not Indian or of Indian heritage. Her father Mike Gabbard, is currently Hawaii State Senator and mother Carol Porter Gabbard is an educator and business owner. At 21, she became the youngest person elected to the Hawaii Legislature. At 23, she was the state's first elected official to voluntarily resign to go to war. At 28, she was the first woman to be presented with an award by the Kuwait Army National Guard. Having never visited India so far, Tulsi says she is looking to make her first trip to India as an elected member of the House of Representatives. 7.Obama re-nominates Indian American as federal judge: Srinivasan is the only Indian American re-nominated by Obama for the District of

Columbia Circuit. NOTE: Indian-American Srikanth Srinivasan is among the 33 federal judges renominated by the US President Barack Obama for the US Court of Appeals. Obama said: "Today, I am re-nominating thirty-three highly qualified candidates for the federal bench, including many who could have and should have been confirmed before the Senate adjourned," About Srinivasan: Srinivasan was born in Chandigarh, and grew up in Lawrence, Kansas. He also holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, which he received along with his JD in 1995. He was an associate at the law firm of O'Melveny & Myers LLP in Washington, DC, from 1998 until 2002. In 2002, he returned to the Solicitor General's Office as an Assistant to the Solicitor General, representing the US in litigation before the Supreme Court. In 2007, Srinivasan became a partner with O'Melveny & Myers LLP. He was named as the Principal Deputy Solicitor General in August 2011. 8. Irelands prestigious Tipperary International Peace Prize for 2012 awarded to Malala: Malala became the second Pakistani National to win the award. Lt. Benazir Bhutto was awarded with the same award in 2007 NOTE: Irelands prestigious Tipperary International Peace Prize for 2012 was awarded on 3 January 2013 to Malala Yousafzai the teenage schoolgirl from Pakistan, who was shot by Talibans Gunman in October 2012. Malala would be conferred with the award for her bravery, courage and determination to speak and support the cause of access to equal education for every child. Malala was one among the five nominees, which included Sonia Gandhi, the Indian National Congress Party President and Hillary Clinton, the U.S. Secretary of State. 9.Iran to hold nuclear talks with 6 major powers in Jan: The western nations fear that Iran is trying to acquire nuclear weapons technology under the cover of its nuclear program... NOTE: Iran said that it has agreed to hold talks with six major powers over its controversial nuclear program in January. Irans top nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili confirmed this while talking to reporters in New Delhi. Jalili is the second top Iranian nuclear negotiator to visit India over a month period. Iran denies the charges and says that its program is meant only for civilian energy purposes. Three rounds of talks since last April between Iran and six major world powers - the United States, Russia, France, Britain, Germany and China has failed to achieve a breakthrough. 10. Special women police force of 200 personnel to be formed in AP: Safety of women and girls is the top priority of the state Govt NOTE: A special women police force of 200 personnel will be constituted in the Arunachal Pradesh announced by Chief Minister Nabam Tuki. He also said that an all women police station in the capital Itanagar will be opened during this year. 11.Batsmen disappointed again, says MS Dhoni:

NOTE: Defeated at home for the second straight time in less than a month, India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni blamed his batsmen and termed their performance "disappointing",but added that the team needs to access the situation with a coolheaded approach. He said: "It was a very good effort by bowlers to pull them back and restrict them to 250."But again our batting was disappointing. It's important to have wickets in hand in the end. India slumped to yet another series defeat with a pathetic display as arch-rivals Pakistan spanked the hosts by 85 runs in the second cricket one-dayer to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
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18. DAILY GK Updates January 5

DAILY GK UPDATE: 3RD JANUARY 1.Naming anti-rape law after girl an honour: Family Note: A day after Union Minister Shashi Tharoor favoured naming the revised anti-rape law after Delhi gang-rape victim, her family members on Wednesday said they have no objection to it and the move would be an honour to the girl. Unless her parents object, she should be honoured & the revised anti rape law named after her. She was a human being w/a name, not just a symbol, Tharoor

said. Asked about the financial assistance of Rs. 20 lakh announced by the Uttar Pradesh government and assistance of Rs. 15 lakh and job announced by Delhi government, the brother said though announcements have been made, they are yet to receive the assistance. The family members termed as misleading reports in the media that the girl was about to get married. 2.Y V Reddy to head 14th Finance Commission: Finance Commission, a constitutional body, is set up every five years... Note: Former RBI Governor Y V Reddy will be the Chairman of 14th Finance Commission; the 13th Finance Commission was headed by former Finance Secretary Vijay Kelkar. Prior to joining RBI as its Governor in September 2003, Reddy was India's Executive Director on the Board of the International Monetary Fund. The Finance Commission has been asked to submit its report by 31st October, 2014. 3.Govt forms panel to reduce expenditure in cash strapped AI: The Committee headed by Prof. Ravindra Dholkia of IIM, Ahmedabad has been asked to submit its report within two months. Note: Ministry of Civil Aviation has constituted a five-member committee to suggest measures for cost cutting and optimal utilization of resources in Air India. The Committee has also been asked to submit its interim recommendations without

waiting for the final report, so that these can be implemented immediately. The Committee will analyse various cost components and identify those expenses and costs which can be abolished immediately, or reduced in phased manner. It will critically review the expenses on overseas offices including the manpower deployment and suggest measures to reduce such expenses. The Committee will also analyse all other factors which are adversely affecting the financial health of Air India and suggest plan for removing such factors. 4.Rs 11,000 incentive for brides in Haryana: Scheme will be implemented with effect from 1st April 2013 Note: Haryana govt announced that it would launch 'Kanyadan' scheme under which an incentive of Rs 11,000 will be given to brides during mass marriage ceremony organised by Red Cross Societies or any registered NGO. Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Geeta Bhukkal said, The scheme, aimed to check social evils like dowry. "The expenditure on weddings could be minimised by holding mass marriages The incentive will be given irrespective of the caste, race, creed, religion or income of the beneficiaries. and it would also eradicate social evils like dowry,". 5.Violin maestro M S Gopalakrishnan passes away: Note: Renowned violin exponent M S Gopalakrishnan, hailed for his deep knowledge of both Carnatic and Hindustani music, died in Chennai today after a brief illness. A recipient of various awards including Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, Gopalakrishnan was an artiste having an open mind for new ideas..He is survived by wife, two daughters and a son. He was counted one among the 'violin trinity' of his times the other two being the legendary Lalgudi G Jayaraman and T N Krishnan. 6.Pakistan beat India by 85 runs in Kolkata ODI: Third and final ODI at Ferozshah Kotla in Delhi on Sunday Note: An insipid India slumped to yet another series defeat with a pathetic display as arch-rivals Pakistan spanked the hosts by 85 runs in the second cricket one-dayer to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series in Kolkata on Thursday. Riding on Nasir Jamshed's second consecutive century, the visitors posted 250 all out and then shot out the Indians for a paltry 165 to record a convincing victory with two overs to spare at the Eden Gardens. This is the first time in more than three years that India has lost a home bilateral series. Jamshed (106) notched up his third ODI century became Man of the Match. 7.Bhupathi and Canadian partner crash out of Chennai Open: Note: The top seeded pair of Mahesh Bhupathi and Canadian Daniel Nestor were ousted from the Chennai Open ATP Tennis tournament after suffering a defeat at the hands of the unseeded Russian-American pair of Raveen Klaasen and Nicholas Monroe in the doubles quarterfinal. Bhupathi-Nestor, the favourites to win the title, suffered a shock defeat, losing 4-6, 5-7 to Klaasen-Monroe in 75 minutes in the late night encounter on Thursday.
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19. DAILY GK Updates January 3

DAILY GK UPDATE: 1STJANUARY 1. World welcomes new year with enthusiasm New Year 2013 arrived in several parts of the world with people greeting it with customary fire work. The enthusiastic welcome to 2013 continue on a grand scale across Asia and for the first time in Myanmar. The enthusiastic welcome to 2013 is continuing on a grand scale across the World. New Zealand's Auckland city was among the first to welcome the new year with customary fireworks.

2. Center sets up special task force to look into womens safety in Delhi Centre has set up a special task force to look into the safety issues of women in Delhi and review the functioning of Delhi Police regularly. NOTE:- Headed by Union Home Secretary, the force will have Chief Secretary of Delhi, Commissioner of Delhi Police, Special CP-Traffic, Special CP- Law and Order, Chairperson of Delhi Commission for Women and Delhi Transport Commissioner among other members. 3. UK resumes G-8 presidency;British PM lists combating protectionism as a focus point UK is assuming its year-long presidency of the G8 group of nations. The presidency which rotates through the G8 members - means it will host the annual leaders' summit and choose the global priorities that are discussed. June's summit is to be held at Lough Erne, in County Fermanagh, while topics discussed will include tax havens. NOTE:- The G8 is made up countries who have, historically, been the richest in the world - France, the US, Russia, Japan, Germany, Italy, Canada and the UK. As prime minister of the presidency holding nation, David Cameron has said he wants to focus on combating trade protectionism, cracking down on tax havens and promoting greater government transparency. 4. State Bank of India has launched 'Mobicash Easy' State Bank of India has launched 'Mobicash Easy', a mobile wallet in Mumbai and Delhi with service offerings like funds transfer and bill payment among others. The service, which was launched yesterday, will offer services like balance enquiry, mini statement, funds transfer, mobile top-ups, DTH recharge, bill payment among others. NOTE:- SBI will soon launch a KYC or Know Your Customer enabled mobile wallet service with higher transaction limits. The bank said, it will target migrant labourers and youth to use the wallet service. 5. National Archery Chship:Deepika medal haul seven,Dola six In the 33rd Senior National Archery Championships that concluded in Chennai yesterday, Deepika Kumari reigned supreme with seven medals while veteran Dola Banerjee marked her return to form picking up six medals. NOTE:- Representing Steel Plant Sports Board, Deepika won two gold, three silver and two bronze in the women's recurve section. Railway archer Dola coming back from a

long injury lay-off claimed two gold, two silver amd two bronze medals. In the Men's section, Railways archer Kapil won the individual Olympic round, even as Rahul Banerjee had the maxium number of five medals, which included one gold, two silver and two bronze. 6. Muthunayagam and Saraswat to be awarded with Aryabhatta Award by the ASI The Astronautical Society of India (ASI) in the last week of December 2012 announced names of former secretary of the Department of Ocean Development, Dr. A.E. Muthunayagam and Dr. V.K. Saraswat, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister for prestigious Aryabhatta Award for the year 2010 and 2011 respectively. The two have been selected for the achievement in rocketry. 7. Govt. rolls out Direct Transfer of Benefits scheme in 20 districts in 16 states The government today launched Direct Transfer of Benefits into beneficiaries' accounts in 20 districts in 16 states including Punjab, Andhra Pradesh,Karnataka and Kerala. The scheme aims at providing benefits of several government welfare schemes directly to the beneficiaries bank accounts to plug leakages and reduce delays in their transfer. The scheme will begin in 11 more districts from 1st of February and in another 12 districts from 1st of March this year. Initially there will be a direct benefit transfer in 7 schemes. NOTEi:- These include pre-matric scholarships for SCs and post-matric scholarships for SCs, STs and OBCs, Indira Gandhi Matritva Sahayata Yojana and stipend to SCs and STs for coaching-cum-guidance and vocational training. NOTEii:- The scheme will benefit around two lakh people in the country. Food, fertiliser, diesel and kerosene subsidies are not covered under the scheme. NOTEiii:- It will be rolled out in phases in other parts of the country during 2013 after its succesful implementation in 43 districts. 8. President of Russia Vladmir Putin Visited India to attend 13th India-Russia Annual Summit Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, the President of Russia visited India at the Invitation of Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India to attend 13th India-Russia Annual Summit. During the visit the Russian President met the Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh and the President of India Pranab Mukherjee. 9. Suven Life Sciences won Patents on three Products for CNS Molecules Suven Life Sciences the Drug Firm on 31 December 2012 won patents on three products for CNS molecules. Among the patents two are from Eurasia with patent numbers 016594 and 017007 and one is from Canada with patent number 2683124. NOTE:- These are the New Chemical Entities (NCEs) and would be used for the treatment of disorders related to Neurodegenerative diseases. The validity of these patents would last up to 2027. 10. Venkatesh Mannar awarded with Canadas Highest Civilian Award the Order of Canada Mannar a Channai-born Scientist of Indian Origin and President, Micronutrient Initiative, Canada was awarded with Canadas Highest Civilian Award the Order of Canada in the last week of December 2012. NOTE:- Mannar, a Graduate from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras and a post

graduate in chemical engineering from Northwestern University, US, was honoured with the award for his forty years long contribution working towards reduction of debilitating micronutrient deficiencies among the worlds most vulnerable. Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram Unveiled Cash Transfer Rollout Plan 11. FII Investment in the Indian stock market surpassed more than 24000 crore Rupees in December 2012 Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) in the month of December had pumped in more than 24000 crore rupees in the Indian stock market which is said to be the highest in 10 months timeline taking total FII inflow for the year 2012 to over 24 billion dollars. NOTE:- As per the SEBI Data, In December, 2012 Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were gross buyers of shares worth Rs 71595 crore rupees while they sold equities amounting to 47412 crore rupees. This translates into a net inflow of 24183 crore rupees or around.4.42 billion dollar. 12. Darul Uloom Deoband banned the use of multimedia mobile phones Asia's largest Islamic seminary, Darul Uloom Deoband has banned the use of multimedia mobile phones, saying they were acting on complaints that students were using them for morally unacceptable purposes. 13. 15-nation UN Security Council set to serve their two-year terms as the five new non-permanent members In the 15-nation UN Security Council, Argentina, Australia, Luxembourg, South Korea and Rwanda, today began to serve their two-year terms as the five new non-permanent members. NOTE:- The new Council members were elected by the UN General Assembly on October 18, 2012. Colombia, Germany, India, Portugal and South Africa ended their terms in the Council yesterday. 14. Cabinet gives nod to new science policy India is set to unveil its new science policy next week which lays greater thrust on innovation, establishing research institutes and participation in mega science projects with an aim to positioning itself among the top five scientific powers in the world by 2020. NOTE:- The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on Wednesday approved the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy-2013.
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20. DAILY GK Updates January 1

Tough times do not last and arrival of a fresh year at the end of December is a testimony to this fact. Even your tough phase will not last forever so never abandon hope and lose your confidence.

A Very Happy New Year 2013

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21. DAILY GK Updates January 1

DAILY GK UPDATE: 31th DECEMBER 1. New Year celebrations to mark 2013 begin: Celebrations are being held around the world to mark the New Year. Big shows are also planned in many other cities globally. 2. Direct cash transfer scheme set to roll out from tomorrow: Scheme rolls out in 20 districts from tomorrow Note: The Direct Benefit Transfer system will be implemented in seven schemes such as sch olarships

and old age pensions from Jan 1. A total of 26 schemes will be covered under it. Chidambaram said "The scheme will be rolled out in 11 more districts on Feb 1 and 12 more districts will join on March 1," and the scheme would be implemented in all the districts of the country by the end of 2013. He added that the government has no intention to provide cash subsidy for food, fertiliser and petroleum products. 3. Delhi Government launches 181 helpline for Delhi women: Note: The helpline was announced in the wake of the recent gang rape incident in the national capital. The helpline number 181 for women in distress in Delhi Chief Ministers office, has become operational. The toll free number, which can be dialed from landline and mobile phones, will be connected with all the police stations across the city. 4. Patrick Suckling appointed as Australia's Next High Commissioner to India: Suckling replaces Peter Varghese Note: Career diplomat Patrick Suckling on 30 December 2012 had been appointed as Australias next High Commissioner to India. The appointment of Patrick Suckling was announced by Foreign Minister Bob Carr who asserted that the role was important because India is Australias fourth largest export market, with trade between the two countries reaching 18-billion dollars a year. Suckling holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Hindi from the University of Sydney and as a career diplomat had an expertise in policy development, public diplomacy and consular service. 5. Nagaland gets new Chief Secretary & DGP: Note: Nagaland gets new Chief Secretary and Director General of Police on the New Year day as the incumbents retire today. Additional Chief Secretary Alemtemshi Jamir, a Nagaland Cadre IAS of 1977 batch, is the new Chief Secretary while B Kezo, Director General of Civil Defence, replaces incumbent O Alem as DGP of Nagaland. 6. McGrath in ICC Cricket Hall of Fame: McGrath became the third inductee of the year 2012-13 to the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame: Note: Australian pace legend Glenn McGrath is going to be inducted into the ICC Cricket

Hall of Fame during the third Test between Australia and Sri Lanka starting from 4 January2013 in Sydney. He will join Enid Bakewell and Brian Lara to the list and also became the 68th male member of the Hall of Fame. 7. Hillary Clinton admitted to hospital with blood clot: Note: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been admitted to hospital in New York with a blood clot. Officials say, Mrs. Clinton suffered a concussion earlier this month after fainting and falling down. Doctor said "She is being treated with anti-coagulants and is at New York-Presbyterian Hospital so that they can monitor the medication over the next 48 hours. 8. India-Korea Davis Cup tie to be held in Delhi: Note: India have decided to host their February 1 to 3 Davis Cup tie against Korea in the national capital. "Since it is a home tie, the All India Tennis Association has decided to hold the tie in New Delhi at the R K Khanna Tennis Stadium from February 1 to 3," the AITA said. 9. Indian and Pakistani teams arrive in Kolkata: Note: India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, coach Duncan Fletcher, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and local lads Ashok Dinda and Mohammad Shami arrived on Monday along with the Pakistani contingent for the second ODI against Pakistan slated for January 3. The remaining team India players will arrive in batches on Tuesday.
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22. DAILY GK Updates January 1

DAILY GK UPDATE: 30th DECEMBER 1. UN chief expresses sorrow at death of Delhi gang-rape victim: Girl body was cremated in Delhi on Sunday morning Note: UN chief Ban Ki-moon has voiced "deep sorrow" at the death of the 23-year-old Delhi gang-rape victim, asking the Indian government to implement reforms to deter such crimes and bring the perpetrators to justice. He said "Violence against women must never be accepted, never excused,

never tolerated. Every girl and woman has the right to be respected, valued and protected. Millions of Indians held candle-light vigils and protests demanding immediate action from the government to punish perpetrators of the heinous crime and strengthen laws that deal with violence against women. 2. Name of interview board members can't be revealed under RTI: Supreme Court It would endanger their lives, to expose the members of the interview board: SC... Note: The Supreme Court has ruled that the names of the members of an interview board, set up to select candidates for government jobs, cannot be divulged under the RTI Act as it might endanger their lives. "The disclosure of names and addresses of the members of the interview board would ex facie endanger their lives or physical safety.

The possibility of a failed candidate attempting to take revenge from such persons cannot be ruled out," a bench of justices Swatanter Kumar and S J Mukhopadhaya said. The apex court set aside the order of the Patna High Court which had directed Bihar Public Service Commission to reveal the names and addresses of the members of the interview board which had cleared the names of candidate for job in Police Laboratory in Crime Investigation Department of the state. 3. Srinivasa Ramanujan's cryptic theory proved right: Ramanujan theory on behaviour of black holes finally proved Note: Indian maths genius Srinivasa Ramanujans cryptic deathbed theory which he claimed was conceived in his dreams was finally proved by American scientist in the month of November. In 1920, while on his death-bed, Ramanujan wrote a letter to his mentor, English mathematician G H Hardy, outlining several new mathematical functions never heard of before, along with a hunch about how they worked. Quoting the Researchers report the Daily Mail newspaper reported that Mr. Ramanujan was right and that the formula could explain the behaviour of black holes. Researchers say they have solved the problems from his last mysterious letters. The findings were presented in November at a Ramanujan conference held at the University of Florida, ahead of the 125th anniversary of the Ramanujan 's birth on 22 December. 4. 14th North East Book Fair opens in Guwahati: Fair is dedicated to Poet Hiren Bhattacharya Note: In Assam, the 14th North East Book Fair has begun today in Guwahati organised by All Assam Book Publishers and Sellers Association. A total of 135 publishing houses from across the country have taken part in the North -East book fair .The organizer said that 254 stalls have been set up and fair will be concluded on 10th January 2013. 5. Indian I-League football Club Mohun Bagan banned for 2 Years: 123-year-old club, withdrawn from the current I-League season Note: Iconic football club Mohun Bagan was on Saturday handed a two-year ban from the I-League by the All India Football Federation for abandoning the violence-marred derby match against East Bengal on December 9. Justice Ganguly in his report concluded that the decision of Mcdowell Mohun Bagan (MMB) for not playing the match after the interval cannot be supported on the grounds of Force Majeure and accordingly MMB has breached Regulation 22 of the I-League Regulation 2012-2013.In effect, this season will have 13 teams now. About Mohun Bagan Football Club: Founded in 1889, Mohun Bagan is the oldest football club in India. It is the first Indian club to win the IFA Shield final, in 1911, beating East Yorkshire Regiment. It have won the erstwhile National Football League thrice in 1997-98, 1999-2000, 2001-02 and their best performance in the re-christened I-League has been a runner-up finish in 2008-09. 6. World No 1, Djokovick retains Abu Dhabi World Tennis title: Note: World Number 1 and the defending champion Novak Djokovick has retained Abu Dhabi World Tennis Championship title beating Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 6-7, 6-4,6-3. The Nicolas won the first set on a tie breaker but Djokovick came from behind in the

second and third set to prove his class as the World Number one. his is the last tennis tournament of the calendar year 2012. 7. India stands 3rd in latest T20 ranking: Sri Lanka leads the table.. Note: The International Cricket Council, ICC has released the latest T-20 rankings. India stands third in the ranking behind Sri Lanka and West Indies.Among Indian players, Virat Kohli at fifth, Suresh Raina at eighth and Yuraj Singh at eleventh figure in top 15 batsmen s list. Among the batsmen Australias Shane Watson is at number one followed by Kiwi Brendon Mccallum and Chris Gayle. 8. Pakistan clinch first ODI: Man of the Match M.S Dhoni.. Note: Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhonis heroic unbeaten century under pressure went in vain as arch rivals Pakistan held their nerve to clinch the first one day international with a comfortable six-wicket victory in a low-scoring contest in Chennai on Sunday. India posted 227 for six after recovering from a precarious 29 for five one stage but that turned out to be insufficient for the Pakistanis who rode on Nasir Jamsheds unbeaten century to overhaul the target with 11 balls to spare and take a 10 lead in the three-match series. 9. Australian Cricketer Michael Hussey Announced Retirement from Test Cricket: Note: Australian veteran Michael Hussey on 29 December 2012 announced that he would retire from Test cricket after playing the final match of the series against Sri Lanka at Sydney starting on 3 January 2012. However Hussey will continue playing the ODI tri-series involving Australia, West Indies and Sri Lanka which will be his last international assignment. Hussey has till now played 78 Tests scoring 6183 runs including 19 centuries and 29 half centuries at an impressive average of 51.52.
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23. DAILY GK Updates January 1

DAILY GK UPDATE: 29th DECEMBER 1. Delhi gang-rape victim passes away ! The body of the girl is likely to be flown back to India tonight for last rites Note: The 23-year-old girl, who was gang-raped and brutally assaulted in a Delhi bus nearly a fortnight ago, died at a hospital in Singapore early Saturday. Victim died due to multiple organ failure and severe injuries to her brain and body at Mount Elizabeth hospital in Singapore at 2:15am (IST). The

hospital chief executive officer Dr Kelvin Loh said: We are very sad to report that the patient passed away peacefully, her family and officials from the High Commission of India were by her side. Indian High Commissioner in Singapore T.C.A. Raghavan told that the parents of the girl have requested to make arrangements for sending her body to India. He said the final few hours were a trying time for the girl's family and they

bore the entire process with a great deal of fortitude and courage. 2. NDC approves 12th Five Year Plan: Strategy to achieve average growth rate of 8 pc during the 12th Five Year Plan (201217).. Note: Country's apex policy making body NDC has approved the strategy to achieve average growth rate of 8 pc during the 12th Five Year Plan (2012-17), generate 50 million new jobs and increase investments in infrastructure sector. Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said: "We expect with the growth rate of 5.8 per cent this fiscal and little over 7 per cent next fiscal, and with extra effort in the remaining three more years we can reach 8 per cent. 3. 30% reservation for rural candidates in Assam Govt. jobs: Note: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has announced that "In order to achieve inclusive growth and facilitate decentralization, we are planning to bring to effect 30 per cent reservation in government jobs in all sectors to candidates from villages of Assam," from next year end. The Chief Minister also proposed a Rural Administrative Service in Assam and it will extensively and comprehensively administer at Panchayat level in all sectors. 4. Former England cricket captain Tony Greig passes away: Losses his battle with lung cancer in Sydney on Saturday Note: Former England captain and celebrated commentator (66) breathed his last at a hospital here after being brought in a "critical condition". In his 58-match Test career, Greig scored 3,599 runs and picked up 141 wickets. In 22 ODIs that he played, Greig scored 269 runs and managed 19 wickets. Greig turned into a successful commentator following the end of his playing career in 1977 and as forthright with his views. 5. Egypt's Mursi hails new constitution: Mursi said: constitution is chosen by the people "with their own free will".. Note: Egypt's Islamist President Mohamed Mursi today congratulated his countrymen for endorsing a new constitution in a referendum that was "totally transparent" and called on the opposition to join him in a national dialogue to resolve lingering tensions. Passing of the constitution meant Egypt could now move to a new stage that should bring security and stability for the people. He welcomed those who had said "no" as well as those who had said "yes", saying that Egypt would not return to a time "when there was only one opinion". 6. Cyclone Freda strikes Solomon Islands: Parts of the Solomon Islands hit by very strong winds and heavy rain Note: Tropical Cyclone Freda has struck the Solomon Islands, bringing heavy rains and winds of up to 130 kilometres per hour. Witnesses say roofs have been ripped off houses and trees have been flattened, while rising rivers caused flooding in some areas. There are no reports of deaths or injuries. 7. Beijing was 14th Safest City In China, Lhasa was the 1st: The safest place is the capital of Tibet, Lhasa, followed by Shanghai Note: A survey conducted by China Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) which is a government owned body, revealed that the capital of China, Beijing is less safe than other cities of the country. Other major cities of China were ranked much safer than

Beijing and these safe cities included Xiamen, Ningbo, Changchun, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Dalian, Hangzhou and Nanjing. It was also found out that people in the coastal cities of East China as well as municipalities were safer than other parts of country. 8. Mahaveer Singh and Tejaswini Sawant Bagged Gold in National Shooting Championship: Note; In the category called standard-pistol, Mahaveer Singh shot 569 to get hold of the prestigious prize . In 3-position womens event, Tejaswini Sawant shot 581 + 98.2 for the gold. ONGCs Amanpreet Singh shot 580 + 99.5 to secure gold in the mens air pistol. The silver was grabbed by Armys Jitu Rai scoring 579 + 100. Karnatakas P N Prakash was the one to win bronze with 580 + 98.4 score. 9. World Tennis Champ: Djokovick to take on Nicolas in the finals: In semi final Novak Djokovick defeated David Ferrer 6-0,6-3 in straights sets Note: Defending champion and World Number 1 Novak Djokovick will take on Spaniard Nicolas Almagro in the final of Abu Dhabi World Tennis Championship final today. This is the last tennis tournament of 2012. 10. 3 ODI cricket series: Between India and Pakistan: First match will be played on Sunday at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai Note: The second and third ODI's between India and Pakistan will be played in Kolkata and in New Delhi from 12 noon. First ODI match will start at 9.00am.
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24. DAILY GK Updates January 1

DAILY GK UPDATE: 28th DECEMBER 1. N Railway makes history by connecting with Kashmir valley: Kashmir valley connected with Banihal town.. Note: The history was made by the Northern Railway on Friday by connecting India's longest railway tunnel through the Pir Panjal mountain range, connecting Kashmir Valley to Banihal town passing through the longest tunnel in India.on Srinagar-Jammu National highway. An 11 Kilometer tunnel in this

section has been completed with a cost of 1800 crore paving way for the completion of the prestigious project in 2017. 2. Ratan Tata retires as Tata Group Chairman: Cyrus Mistry appointed as a new Chairman... Note: Veteran corporate leader Ratan Tata retired as Chairman of Tata Group Friday after successfully heading the group for 50 years. Tata, who turned 75 on Friday has handed over the reins of the group to Cyrus Mistry and appointed Chairman earlier this month. Mistry made a visit to the groups headquarters Bombay House today and will take charge of the new assignment on Saturday. Mistry was groomed for the assignment by Tata for a year.

Ratan Tata, who helmed the group for 21 years after being chosen successor by his uncle, the iconic JRD Tata, in 1991, is credited with transforming the group through bold decisions. During Ratan Tata's tenure, the group's revenues grew manifold, totaling to 100.09 billion US Dollars in 2011-12 from a turnover of a mere 10,000 crore ruppes in 1991. 3. National Water Resources Council adopts National Water Policy 2012 Policy highlights the need for the conservation of water resources... Note: The National Water Resources Council has adopted National Water Policy-2012 at its meeting held in New Delhi on Friday. Water Resource Minister Harish Rawat said that there was broader consensus in the meeting on community management of water resources, climate change adaptation strategy and efficient use of water. The policy emphasizes on the concept of basin management to promote integrated resources of water management. Mr Rawat said that the proposed National Water Framework Law and river basin management Law would be drafted only after extensive consultation with States so that their powers are not curtailed 4. MS Sahoo appointed as Secretary of Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI): Appointment will be effective from 1 January 2013.. Note: MS Sahoo, the former member of SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) on 27 December 2012 had been appointed secretary of the Institute of Company Secretaries. He served as the Joint Secretary (non-functional), Director and Joint Director in the Ministry of Finance, as the Chief General Manager with SEBI, and as Economic Adviser with National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE). He had over three decades of rich work experience in self-employment, private sector, public sector, regulator and government in varied functional areas such as reforms, policy, regulations, research and analysis.Before joining the ICSI, he was an eminent legal practitioner in the field of securities laws. 5. 4th World Telgu Conference held in Tirupati: Conference was Inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherje... Note: President Pranab Mukherjee on 27 December 2012 declared open the 4th World Telugu Conference in the presence of thousands of Telugu-speaking people from across the world in the temple town of Tirupati of Andhra Pradesh. The purpose behind the conference is to give a new dimension and vision for the upkeep of Telugu, tracing its history and while naming prominent persons and their contributions and various literary movements.The event marked with the felicitation of 14 eminent Telugus. 6. Security and Exchange Board of India(SEBI) appointed S Raman as Whole Time Member: Now SEBI has three whole time members, including Prashant Saran and Rajeev Kumar Agarwal.. Note: Indian Market Regulator SEBI on 28 December 2012 appointed S. Raman as Whole-time Member of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). Prior to this appointment, Raman, had served as Chairman and Managing Director of Canara Bank from September 2010 to September 2012 and had also served as Executive Director of Union Bank of India from October 2008 to August 2010. 7. TRAI restricts Central or State government to enter into broadcasting and distribution

of TV channels: Note: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India -TRAI today recommended not allowing Central or State Government or any company or any entity funded by them to enter into the business of broadcasting or distribution of TV channels. It said that the arms length relationship between Prasar Bharti and the Government be further strengthened. TRAI has also recommended for taking such measures to ensure functional independence and autonomy of Prasar Bharti. An official release said the recommendations have been made following a reference by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting last month. 8. 65 woman police stations to set up in WB: Police stations are being set up to tackle crimes against woman... Note: Addressing a rally at Nagarkata in Jalpaiguri district on Friday Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that ten of them have already been set up. She said that 19 human rights courts and 158 fast track courts have also been set up. 9. Afghan Govt. launches to provide electronic I cards to all citizens: More than 400 registration teams will be deployed across the country.. Note: Afghan Government has launched a programme to provide electronic identity cards to all its citizens. Afghan Interior Ministry said that more than 400 registration teams will be deployed across the country to collect data and issue cards to all eligible citizens. Recently govt. conducted written examination for the selection of staff for the registration teams. Nearly five thousand candidates, including 340 female candidates took part in the examination. Initially 550 successful applicants will be selected for the job and deployed in 50 teams in Kabul province. 10. General Norman Schwarzkopf passes away: Note: Retired Army General Norman Schwarzkopf, who commanded the U.S.-led international coalition that drove Iraqi forces out of Kuwait in 1991, has died. He was 78. Schwarzkopf died yesterday of complications from pneumonia in Tampa, Florida, where he lived in retirement. 11. T20 cricket: India beat Pakistan by 11 runs: India leveled the two match of Twenty20 international cricket series... Note: Chasing Indian target of 193 runs for a victory, Pakistan finished their innings at 181 for 7 in the stipulated 20 overs. Ashok Dinda claimed 3 Pakistani wickets, while the remaining four were shared by Ishant Sharma, R.Ashwin, Bhuvanesh Kumar and Yuvraj Singh. Yuvraj also led India to the mammoth total of 192, the highest Indian score in the twenty-twenty format so far, with his contribution of 72 runs. India and Pakistan will now play a three match One-Day International series beginning Sunday in Chennai. 12. Asian Champions Trophy Hockey: Pakistan defeat India 5-4 in final: India failed to defend their Men's Asian Champions Trophy Hockey title... Note: In the final match of the second edition of the event at Doha, the Sardar Singhled Indian team lost to arch-rivals Pakistan, 4-5 and settled for the silver medal.
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1. DAILY GK Updates December 28, 2012

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DAILY GK UPDATE: 27th DECEMBER 1. Rape trials must end within 2 months: SC: The Supreme Court says, rape trials must end within two months as stipulated under law. Note: A bench of justices Swatanter Kumar and Fakkir Mohammed Ibrahim Kalifulla gave their judgement on December 6th, 10 days before the Delhi gangrape which triggered nation-wide outrage with strong demands for fast-tracking of rape cases. The apex court also noted that in cases that come under section 376 (rape) and related offences under sections 376 A to D of the IPC, the CrPC stipulates that the inquiry or trial shall, as far as possible, be completed within a period of two months from the date of commencement of the examination of witnesses. 2. Bihar became the Fastest Growing Indian State between 2006 and 2010: Bihar became the fastest growing state in India at 10.9 per cent between 2006 and 2010 Note: As per the data released by the Planning Commission of India, after Bihar became the fastest growing state in India at 10.9 per cent between 2006 and 2010 while Gujarats growth rate declined to 9.3 per cent and it lagged behind Bihar and other four states- Orissa, Maharashtra, Haryana, Chhattisgarh in terms of growth rate. Bihar was the slowest growing state during 2001-05 period with GDP figure of 2.9 percent whereas Gujarat was the fastest growing state between 2001 and 2005 with figure of 11 percent. 3. Kumbh Mela the greatest show on Earth: Study: The study described the Kumbh Mela as an incredible event and the "greatest show on Earth". Note: The Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, to be held at Sangam in Allahabad early next year has been described as the "greatest show on Earth" in a four-year study. Up to 100 million people will gather on the shores of the Ganges to celebrate the Hindu festival commencing on 14th January 2013. For four years the team of British and Indian researchers have been studying the event, seeking to understand how people treat each other, how they experience the crowd and what impact the crowd has on their everyday lives. They will present their findings at a special event at Allahabad University on 24th January 2013. 4. Kamal Nath Appointed as New Ex officio Member of Plan Member: Kamal Nath will be replacing Jairam Naresh as New Ex officio Member of Plan Member. Note: Prime Minister Manmohan Singhs office on 26 December 2012 re-constituted the Planning Commission by appointing parliamentary affairs and urban development minister Kamal Nath as the new ex-officio member of the Plan panel. The other ex-officio members of the Commission, are Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, Home minister Sushilkumar Shinde, health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Chemicals and fertilisers minister M K Alagiri, Communications minister Kapil Sibal & Law minister Ashwani Kumar. 5. Oriya novelist is Jnanpith award winner of 2011: Leading Oriya novelist and academician Pratibha Ray named for the prestigious Jnanpith Award for the year 2011. Note: Pratibha Ray who has over 40 novels, travelogues and short stories to her credit, was on Thursday named for the prestigious Jnanpith Award for the year 2011. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 7 lakh,

a citation and a public felicitation. Ray will be the 47th author to be bestowed with the honour. Born in 1943, Pratibha Ray is one of the most widely read Oriya novelists and short story writers. She has 20 novels, 24 short stories, 10 travelogues, two poetry collections and a number of essays to her credit. 6. Shihab Ghanem became the First Arab to receive Indias Tagore Peace Prize: Ghanem was chosen due to the promotion of the human values of love and peace via his poetic works. Note: Emirati poet and translator Shihab Ghanem became the first Emirati and Arab to win the Tagore Peace Prize. The award is given to one person every two years. He said he was led to poetry by his father, brother and uncle, who have each published their own verses. He had written 31 Arabic poems and 36 English poems and had published 45 books mainly in Arabic verse. Tagore Peace Prize is instituted by the Indian government to commemorate the birth anniversary of Indias poet, philosopher and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore. Ghanem will officially receive the Tagore award in a ceremony to be held in Kolkata, India on May 6, 2013. Awards and Honours won by Shihab Ghanem: Rashid Award for Scientific Excellence in 1989 1st prize for poetry in the UAE in 1984 Book prize from the Ruler of Sharjah for poetry translation in 2003 and 2007. Ghanem said Work for your first life as if you will live forever, and for your hereaft er as if you will die tomorrow, 7. Assam tea estate Director & wife burnt to death by labourers; probe ordered: Note: In Assam, the Director of a tea estate and his wife were burnt to death last night by a group of labourers. State Home Secretary GD Tripathi said the victims have been identified as Mridul Kumar Bhattacharya and his wife. Bhattacharya was the Director of the Kunapathar Tea Estate under Bordumsa Police station. Miscreants also set ablaze two houses including the bungalow of the manager. 8. Clarke breaks Ponting record: Captain Michael Clarke became Australia's highest run scorer in a calendar year Note: Clarke breaks Ricky Ponting's previous national record of 1,544 runs and went on to score 106 to continue his stellar 2012 as a heavy defeat loomed for the hapless Sri Lankans. 9. Asian Hockey Champ: India to meet with Pakistan in summit clash: India suffer 3-5 loss to Malaysia, play Pakistan in final. Note: India will meet arch-rivals Pakistan in the summit clash of the Men's Asian Champions trophy hockey tournament in Doha, Qatar, tonight. 10. Another shocking gangrape of 42-year-old woman: Note: In another shocking case of gangrape, a 42-year-old woman was sexually assaulted by three men who dumped her in south-east Delhi on Wednesday night. The woman, the mother of a young boy, who hails from Jaipur, alleged that she was raped in Uttar Pradesh and dumped in south-east Delhi's Kalkaji area on Wednesday night.
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3. DAILY GK Updates December 28, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 26th DECEMBER 1. Inquiry Commission set up into rape case: Note: Government today constituted a Commission of Enquiry to look into various aspects of the gangrape of the 23 year-old paramedic in a moving bus on December 16th. Retired Justice Usha Mehra will head the commission and will also suggest measures to make Delhi and NCR safer for women and identify lapses on the part of the police among other things. It will submit its report within three months. 2. Narendra Modi sworn in as CM of Gujarat for 4th time: Note: In Gujarat,Naredra Modi was today sworn-in as the Chief Minister for the fouth consecutive term. Governor Dr.Kamla Beniwal administered the oath of office and secrecy to him at Sardar Patel Stadium at Ahmedabad. Seven cabinet Ministers and nine Ministers of State also took oath in todays ceremony. 3. Shinzo Abe is elected as a new PM of Japan: Note: Shinzo Abe was elected Japan's prime minister by the lower house of parliament on Wednesday.

The governing Democratic Party (DPJ) suffered major losses in the poll, with leader Yoshihiko Noda stepping down. Mr Abe, who was the Prime Minister in 2006-07, has pledged to take a tough line in a territorial row with China. 4. Egypt gets first people-approved constitution: Note: Over a year after overthrowing an entrenched dictator, Egypt on Wednesday adopted a new constitution after a two-thirds 'yes' vote in a polarising referendum. Egypt's Islamist President Mohamed Mursi signed into law the country's post revolution constitution last night after the election authorities declared it overwhelmingly approved in a two-stage referendum that was held on December 15 and 22. 5. Govt. hikes Wheat MSP by Rs 65 a quintal: Note: The government on Wednesday announced Rs 65 per quintal hike in the support price of wheat to Rs 1,350 per quintal and allowed additional exports of 2.5 million tonnes of wheat from its godowns to clear surplus stock and ease storage crunch. 6. Justice Swatanter Kumar took over as NGT Chairperson: Note: Justice Kumar took over as the Chairperson of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) - the apex body constituted under The National Green Tribunal Act 2010. Justice Swatanter Kumar is the first Judge of Supreme Court of India to preside over the Tribunal that never had a full-time Chairperson for itself. He would look forward to the issues related to the cases of environmental protection and conversation of forests and the natural resources. 7. Largest Kuchipudi dance performance in H'bad enters Guinness book: Note: In Hyderabad, a performance by 5,974 Kuchipudi dancers has found its way into the Guinness Book of World Records for being the largest Kuchipudi dance. A representative of the Guinness Book, who observed the event said it was the largest Kuchipudi dance. The event was organised by Silicon Andhra, a cultural organisation run by US-based Telugus, at the GMC Balayogi stadium. 8. AI beat IOC to claim Obaidullah Khan Gold Cup: Note: Last year's runners-up Air India (AI) lifted the International Obaidullah Khan Gold Cup hockey tournament title by defeating holders Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) 4-3 in the final. 9. Champions Hockey: India in finals; play league match with Malaysia on Wed: Note: India will take on Malaysia in their fifth and final round-robin match of the Men's Champions Trophy Hockey tournament at Doha, Qatar on Wednesday. 10. Pakistan beat India by 5 wkts in first T-20 match at B'lore: Note: Pakistan beat India by five wickets in the first Twenty20 International match in Bangalore last night. Chasing a modest target of 134 runs, the visitors achieved it in 19.4 overs to take a one-nil in the two-match series. This is Pakistan's first win in the shortest format of the game against India.
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4. DAILY GK Updates December 28, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 25th DECEMBER 1. Christmas being celebrated across the world today: Note: Christmas is being celebrated all over the world today, marking the birth of Jesus Christ. The celebrations began from the midnight last night with services and masses in various churches. Pop Benedict in his message urges the people to find room for God in their fast paced lives.

2.Veteran Cong leader Virbhadra Singh sworn in as HP CM for sixth time: Note: Veteran Congress leader Virbhadra Singh was today sworn-in as Himachal Pradesh's Chief Minister for a record sixth term in Shimla. The 78-year-old took oath at 10.40 am as the hill state's 13th Chief Minister in the presence of thousands of his supporters at the historic Ridge. 3. India and Russia signed pacts on Economic Ties for 2 billion dollar Investment Fund: Note: During the twelfth straight annual summit, the leaders of both the nations signed a pact for strengthening their economic ties with a Kremlin-backed 2 billion dollar investment fund and finalized 10 agreements including two military contracts of 20000 crore rupees, which was under process for past some time. Both the parties also agreed to talk about a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement involving Kazakhstan and Belarus. 4. Justice Verma Committee seeks suggestions from public: Note: Justice Verma Committee which has been constituted to look into the need for reviewing present law for speedier justice and enhanced punishment in cases of aggravated sexual assaulted has asked for suggestion from the public, eminent jurists, legal professionals, NGOs, women groups and civil society members through advertisement in newspapers. Suggestions can be sent on email at justice.verma@nic.in and through fax at 011-23092675 latest by 5th January, 2013. The Committee has to submit its report within one month from today. 5. Rupee drops 7 paise: The Rupee dropped by seven paise to 55.13 against the American currency in late morning trade on Monday on mild dollar demand from banks and importers amid its higher value overseas. 6. Shreyasi & Sushma Singh win Gold in 56th National Shooting Championship: Note: Shreyasi Singh and Sushma Singh have won gold medals in the 56th National Shooting Championship being played in New Delhi. Shreyasi of Bihar shot 88 in women's double trap for the coveted medal. Sushma from Uttrakhand won the gold medal in sports pistol event after she shot 580 + 200.5 7. India beat Pakistan 2-1; storm into Champions Trophy Hockey final: Note: Defending Champions India stormed into the final of the Second Men's Asian Champions Trophy Hockey tournament at Doha in Qatar. In an exciting match yesterday, they defeated Pakistan 2-1.India will play their final league match against Malaysia tomorrow and the finals on Thursday. 8. Actor Jack Klugman dies at 90: Note: Veteran US actor Jack Klugman, who had starring roles on television, Broadway and in Hollywood movies, died Monday at age 90 at his home in Los Angeles, according to news reports quoting family members. 9. Former PM Vajpayee turns 89 today: Note: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee turned 89 today. He was born on 25th December, 1924 and served as the Prime Minister of India, three times - first for a brief period of 13 days in 1996, and then for two terms from 1998 to 2004. Mr Vajpayee was elected to the Lok Sabha a record nine times and twice to the Rajya Sabha. He served as the Member of Parliament for Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, until 2009, when he retired from active politics due to health concerns. 10. Constable injured in India Gate protest dies in hospital: Note: A 47-year-old Delhi Police Constable Subhash Chand Tomar, who suffered serious injuries during violent protests at India Gate on Sunday, died on Tuesday after battling for life in a city hospital.
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DAILY GK Updates December 28, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 24th DECEMBER 1. Asian Hockey Champ: India to take on Pakistan in 4th match: Note: Reigning Champions India will take on arch rivals Pakistan in their fourth match at the Asian Champions trophy Hockey in Qatar capital Doha on Monday. Indian won the inaugural edition of the tournament in China.The defending champions continued their winning streak in Doha yesterday as they routed a hapless Oman by 11-0. 2. National Squash Champ: Saurav Ghosal wins Men's title; Joshna Chinappa bags women's title: Note: Saurav Ghosal reigned supreme, winning the men's titles in the 60th National Squash Championship in Kolkata on Sunday. The world number 11, Ghosal faced little resistance from second seed Harinder Pal Sandhu to wrap the issue, 11-5, 11-4, 11-3 in 33 minutes. 3. India, Russia seal new defence deals worth USD 4 bn; inks 10 pacts: Note: India has inked deals worth around Rs 22,000 crore with Russia to procure 42 new Su-30 MKI combat aircraft and 71 Mi-17V5 medium-lift helicopters. "Russia is a key partner in our efforts to modernise our armed forces and enhance our defence preparedness. A number of joint design, development and production projects are underway in high technology areas. We expressed satisfaction that these projects are progressing well," the Prime Minister said. 4. Marathi actors Anand Abhyankar, Akshay Pendse killed in road accident: Note: Well-known Marathi actors Mr. Anand Abhyankar and Mr. Akshay Pendse were among three people killed in an accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on Sunday last night.Mr. Anand Abhynkar had worked in number of Marthi, Hindi movies and tele serials. 5. Ilayaraja gets Sangeet Natak Akademi award: Note: Legendary South Indian composer Ilayaraja is among the nine artistes from the field of music who will receive the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for this year. Ilayaraja has been awarded for Creative and Experimental Music. Grammy Award-winning percussionist T H Vinayakram, Violinist N Rajam, who performs Hindustani classical music and veteran playwright Ratan Thiyam have been selected for the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships. 6. DoT announces women helpline number '167': Note: Admist nationwide uproar over brutal gang-rape of a paramedic student, the Telecom Ministry on Monday announced a three-digit women helpline number '167'. For helping women in distress, Delhi Chief Minister requested (Telecom Minister) Kapil Sibal to allot a three digit phone number. "Though DoT has limited resource in respect of three-digit numbers, yet within two hours of the request, a three-digit number '167' has been allotted for Chief Minister's helpline," a statement from the Department of Telecom said. 7. Indian team arrives in Bangalore for 1st T20 against Pak : Note: The Indian cricket team on Sunday arrived in the city for the first Twenty20 International against Pakistan at M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore on 25th December. 8. Indias first and unique cow sanctuary to be established in MP: Note: Indias first and unique cow sanctuary will be established in Madhya Pradesh. States chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today laid the foundation stone of the Kamadhenu Cow Sanctuary at Salriya village in Susner tahsil of Shajapur district. The Forest Department will run large-scale fodder production scheme here while arrangements will be made in the sanctuary for manufacture of insecticides from cow dung and urine. 9. President to attend special convocation of BHU: Note: President Shri Pranab Mukherjee will attend a special convocation of the Benaras Hindu University

(BHU) in Varanasi on Tuesday to mark the concluding function of the year long 150th Birth Anniversary celebrations of its founder 'Mahamana' Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya born on 25th Dcember, 1861. Nepalese President Ram Baran Yadav will also attend the function. He will be presented with an Honorary degree of Doctorate of Law by the University. 10. WB Govt. to organize credit fare for welfare of minority communities: Note: The West Bengal Government has decided to organize credit fare in the districts of the state for the welfare of minority communities. The West Bengal Government has decided to organize credit fare in the districts of the state for the welfare of minority communities. Around 22 lakhs people belonging to minority. 11. Christmas celebrations begin across all over world: Note: Christmas celebrations begin in across every part of the world from midnight on Monday. The day marks the birth of Jesus Christ. The celebrations begin with singing of Christmas carols followed by offering of prayers in the churches.
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6. DAILY GK Updates December 24, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 23RD DECEMBER 1. Sachin Tendulkar announces retirement from ODI cricket: Note: One of the game's all-time greats, Sachin Tendulkar, on Sunday announced his retirement from one-day cricket, bringing to an end a glorious 23-year-old career in the format during which he rewrote numerous batting records. I have decided to retire from the One-Day format of the game. I feel blessed to...See More
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7. DAILY GK Updates December 24, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 22ND DECEMBER 1.Prime Minister approves new measures for the security of women: Details:Government today approved new measures for security of women in the national capital. Briefing media in New Delhi after meeting with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde said that:Government to take immediate steps for amendment of criminal law for more effectiv...See More
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DAILY GK Updates December 23, 2012

Black day for Indian cricket and ODI lovers.... "Sachin Tendulkar announces retirement from ODIs" "I have decided to retire from one-day cricket. I feel blessed to have been a part of the World Cup winning Indian team," said Tendulkar. The Cricket God goes out after amassing 18,426 runs in 463 one-dayers at an average of 44.83. With astonishing 49 hundreds in the format, including a double hundred -- the first in this form of the game, he finally calls it a day!!!
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9. DAILY GK Updates December 22, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 21ST DECEMBER 1. India successfully test-fires Astra interceptor missile off Odisha coast India today successfully test-fired indigenously developed Astra air-to-air interceptor missile from Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur off Odisha coast. The beyond-visual-range missile was tested at 1.25 today afternoon from launch complext number 3 of ITR. NOTE:- This was a development trial of the missile and the target was an unmanned aerial vehicle which was flown from the same base few minutes before the launch of the missile. 2. Vice Prez pays tribute to Kalakshetra & Founder Rukmini Devi Arundale Vice President M Hamid Ansari today paid glowing tributes to Kalakshetra and its Founder Rukmini Devi Arundale. NOTE:- Inaugurating the 60th Annual Arts Festival of Kalakshetra in Chennai today, he described it as an important centre of training and performance which has produced generations of acclaimed artists in a distinctive style. 3. UK Planned to Replace Paper Money with Plastic Banknotes Britain planned to replace the paper money with plastic banknotes, which are said to be more durable as well as waterproof. NOTE:- Another advantage of these plastic bank oney has been used in Britain for over 300 years. The radical renovation in Britain might see polymer sterling currency in circulation in just three years time. 4. Govt. of India to set up Real Time Water Quality Monitoring stations along River Ganga Government of India decided to set up 113 Real Time Water Quality Monitoring Stations along the river Ganga. NOTE:- The Environment and Forests Minister Jayanti Natarajn in a written reply in the Lok Sabha asserted that the Real Time Water Quality Monitoring Stations stations is going to be set up in the next five years which includes eight in Uttarakhand, 57 in Uttar Pradesh, 13 in Bihar and 35 in West Bengal to monitor the water quality in the river 5. AIFF appointed a Probe Panel with Retired Judge A.K. Ganguly as its One-man Committee

All India Football Federation in the third week of December 2012 appointed A.K. Ganguly, the retired Judge of Supreme Court and Chairperson of the West Bengal Human Rights Commission, as the one-man committee for probing into and make a decision about the fate of the abandoned 10th round I-League match between the Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. NOTE:- Mohun Bagan decided not to play the second half of the match and abandoned it after one of its players Syed Rahim Nabi was hit by a stone from the stands in first half of the match on 9 December 2012 after a violence erupted in the gallery, when the Okolie Odafa, Captain of the West Bengal team was shown red card. 6. Roger Federer Named Swiss Male Athlete of the Year 2012 Roger Federer, 31, the No. 2 of the world and 17 times Grand Slam champion, was named Swiss Male Athlete of the Year 2012. Federer received the honour for the fifth time. NOTE:- Earlier in 2012, Federer had grabbed the 17th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon Championships, London, while also reclaiming his No. 1 ranking in the month of July 2012. He also acquired top most position by the end of the season. 7. Chhattisgarh the first state to pass legislation on food security Chhattisgarh became the first state in the country to bring legislation on food security. The state legislative assembly passed the Food Security Bill 2012 that confers legal rights to the beneficiaries to receive food grains and food items at highly subsidized prices. NOTE:-Moving the Bill, Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh said, the legislation has got the most unique features that covers all sections of the society, including poor families, children, women and other vulnerable groups. 8. Fuel Supply Agreement - FSA between power producers and Coal India Limited-CIL will be signed Coal Minster Sriprakash Jaiswal said that Fuel Supply Agreement - FSA between power producers and Coal India Limited-CIL will be signed within a month to resolve the issues of coal supply to the power companies. A meeting between the Coal Minister and Power Minister was held in New Delhi to resolve various issues related to the power sectors and quality of coal. 9. India, Malaysia share disappointment over GMR Male airport project issue External Affairs minister Salman Khurshid today said that Malaysia shared with India the disappointment over the termination of USD 511 million GMR Male airport project by the Maldivian government. NOTE:- GMR from India had 77 per cent stake while Malaysian government-owned MAHB held 23 per cent in the upgradation of Male International Airport project awarded by the previous Nasheed government in Maldives. 10. Rupee drops 30p to 55.15 against dollar The Indian rupee dropped by 30 paise to 55.15 against the American currency in the late morning trade on good dollar demand from banks and importers in view of higher dollar overseas amdist fall in equity market.
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10. DAILY GK Updates December 21, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 20TH DECEMBER 1. Olivia Culpo crowned Miss Universe 2012 American Olivia Culpo was crowned Miss Universe 2012 at a gala ceremony in Los Angeles, while Philippines' Janine Tugonon was adjudged the first runner-up followed by Venezuela's Irene Esser. NOTE:- India's Shilpa Singh made it to the top 16 spot but failed to progress further. 2. Nuclear capable Prithvi-II test successful India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile with a strike range of 350 km from a test range at Chandipur near Balasore (Odisha). The surface-to-surface missile was test fired from a mobile launcher in salvo mode from launch complex3 of Integrated Test Range. NOTE:- The launch of the sophisticated missile, conducted as part of operational exercise by the Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the defence services, was successful. 3. Sahitya Akademi Awards announced Booker-nominated Jeet Thayil and Bengali novelist Subrata Mukhopadhyaya are among 24 authors selected for this year's Sahitya Akademi Awards, which was dominated by poets. Twelve of the 24 awards went to works of poets, which include K Sachitandandan (Malayalam - Marannu Vacha Vazhikal), late Bal Krishna 'Bhaura (Dogri - Tim-Tim Karde Tare) and Makhan Lal Kanwal (Kashmiri - Yath Aangnaz Manz). NOTE:- A Sahitya Akademi release says, 12 books of poetry, six short story collections, four novels and one each of autobiography and criticism were selected for the awards this year, two of them posthumously. The awards were given to books first published between January 2008 and December 2010. The award carries one lakh rupees, engraved copper plaque and a shawl. 4. India, ASEAN finalise FTA in services, investments Targeting an ambitious two-way commerce of USD 200 billion by 2022, India and the 10-member ASEAN finalised a free trade agreement in services and investments, a move which would give Indian professionals access to the 800 million Southeast Asian market. NOTE:- Strengthening ties, India and ASEAN also elevated their dialogue partnership to a strategic level. 5. Narendra Modi Re-elected as Gujarat Chief Minister; scores a hat-trick The BJP registered its fifth consecutive victory in Gujarat, third under Modi, when it bagged 115 seats, two less than in the 2007 elections while Congress bagged two more to finish at 61. The Nationalist Congress Party won two seats while Janata Dal-U one seat. 6. Virbhadra reclaims his throne in Himachal Seventy-eight-year-old Virbhadra Singh is an old war horse who could not be put down by allegations of corruption nor by infighting in the Congress as he steered the party back to power in Himachal Pradesh with a spirited campaign. The veteran may all be set to become chief minister of the state for the sixth time, setting a record. 7. Government tables mid year economic review in Parliament The government lowered the growth projection for the current financial year to 5.7-5.9 per cent from 7.6 per cent estimated earlier. The Mid-Year Economic Analysis tabled in Parliament also pitches for supportive monetary and fiscal policies to improve investor confidence. NOTE:- Besides, its says that the government will also have to address the concerns relating to structural supply side bottlenecks. Earlier RBI had lowered the growth rate to 5.8 per cent for 2012-13. 8. 14 UNSC member including India slam Israel's construction plan India was joined by all members of the 15-nation UN Security Council except the US to condemn Israel's announcement of new construction activity in Palestinian territories and demand immediate dismantling of the "illegal" settlements. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also expressed his deep concern by the heightened settlement activity

in West Bank, saying the move by Israel "gravely threatens efforts to establish a viable Palestinian state." NOTE:- India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri, in his capacity as Coordinator of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) caucus of the Security Council, told reporters in United Nations after a UNSC briefing on the situation in the Middle East that there was an attempt in the Council to bring a resolution on the issue. 9. US to reimburse USD 688 mn to Pak The US has decided to reimburse USD 688 mn to Pakistan for the cost of supporting some 140,000 coalition troops on Af-Pak border in what appears to be a fall back to its decades-old policy of "appeasement" to seek an honorable exit from war-torn Afghanistan. NOTE:- The Pentagon notified the Congress about its decision to reimburse USD 688 million to Pakistan, under Coalition Support Fund (CSF). 10. Britain to withdraw 3,800 troops from Afghanistan Britain will withdraw 3,800 troops, almost half of the current force serving in Afghanistan's troubled Helmand province, by the end of 2013, Prime Minister David Cameron has announced. NOTE:- Cameron told the Parliament that 3,800 British troops are to be withdrawn from Afghanistan next year. 11. Ireland to revamp abortion laws after Savita's death Laws allowing limited access to abortion will be introduced in Ireland, the only EU member state that bans the procedure, following the death of 31-year-old Savita Halappanavar who was refused a termination. NOTE:- The death last month of Halappanavar, who was denied an abortion of her dying foetus and later died of blood poisoning, shocked the predominantly Roman Catholic country and spurred the government to act on an issue it had delayed for decades. 12. Legendary Hockey player Leslie Claudius passed away Legendary hockey player and one of India's greatest Olympians Leslie Claudius, passed away in Kolkata after a prolonged illness. He was 85-years-old. Claudius was suffering from cirrhosis of the liver and frequently needed hospitalization in the past couple of years. NOTE:- Claudius had three Olympic gold medals - London 1948, Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956. At Rome in 1960, he led India to a silver-medal finish.
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11. DAILY GK Updates December 21, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 19TH DECEMBER 1. Park Geun-Hye Elected As the First Woman President of South Korea Park Geun-hye was elected as the president of South Korea, the first woman who acquired this post. Park Geun-hye is the daughter of longest ruling dictator of South Korea. NOTE:-After the counting of votes, it was declared by the National Election Commission that Park had enjoyed clear victory with51.64 percent votes in comparison to 47.93 percent votes for Moon Jae-in, who is the former lawyer of human rights.

2. US President Barack Obama named Person of the year 2012 by TIME Magazine US President Barack Obama was named TIME's Person of the Year for 2012, because of his historic win over the re-election in November 2012 which is being considered as symbol of the nation's changing demographics amid the backdrop of high unemployment and other challenges. NOTE:- His name was announced by TIME editor Rick Stengel on NBC's Today program. It is the second time Barack Obama is being accorded with this honour. He had also received the honour in 2008, when he was first elected as president. 3. Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram awarded with Best Administrator in India Award Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram awarded with the Best Administrator in India Award instituted by K. Karunakaran Foundation. The award was presented to him by Vice President of India, M. Hamid Ansari. NOTE:- The award is given to him for his role in evolving indian economy as Finance Minister in the late 1990s when he presented what was widely called a dream budget which gave a road map for economic reforms in India and lowered income and corporate tax rates. 4. First of the Eight P-8I Maritime Surveillance Aircraft received by Indian Navy Indian Navy received its first P-8I Maritime Surveillance Aircraft at its facility located at Seattle, out of the eight that it would get from Boeing. P-8I would be armed with torpedoes, rockets and deadly missile with abilities to fight against powerful warships and anti-submarine warfare. NOTE:- A deal of 2.1 billion dollar was signed between India and the US Aircraft maker Boeing in January 2009 for procurement of the long range surveillance aircraft equipped with anti-submarine weaponry. This contract also included the option of having four additional aircrafts along with the intelligence and surveillance systems, training and maintenance support and warfare. The aircraft will arrive in India by May 2013 along with two more aircrafts expected to be handed over the Indian Naval team by the month. 5. Ratan Tata Conferred with the Title of Chairman Emeritus for Tata Group Ratan Tata, the outgoing Chairman of Tata Group was conferred with the honorary title of Chairman Emeritus-the holding company of the 100 billion dollar Tata Group. NOTE:- The decision of conferring him with the title was made by the board of Tata Sons. Ratan Tata will retire from his office on 28 December 2012 and Cyrus Mistry would be taking over the chair of the group after him on the same day. Ratan Tata as an honorary chairman will not attend any of the board meetings of Tata Group and would also not have any responsibility towards the company. 6. UN Slashed World Growth Forecast to 2.4 Percent for year 2013 United Nations slashed its global growth predictions to 2.4 percent for 2013 and 3.2 percent for the following year and warned of a lasting employment crisis for western countries. NOTE:- The UN's World Economic Situation and Prospects 2013 report warned that the Debt crises in Europe and the United States and a slowdown in China could all throw the world economy into recession. Earlier in the t month of June 2012 UN had predicted a growth forecast 2.7 percent for 2013 and 3.9 percent for the year after. 9 . India's uranium reserve pegged at two lakh tonnes India has a confirmed reserve of nearly two lakh tonnes of uranium at present. The reserves of monazite amount to one hundred seven lakh tonnes. NOTE:- Although the reserves of uranium in the country are modest, they are located in 10 States. Its highest quantity occurs in Andhra Pradesh with a reserve of 93,492 tonnes followed by Jharkhand with over 53,000 tonnes. While Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh have substantial quantities of uranium, the rare earth is found in modest quantities in Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand.

The Atomic Mineral Directorate under the Atomic Energy Department is the specialist agency to survey and explore the reserves of this vital component in generating atomic power in the country.
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12. DAILY GK Updates December 20, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 18TH DECEMBER 1. LS passed Banking Laws Amendment Bill, 2012 Lok Sabha today passed the Banking Laws Amendment Bill, 2012 by voice vote. Key Points related to Banking Laws Amendment Bill, 2012:The Bill was passed after the government agreed to drop Forward Markets Contract Clause which allows banks to enter commodity futures trading. The Bill paves the way for the RBI to issue new banking licences to private sector. Finance Minister P Chidambaram said, some of the smaller banks in public sector will be merged to make two to three world size banks. RBI will continue to be the regulatory authority for the banking sector and the Competition Commission of India will deal only with competitive practices. Finance Minister Government is committed to strengthening the public sector banks and there are no plans to retrench staff. He said plans are also underway to recruit over 84 thousand employees this year. The Minister said, 6 thousand Bank branches will be opened each year. Mr Chidambaram said, during this fiscal, 15 thousand crore rupees will be infused into the public sector banks. Referring to the non-performing assets of these banks, he said, no doubt it is a matter of concern but not alarming. 2. RBI keeps key rates unchanged in mid-quarter policy review The Reserve Bank of India has decided to keep all the key rates unchanged in its mid-quarter policy review today. Repo Rate has been kept unchanged at 8 per cent. Cash Reserve Ratio has also been kept unchanged at 4.25 per cent. Bank Rate has also been kept unchanged at 9 per cent. Reverse Repo Rate will remain unchanged at 7 per cent. Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) will remain unchanged at 9 per cent. NOTE:- The Reserve Bank has said that in view of inflation pressures ebbing, monetary policy has to increasingly shift focus and respond to the threats to growth from this point onwards. The RBI has said that liquidity will be managed to support growth. GDP growth is evolving along the baseline projection of 5.8 per cent for 2012-13. The headline WPI inflation has edged down to 7.2 per cent in November, however inflation may edge higher over the next two months. The RBI will update its forecast for FY13 growth and inflation in the quarter ending December 31, 2012. 3. India Developed Indigenous Japanese Encephalitis (JE) Vaccine First vaccine of the world was developed against Japanese Encephalitis (JE) using the Indian strain of virus. National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune offered the strain of JE virus to Bharat Biotech. NOTE:-

This JE virus was gathered from Kolar in Karnataka. Bharat Biotech had submitted results from final human trials to Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) so that it could have marketing clearance. 4. LS unanimously passed Constitution Amendment Bill Lok Sabha today unanimously passed the Constitution Amendment Bill providing special provisions for setting up a separate Development Board for the backward areas of the erstwhile Hyderabad-Karnataka region in Karnataka state. NOTE:- The Bill seeks insertion of Article 371 J in the Constitution, providing equitable allocation of funds for development, promotion of employment and education in the region. The erstwhile Hyderabad-Karnataka region include the districts of Gulbarga, Bidar, Raichur, Koppal, Yadgir and Bellary. Both Houses of the Karnataka legislature had passed resolutions to provide special provisions to the region in 2010. 5. Govt to provide cheap loans to more sectors: Anand Sharma Government is considering to provide cheap loans to some over stressed sectors other than SMEs to provide them a cushion against the global economic slowdown. Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said that he has discussed the matter with the Finance Minister. He said the government would shortly announce incentives for export sectors which are facing the heat of global demand slowdown. 6. Government of Maharashtra ordered SIT Probe into Multi-Crore Irrigation Scam Government of Maharashtra ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the matter of multicrore irrigation scam. The announcement was made in both the legislative houses of the state. NOTE:- The SIT would be headed by the Dr. Madhavrao Chitale and comprise experts from law and judiciary and finance departments. Its deadline would be finalized by 31 December 2012. Dr. Chitale is a water expert and has worked for different commissions and at different capacities and served the Union Water Resource Ministry as its Secretary. 7. India Lost the Test Series by 1-2 after Nagpur Test ended as a Draw The last test match between India and England of the Tournament England Tour to India ended up as a draw and with this India lost the four-test match cricket series against England by 1-2 on 17 December 2012. NOTE:- With this win England succeeded in ending a 28 year long wait of winning a test series on Indian Soil. Before this the English side under the captaincy of David Gower won the test series in India 198485. 8. Syed Modi International India Grand Prix Gold Badminton Championship takes off in Lucknow. Syed Modi International India Grand Prix Gold Badminton Championship took off in Lucknow today. 9. IOA suspended officials barred from participating in OCA events Olympic Council of Asia has barred officials of the suspended Indian Oympic Association from participating in OCA events. However, it said "as a special case" Indian atheltes will be allowed to take part in the OCA Games, including the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon under the IOC flag. NOTE:- The OCA's decision came in the wake of the suspension imposed on IOA by the International Olympic Committee earlier this month. 10. Malaria cases in India to go down by 50 to 75 per cent by 2015, says World Health Organisation. A report by World Health Organisation (WHO), says, India will see a decrease of 50-75 per cent in malaria cases by 2015. The WHO's World Malaria Report 2012 said, a concerted effort by endemic countries, donors and global malaria partners during the past decade has led to strengthened malaria control around the world. It, however, warned that a significant slowdown in global funding of anti-malaria campaigns threatens to roll back the gains made against the preventable mosquito-borne disease over the last 10 years. NOTE:- In the south-east Asia Region, Bhutan, Korea, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand have registered decreases of 75 per cent or more in the malaria incidence rates between 2000 and 2011.

The report said, India, Nepal and Thailand could also potentially move from the control to the preelimination phase by continuing their progress.
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13. DAILY GK Updates December 19, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 17TH DECEMBER 1. Shahrukh Khan honoured with BrandLaureate Legendary Award in Malaysia 47 Years old Bollywood Actor Shah Rukh Khan awarded with the prestigious BrandLaureate Legendary Award in Malaysia. NOTE:- The award was given by the Malaysia-based Asia Pacific Brands Foundation for his contributions to the Bollywood film industry and as India's foremost brand ambassador. 2. Union Government of India lowered the Growth Projection for Current Fiscal to 5.7 Percent Union Government of India today lowered down the growth projection for the current financial year 2012-13 from 7.6 percent that was estimated earlier to 5.7-5.9 percent. It also pitched for the supportive monetary and fiscal policies for improving the confidence of the investors. NOTE:- The projection was showcased in the Mid-Year Economic Analysis tabled in Indian Parliament. 3. Government of Bihar to hold Bandi Drabar in Jail for redressal of Complaints by Prisoners Government of Bihar in the month of December announced that that it is going to hold bandi darbars in jails across the state for on-the-spot resolution of complaints by jail inmates related to food, health and other civic facilities. NOTE:- As Per the new jail manual 2012, notified by the state government, the darbars is supposed to be held once in two months by the concerned district magistrates. 4. Junior World TT Championship: China Claimed All Titles China got the clean sweep of titles at Volkswagen 2012 World Junior Table Tennis Championship after it won girls as well as boys trophies. NOTE:- In the second week of December 2012, China had won girls and boys team titles. 5. Central Zoo Authority of India Approved Exchanging White Tigress against Puma Pair from Russia Central Zoo Authority of India approved exchanging white tigress from the Delhi Zoo against a pair of puma, which is also called cougar, panther or mountain lion, from the Krasnoyarks Park of flora and fauna, Roev Ruchey in Russia. NOTE:- This pair of puma would arrive soon from Russia. This pair would be among other foreign species such as South American jaguars as well as grey kangaroos which are nestled at National Zoological Park, New Delhi. 6. Union Government of India Extended ban on ULFA and NDFB Union home ministry in Month of December extended the ban on United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) and National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) under the Unlawful Prevention Act. NOTE:- The home ministry in a gazette notification announced that all the factions of the ULFA and the NDFB are banned under Section three of the Unlawful Prevention Act. 7. RS passes bill for reservation in promotion for SCs and STs in govt. jobs. Rajya Sabha has passed the Constitution (117th Amendment) Bill, 2012 providing for reservation in

promotions to SCs and STs in government jobs. 206 members voted in favour while 10 against it. NOTE:- The Bill required majority of the total members of the House and two-third majority of the members present and voting. 8. India retain No.5 spot in ICC Test rankings Despite losing to England 1-2 in the home Test series, India retained their number five position as per the latest ICC Test Championship rankings issued Dubai today. India, however, dropped a ratings point to 105, and are now four-points behind arch-rival Pakistan who are placed at the fourth position. 9. WB govt.to start pre-primary education in all schools West Bengal Government is due to start pre-primary education in all Government and Government-aided Schools. NOTE:- State Education Minister Mr. Bratya Basu said that, additional class rooms for pre-primary teachings and appointment of pre-primary teachers are to be undertaken soon. He said that, the admission of students in these sections will be through lotteries. The education minister said that although admissions to the primary stage is going to be at 6 plus age of students, those who pass preprimary before 6 syears of age will not be debared from admition to class one. 10. WHOs clearance for Indias vaccine regulatory system World Health Organization team today cleared India's vaccine regulatory system for maintaining international standards. This has paved the way for easy export of vaccines produced in the country. NOTE:- India's Rs 19,000-crore vaccine industry accounts for exports worth 13 billion US dollars to 150 countries across the world. The latest certification means all the 12 Indian vaccine makers can now apply for WHO pre-qualification and thus improve the chances of exporting their products to all over the world. 11. Sharad Pawar releases book For the Grains written by KV Thomas Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today released a book titled 'For the Grains' at a function in New Delhi. The book written by Food Minister K V Thomas is a compilation of 37 speeches delivered by him in recent years. NOTE:- The Book covers a wide range of issues including agriculture, food security, climate change, ayurveda, research and education in the country. 12. Tamil Version of the Book "Still Counting the Dead" authored by Frances Harrison Released Tamil version of the book, Still Counting the Dead- Survivors of Sri Lanka's Hidden War authored by Frances Harrison was released on 15 December 2012. The first copy of the translated work was received by noted art critic and writer Sadanand Menon. NOTE:- This book reveals the unprecedented killings in the last phase of civil war-also called as Eelam War in Sri Lanka in the year 2009.
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14. DAILY GK Updates December 18, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 16TH DECEMBER 1. Nation celebrated Vijay Diwas with pride and honour Nation celebrated Vijay Diwas with pride and honour today. On the occasion of Vijay Diwas, several

commemorative functions were organised across the country to pay homage to the martyrs who laid down their lives in the service of the nation.This is the day on which India defeated Pakistan in the war of 1971. NOTE:- Bangladesh also celebrated the 42nd Victory Day marking the historic triumph of the Indian army and Mukti Bahini over the Pakistan armed forces in 1971.16th December 1971 is the most important day in the history of Bangladesh. The day is also equally important for India as on this day Pakistan Army General AAK Niazi along with 93,000 soldiers surrendered unconditionally to the Lt. General Jagjit Singh Arora of Indian army. 2. Sonia Gandhi launched "Delhi Annshri Yojna" UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi launched a major food security programme of Delhi Government "Delhi Annshri Yojna". NOTE:- Congress president Sonia Gandhi today strongly backed the Centre's New Direct Benefit Transfer system that will ensure cash transfer directly in the hands of beneficiaries of various schemes, saying it is in line with many other "revolutionary" measures taken by the UPA. 3. Arunachal Weightlifter Jimjang Deru creates National Record Arunachal weightlifter Jimjang Deru brought laurels to the state by creating three New National Record in the ongoing 8th Youth National Weightlifting Championship at Nehru stadium, New Delhi. NOTE:- He broke the previous record of Sukhen Dey set in 2005 during Bhilai Youth National Weightlifting Championships by lifting one kg more weight. Dey was the lone Indian male weightlifter in 2012 London Olympics. Deru lifted a total of 193 kg (snatch 86 kg + Clean and Jerk 107 kg) to win three gold medals. 4. Saina lost Semi-Final clash at World Super Series Finals Saina Nehwal's hopes of winning her maiden 'World Super Series Finals' title this year went up in smoke as she lost her semi-final clash against top seed and current Olympic champion Li Xuerui of China in a three-game encounter. 5. Gurbani regains All India Ladies Golf Title Rising golfer Gurbani Singh regained the Usha All India Ladies Matchplay title after a gap of 3 years. 16year old Gurbani outplayed Gursimar Badwal in the final of the National Championships in Kolkata today. The contest was to be played over 36 holes, but ended in just 27. Gurbani emerged a victor by 10 & 9. NOTE:- By winning the title, Gurbani underlined her status as the top amateur in the country. 3 years back, she had become the youngest to win the All India Ladies title for the first time. The Trophy for the Championships, which was being held for the 96th time, was given away by Indian women's boxing legend and Olympic bronze-medallist M C Mary Kom. 6. World Series Boxing: Afghanistan wins 2 bronze medals Afghanistan has won two bronze medals in the World Series Boxing tournament in Kazakhstan yesterday. NOTE:- Afghan boxer Rezaye reached quarter finals of the tournament defeating his Chinese and Kazakh rivals in the qualifying rounds before he was defeated by another Kazakh boxer. In womens category Afghan female boxer Sadaf Rahimi received an honorary bronze medal for her performance in the tournament. 7. Israeli Foreign Minister Lieberman submits resignation Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman today submitted his resignation after several days of indecision over leaving his post due to an indictment by the state attorney general on charges of breach of trust and fraud. 8. Liberal Democrats Win Landslide Victory in Japan Elections Japans voters handed a landslide victory to the Liberal Democratic Party in parliamentary elections on

Sunday, giving power back to the conservative party that had governed Japan for decades until a historic defeat three years ago.
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15. DAILY GK Updates shared a link. December 18, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 15TH DECEMBER 1. Naina Lal Kidwai becomes first woman President of FICCI Naina Lal Kidwai took over as President of FICCI, becoming the first woman to head the leading industry body. NOTE:- Kidwai succeeds R V Kanoria of Kanoria Chemicals & Industries Ltd. Chairman of Xpro India Ltd and Digjam Ltd, Sidharth Birla, also has been elected as Senior Vice-President of FICCI. 2. North Korea Launched Long Range Unha-3 Rocket amid International Opposition North Korea launched a long-range rocket Unha-3 despite international opposition and growing tensions in the region successfully delivering a scientific satellite Kwangmyongsong-3 into orbit. NOTE:- Unha-3 is the second version of satellite Kwangmyongsong-3 which is successfully lifted off from the Sohae Space Center by carrier rocket. 3. Justice Arun kumar Mishra appointed Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court Justice Arun Kumar Mishra took over as the new Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court. NOTE:- Arun Kumar Mishra was earlier the Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court. He was administered the oath of office by West Bengal Governor M K Narayanan. 4. Pandit Ravi Shankar to be Honoured with Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award 2013 Organisers of the Recording Academy announced that Pandit Ravi Shankar, the sitar maestro would be honoured with the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously. Pandit Ravi Shankar would become first Indian to receive the prestigious award. The award would be presented at 55th Grammy Awards ceremony on 10 February 2013 in Los Angeles. NOTE:- Pandit Ravi Shankar is a three-time Grammy Award winner. Pandit Ravi Shankar, 92 had passed away on 11 December 2012 after heart-valve replacement surgery in California. 5. ICICI Bank Opened 101 Gramin Branches across Villages in 6 States ICICI Bank, the largest private sector bank of India opened 101 distinct gramin branches or rural branches as the part of its financial enclosure plan. These branches were opened in villages which lack the banking facilities, across six states of India. NOTE:- All these gramin branches of the ICICI Bank would remain open for 4 hours per day and 6 days per week. These branches would offer banking services like fixed and recurring deposits, saving bank accounts, remittances, tractor loans as well as Kisan credit cards. Just like their current rural branches, ICICI will have at least 3 employees at the bank. Depending upon the business of the bank, ICICI might also make an addition of ATMs to a few of these rural branches. 6. Advocate R S Goswami Elected As the Chairman of Bar Council of Delhi Advocate R S Goswami was elected as the chairman of Bar Council of Delhi. Goswami has the career span of 25 years as legal practitioner in different courts. He was elected unanimously by council

members. NOTE:- R S Goswami has second term as member of bar council. From 2006 to 2008, he was the honourary secretary of the Bar Council of Delhi. 7. Bombay Stock Exchange launched SME Platform Index aimed at Tracking Primary Market Condition Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) launched an SME index which primarily aims at tracking the current primary market conditions in the Indian capital market and measuring the growth in investors wealth over a period. NOTE:-The index is going to be constituted by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) which are listed on the BSE SME platform. Presently, there are 11 companies which are listed on the SME platform and this index is going to have features similar to the BSE IPO index. 8. Union Government launched Government Calendar Featuring Flagship Schemes Government of Indias Wall Calendar for 2013 was launched featuring various flagship programmes of the Government, which includes Aadhaar based Direct Cash Transfer Scheme to be implemented in 51 districts from January 2013 among others. NOTE:- The calendar is printed and designed by Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which has over the years worked on developing social advertising brand Bharat Nirman. The theme of the calendar is Bharat Nirman - Sabka hit, Sabka Haq. 9. Robert Amritraj passed away Robert Amritraj, father of tennis icons Anand, Vijay and Ashok has passed away. He was 91. NOTE:- Indian tennis considered Robert Amritraj as a father figure since he was instrumental in shaping the State Tennis Association and the formation of the Brittania-Amritraj Tennis Academy. 10. India bags Kabaddi World Cup in both Men's, Women's category India has won the 3rd World Cup Kabaddi Tournament for the third consecutive time in Mens category and second consective time in Womens category. NOTE:- Indian men thrahsed its arch rival Pakistan with a decisive margin of 59-22 points whereas, Indian eves out scored Malaysia by 72-12. Both the finals were played at Guru Nanak Dev Stadium in Ludhiana. 11. WHO clears India's vaccine industry to export vaccines across the world India's 19,000 crore rupee vaccine industry has been cleared by the World Health Organization (WHO) to export vaccines across the world. NOTE:- After a four-day audit, a 16-member multi-nation team headed by WHO officials informed Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad that they are satisfied with the vaccine clearance procedure adopted by the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) or the Drug Controller General's Office (DCGO). Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr G N Singh said India has become the first country to pass the stringent indicators put in place by the WHO, in one shot. 12. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the Setting up of CCI Union government of India approved the setting up of a Cabinet Committee on Investment (CCI), to fast track investment clearances for mega projects. The decision was taken in the Union Cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. NOTE:- Prime Minister will head the CCI and he will also nominate the members of the committee. The CCI will expedite projects offering single window clearance for projects costing 1000 crore rupees or more by setting timelines for the concerned ministries. 13. Global Telecom Treaty without Net Control Signed by 89 Nations A controversial new global treaty on telecom regulations was signed by 89 International Telecommunication Union member states out of a possible 144 Countries regardless of US objections to prospective regulation of the Internet. NOTE:- Over 150 nations met in Dubai, under the support of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to update a set of telecom rules of 1988, before the Internet and mobile phones transformed

communications. But they failed to draw a conclusion which will lead to a new fight over cyberspace. 55 countries did not sign the treaty that enters effect in January 2015. A US-led bloc advocated a tolerant approach to the Internet, while Russia, China and much of Africa and the Middle East wanted greater governmental oversight of cyberspace. 14. Bhanu Athaiya, First Indian to Win Oscar decided to Return Her Trophy Bhanu Athaiya, the first Indian to win an Oscar for costume design in the movie Gandhi decided to return her award to the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in December 2012. Bhanu Athaiya fears that she might lose her trophy as the government might not be able to protect it. 15. DAVP Received the Web Ratna Award-2012-Golden Icon Award Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) was conferred the prestigious Web Ratna 2012, Golden Icon Award for Innovative use of Technology. NOTE:- The DAVP Website http://www.davp.nic.in/ has enabled a complete change from the manual mode to the online mode where the media plans are made and released for the end users. The website with several user friendly features is the only advertising agency in the country which releases its designs, Release orders, payments online. The DAVP website has added a great deal of transparency to the entire system in its billing as well as other procedures which have not only helped the organisation but also its stakeholders. DAVP also keeps as much information as possible on the website for public scrutiny and information.

.:: Directorate of Advertising & Visual Publicity (Ministry of Information & Broadcasting) ::. www.davp.nic.in

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16. DAILY GK Updates December 16, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 14TH DECEMBER 1. RBI extends cheque upgradation deadline till March next year Bank customers do not need to discard their non-CTS 2010 standard cheque books in a hurry to get their multi-city CTS-2010 standard cheque leafs. They will get another three months time for such upgradation. NOTE:- Reserve Bank of India has just extended the deadline for doing the switchover for another three

months to March 31 next year, following representation from various quarters. RBI had earlier issued instructions to standardise the system with 'multi city' and 'payable at par' cheques for all customers. 2. Meghalaya Lokayukta Bill passed Meghalaya Legislative Assembly toaday passed the Meghalaya Lokayukta Bill-2012 on the concluding day of its 4-day winter session amidst walk out by Opposition members of the Nationalist Congress Party. NOTE:- Introducing the Bill, Meghalaya Chief Minister, Dr. Mukul Sangma termed the Bill as, historic, as it would provide for establishment of a body of Lokayukta for the State of Meghalaya to inquire into allegation of corruption against certain public functionaries. 3. RBI says direct cash transfer can help control inflation RBI Deputy Governor, KC Chakrabarty said in Mumbai that the Central Governments ambitious direct cash transfer scheme will play a crucial role in reducing the fiscal deficit and controlling inflation in the country. Describing the scheme as a power tool the senior most of the four RBI deputy governors explained that the scheme if implemented well the scheme will have a positive impact on the inflation front and efficiency in expenditure will help reduce the fiscal deficit. NOTE:- The programme which is planned to be introduced in 43 districts beginning from early next year, will help in curtailing massive leakages and wastages in the subsidy distribution system. Initially 16 states will be covered by 1st April 2013 and the national roll out is planned till 1st April 2014. He also said that the programme will help in driving the financial inclusion agenda of the apex bank RBI. 4. Govt committed to protecting interests of Jute farmers & industry: Textiles Min Textiles Minister Anand Sharma has said the Government is committed to protect the interests of jute farmers and the industry. Government raised the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of jute to Rs. 2,200 per quintal, a 32 percent hike compared to the previous year. NOTE:- Jute Corporation of India has already procured 2 lakhs 61 thousand bales of jute so far and is now ready to open more purchasing centres wherever necessary. 5. Inflation declines to 7.24 percent Inflation declined to 7.24 per cent in November from 9.46 per cent in the same month a year ago although prices of food items like potato, wheat, cereals, rice, pulses, edible oil and sugar went up during the period. NOTE:- Inflation, as measured by the Wholesale Price Index, had stood at 7.45 per cent in the previous month. Food inflation, as a category, rose to 8.5 per cent during the month, from 8.32 per cent a year ago. Vegetables prices declined by 1.19 per cent in November this year as compared to a surge of 10.68 per cent in the same month a year ago. 6. India and Pakistan seal accord to ease visa restrictions The liberalised visa agreement between India and Pakistan has been operationalized by home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Pakistan interior minister Rehman Malik with the latter calling it a historic step forward for the peace process. NOTE:- The places of visit allowable have been increased by both countries from 3 to 5 and a provision made for issue of visa up to 2 years for persons above 65, nationals married to nationals of the other country and children below 12. Exemption from police reporting will also be offered to those arriving on a business visa and who have an income of above 5 million Pakistani rupee. Both concessions will kick in immediately. 7. India Telecom 2012 conference held in New Delhi Telecom Secretary R Chandrashekhar has said that India is at the threshold of 3rd revolution in telecommunication. He said, the anticipated broadband revolution will revolutionize the socio-economy sector including health and information. Mr. Chandrashekhar was delivering the keynote address of the

special session on Critical Internet Resources and Way Forward on the second day of the India Telecom 2012 conference in New Delhi. 8. Lok Sabha passed Supplementary Demand Grants for 2012-13 Lok Sabha yesterday passed the Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2012-13 and the relevant Appropriation Bills. This authorises the Centre to withdraw Rs. 30,804 crore from the Consolidated Fund of India. NOTE:- The country has a comfortable stock of 682 lakh tonnes of wheat and rice at present. 9. Economy likely to grow at 5.5-6% this fiscal: Rangarajan Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC) Chairman C Rangarajan said, the economy is expected to grow at 5.5 to 6 per cent in the current fiscal and the next year will see a better rate of expansion. Mr Rangarajan said, growth in the first half of 2012-13 has fallen to 5.4 per cent, from 7.3 per cent in the same period last fiscal. He expressed hope that the economy will do better in the second half and the manufacturing sector could grow. 10. Cabinet Committee on Security gave its nod to a Rs. 2,150 crore proposal on coastal security Cabinet Committee on Security gave its nod to a 2,150 crore rupee proposal on coastal security that aims at preventing any 26/11-type attack. NOTE:- Under the proposal, 5 offshore patrol vessels would be bought for the Coast Guard for Rs. 1,500 crore. As part of the proposal, Rs. 640 crore would be spent on setting up the second phase of coastal security network under which 38 radars would be established to create a near gap free electronic surveillance along the entire coastal area.
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17. DAILY GK Updates December 14, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 13TH DECEMBER 1. India Successfully test fired Agni I Ballistic Missile India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear capable Agni-I ballistic missile with a strike range of 700 km from a test range off Odisha coast. NOTE:- The missile was test-fired under a practice trial by the Strategic Force Command of the Indian Army from a mobile launcher at about 8.30 am on 12 December 2012 from launch pad-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Wheeler Island, about 100 km from Balasore, defence . 2. India wins inaugural Blind Cricket T20 World Cup India has won the inaugural Blind Cricket Twenty20 World Cup after beating Pakistan by 29 runs in the title clash in Bangalore today. Ketan Bhai Patel guided India to 258 with a hurricane knock of 98. The hosts restricted the visitors to 229 for 9 in the allotted 20 overs. NOTE:- The victory is India's first in a World Cup final after they lost to Pakistan in 2006. Besides hosts India and Pakistan, the other partcipants in the tournament were Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Nepal . 3. Bollywood Actress Hema Malini Selected for Bharat Muni Samman Famous Bollywood actress and Bharatanatyam exponent Hema Malini had been selected for the prestigious Bharat Muni Samman of year 2012 for her outstanding contribution to the field of art and

culture. NOTE:- Bharat Muni Samman is named after the author of Natyashastra Bharat Muni and has been instituted by Bhubaneswar-based organisation Kalingayana Touryatrikam. 4. West Bengal Cabinet approves land allotment policy, guidelines West Bengal Cabinet approved land allotment policy and guidelines today. The State Commerce and Industries Minister Mr. Partha Chatterjee said that, land will be allotted to 14 big, medium and small scale Industries soon as per the new policy. NOTE:- Mr. Chatterjee said that, the Cabinet also decided to give one time assistance of Rs. 8,000 to the farmer for electrification of agricultural pump sets. Besides, sanctioning of loan from Rs. 10 thousand to maxinim Rs.45 thousand for procuiring of agri-equipment through Kisahan Credit Cards. 5. Uttarakhands 1st Chief Minister Nityanand Swami Pa ssed Away The 1st Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Nityanand Swami, passed away. He was 84 years old and belonged to the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP). NOTE:- Uttarakhand Government had declared 3days' of state mourning as a mark of respect to the departed leader. 6. Assam Government Announced Special Health Scheme for People in Riverine Area Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that 50 riverine public health centres would be set up in the state under the National Rural Health Mission. The public health centres would be located primarily in the districts of Barpeta, Dhubri, Goalpara and Darrang. NOTE:- Government was in Process to implement several schemes under the health department such as 15 boats with process theatre facilities, including five boat ambulances under the 108 emergency schemes. 7. Japan accuses China of violating airspace for first time Japan has accused China of violating its airspace for the first time after a Chinese government plane flew near disputed East China Sea islands. A total of 8 F-15 fighters were sent after reports of the presence of the plane, which belong to China's State Oceanic Administration. Japan lodged an immediate protest with Beijing. NOTE:- The islands, known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, have been a long-standing source of tension. 8. Promotion Quota bill: 18 lakh UP government employees go on flash strike About 18 lakh employees and officers of UP government today went on a flash strike boycotting work in protest against attempts at "forcible passage" of the SC/ST quota bill in Rajya Sabha, saying the stir will continue. 9. S&P revises United Kingdom's outlook to negative Standard & Poor's today revised down its sovereign credit outlook for the United Kingdom's AAA rating to negative from stable citing the potential for delayed and uneven economic recovery. NOTE:- S&P said the revision was driven by an expectation that net general government debt as a percentage of gross domestic product will continue to rise in 2015 before declining again. At the same time, we affirmed our 'AAA/A-1+' long- and short-term unsolicited sovereign credit ratings. The transfer & convertibility (T&C) assessment on the U.K. remains 'AAA'. We have also revised to negative from stable our outlooks on the 'AAA' long-term issuer credit ratings of the Bank of England and the debt program of Network Rail Infrastructure Finance PLC. 10. Greece gets new EU aid, declares 'Grexit' era dead The euro zone agreed today to provide nearly 50 billion euros ($64 billion) in long-delayed aid to Athens, prompting its Prime Minister Antonis Samaras to declare an end to talk of a Greek exit from the single currency. "We are convinced that the programme is back on a sound track," Jean-Claude Juncker, chairman of the

17-nation euro area's finance ministers told a news conference after they met in Brussels ahead of an EU summit later in the day. 11. Union Cabinet clears Land Acquisition Bill The controversial Land Acquisition Bill was today cleared by the Union Cabinet, making mandatory the consent of 80 per cent of people whose land is taken for private projects. In the case of Public-Private Partnership projects, the bill makes mandatory obtaining of consent of 70 per cent of the people whose land will be for acquired. The bill was given the go-ahead at the Cabinet presided by Prime Minister Manmonan Singh. NOTE:- The bill was finalised by the Rural Development Ministry incorporating the suggestion of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi who had asked the government to take the consent from 80 per cent land owners for purchase of land for the purpose of setting up industries and PPP projects. 12. Banks to remain stressed next year too: Fitch Maintaining negative outlook on the country's banking sector, Fitch Ratings today said gross bad assets of domestic banks could reach 4.2 per cent of advances this fiscal and the asset quality could remain stressed over the next year. NOTE:- There is a risk that our initial gross NPA ratio forecast of 3.75 per cent could rise to 4.2 per cent this fiscal due to a more protracted downturn, the impact of which should be felt over the next three-four quarters," Fitch said in a report. 13. Cyrus Mistry to become Tata Motors Chairman from Decemeber 28 Tata Motors today said it has appointed Cyrus P Mistry as its Chairman with effect from December 28 after retirement of group chief Ratan N Tata. The board also conferred on Tata the honorary title of Chairman Emeritus. 14. Government to auction spectrum held by telcos in 900 MHz band, says Telecom Secretary R Chandrashekhar Government will auction the spectrum being held by incumbent GSM operators in 900 MHz band whose licence are coming up for renewal in November 2014, Telecom Secretary R Chandrashekhar said today. NOTE:- They will, however, be allowed to hold 2.5 Mhz in each circle in the same band even after expiry of their licences after a paying a market-determined price. 15. New RBI norms likely to affect NBFCs' return on asset: CRISIL Rating agency Crisil today said the revised guidelines for non-banking financial companies could lower their return on asset by 0.25 per cent over next 2-3 years, even though the new norms would structurally strengthen the sector and enhance confidence of lenders in them. NOTE:- The hit on bottomlines will be primarily due to higher provisioning requirements on account of increase in standard asset provisioning and revision in recognition norms for bad assets.
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18. DAILY GK Updates December 14, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 12TH DECEMBER 1. Bihar received the Silver Icon Web Ratna Award 2012 Bihar's public grievance redressal website received the Silver Icon Web Ratna Award 2012. NOTE:- The public grievance redressal websitehttp://www.bpgrs.in/ has been developed by the state

government as an e-governance initiative and has various features for quick and transparent disposal of complaints. The complainant is also intimated on his/her e-mail about the action taken. 2. Pandit Ravi Shankar, the Indian sitar Maestro Passed away in California Renowned Indian sitarist and Bharat Ratna Recipient Pandit Ravi Shankar passed away in San Diego city of California. He was 92 years old. 3. BB Nimbalkar, Indias Highest Scorer in First class cricket Passed away close to breaking Sir Don Bradman's first-class score in the Ranji Trophy, passed away due to age related ailments in his residence in Kolhapur on11 December 2012 just one day shy of his 93rd birthday. Nimbalkar, holds the record for the highest individual first-class score by an Indian - 443 not out for Maharashtra against Kathiawar at Poona Club in December 1948. Nimbalkar had claimed that he was not aware of Bradman's record at the time of batting, else he would have batted faster. 4. Vinod Rai Re-Elected As Chairman of UN Panel of External Auditors United Nations gave Vinod Rai, the comptroller and auditor general of India a second term as the designation of chairman of UN Panel of External Auditors for 2013. CAG of the UK, Amyas Morse was reelected as the vice-chairman. NOTE:- Panel of the United Nations is the deciding body of the course as well as subject of audit of the different UN organisations which also include International Atomic Energy Agency. 5. Retail Inflation Increased to 9.9% in November 2012 Consumer Price Index (CPI) data released recently showed that the retail inflation increased for the second successive month to 9.90 percent in November 2012 mainly because of the increase in price of food products like edible oil, sugar, vegetables as well as clothing. In October 2012, the retail inflation was 9.75 percent and in September 2012, it was 9.73 percent. 6. Union Government Spent Over Rs. 1768 Crore for Its Own Promotion: I&B Ministry Union Government spent more than Rs. 1768 crore in previous 3 years for its own promotion, revealed the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry. NOTE:- I&B Ministry revealed that the Directorate of Audio-Visual Publicity (DAVP) spent a total of Rs. 1768.55 crore in publicity as well as advertisements in magazines and newspapers as well as on television. Most of the money was spent on newspaper advertisements with Rs. 375.31 crore from 2011 to 2012. Spending on newspaper advertisement in 2012 is Rs. 99 crore. 7. 5 wrestlers suspended for testing positive during Senior National Wrestling Championship 5 wrestlers which also include four medalists were tested positive on banned substances during Senior National Wrestling Championship at Gonda, Uttar Pradesh which was held from 8 November 2012 to 11 November 2012. NOTE:- All 5 wrestlers were provisionally suspended while they have pending hearing against them. All these wrestlers agreed to B Sample testing which would be conducted soon. 8. Scientists Developed a 100 Times Faster and Sensitive Laser Explosives-Detection Device Scientists of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in the second week of December 2012 developed an all-new 100 times sensitive and faster laser device than any other explosives-detection device, for detecting even the minor traces of explosives. NOTE:- The sample which is pulsed, cavity ring-down spectrometer, quantum laser-based is currently being tested in New Mexico at Los Alamos National Laboratory of US government. 9. India's Foreign Trade in November 2012: Exports valued at 22299.63 Million Dollars As per the data released by Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry exports and imports during November 2012 were valued at 22299.63 and 41586.90 million US dollars respectively. NOTE:- The trade deficit for April - November 2012-13 was estimated at 129500.18 million US dollars which was higher than the deficit of 122638.35 million US dollars during April -November 2011-12. 10. Infosys Shares started Trading on New York Stock Exchange

Infosys Ltd, Indias second-largest IT services provider announced that its American Depositary Shares (ADS) have started trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol INFY. NOTE:- The company is also in the process of listing its ADS on the Paris and London exchanges of NYSE Euronext. Earlier in the month of December the company had announced transfer of its NASDAQ-listed ADS to NYSE, which basically aimed to give its European investors better access to its stock.
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19. DAILY GK Updates December 13, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 11TH DECEMBER 1. ADB to provide $300 mn loan to Chhattisgarh for overhauling roads ADB to provide $300 mn loan to Chhattisgarh for overhauling roads by the ADB said, the project would include works such as expanding roads for two-laning, building new sections, construction and strengthening of culverts and bridges. The Chhattisgarh government will provide 128 million Dollars taking the total cost of the project to 428 million Dollars. NOTE:- Asian Development Bank, ADB, will provide a 300-million US Dollar loan to Chhattisgarh for overhauling over 900 kilometres of roads in the state. 2. Nobel Peace Prize 2012 Awarded to European Union (EU) Nobel Peace Prize 2012 was awarded to the European Union (EU) leaders on 10 December 2012 at Oslo, Norway. The award was given to the European Union leaders for the efforts in promotion of peace as well as human rights. The award was given despite criticisms from some. NOTE:- Around 20 European government leaders which included French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel as well as the Italian Premier Mario Monti, attended this ceremony in Oslo, the capital city of Norway. It is important to note that Norway, which is a country rich in oil, has rejected joining EU twice. 3. Telecom Commission approves subsidy for BSNL operations in rural areas Telecom Commission today approved a subsidy of 1500 crore rupees for supporting landline operations of BSNL in the rural areas. The move follows recommendations by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) that 2,700 crore rupees be given to BSNL as it operates in remote and rural telecom circles that are less profitable. NOTE:- Commission's Chairman and Telecom Secretary R. Chandrashekhar said the subsidy will be paid out of the Universal Service Obligation Fund without impacting fiscal deficit. The first part of the approved amount is part of the total proposed subsidy of 2,750 crore rupees for supporting rural landline connections installed before April 1, 2002. This will also lower the losses incurred by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited. 4. India at third place in latest T-20 ranking In the latest T-20 ranking released by ICC, India occupy third place with 120 points. Sri Lanka retains the number one position with 127 points followed by West Indies. NOTE:- Among Indian players, Suresh Raina figures at number 5 among the batsmen while New Zealands Brendan McCallum is at number 1. Among the bowlers Pakistans Saeed Ajmal leads the pack followed by Dale Steyn. Shane Watson is the best all rounder in T-20 format. No Indian figures in top 10 list of bowlers and all

rounders. 5. Govt ready for probe into alleged Walmart lobbying issue Union Government has said it is ready for an inquiry into the allegations that Walmart bribed Indian officials and lobbied its entry into India. Sharing the concern of the members, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath informed both the Houses that the government is ready for a discussion on the issue. NOTE:- Both the Houses of Parliament witnessed frequent adjournments yesterday, the Lok Sabha on the issue of Walmart and the Rajya Sabha on Reservation in promotions for SCs and STs. 6. Bhatinda Srinagar Gas Pipeline Project to be completed by July 2014 Jammu and Kashmir Government informed that the 328-km-long Bhatinda-Jammu-Srinagar gas pipeline project is scheduled to be completed by July 2014 to draw gas from Gujarat to the State. NOTE:- The progress on the proposed project was reviewed by Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah at a meeting of high-level officers in Jammu and an early start of work was emphasized by him. He stressed upon the need for fast tracking the project to ensure its timely completion. 7. Union Government Introduced Bill to Amend Competition Act Union Government of India introduced a bill in Parliament to amend the Competition Act which, among other things, will require the Competition Commission to decide on corporate mergers within 180 days. NOTE:- The bill would also confer powers on fair trade regulator Competition Commission of India (CCI) to vet all M&A deals and also authorise its Director General to carry out search and seizure activities. Presently, CCI's Director General, upon authorisation by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Delhi, has the powers to carry out search and seizure in any investigation. This is under Section 41(3) of the Competition Act, 2002. The Bill also seeks to amend the existing provision on abuse of dominant position to provide that no enterprise or group either jointly or singly shall abuse its dominant position. 8. Security and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) allowed 12 more Alternative Investment Funds Capital Market regulator Security and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) allowed 12 entities to set up Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), a newly created class of pooled-in investment vehicles for real estate, private equity and hedge funds, in the last two months of October and November 2012. NOTE:- The 12 Alternative Investment Funds AIFs that were registered with SEBI since October 2010 included India Realty Fund, Dar Mentorcap Film Fund, Capaleph Indian Millennium Small & Medium Enterprises Fund and Capaleph Indian Millennium Private Equity Fund. 9. Reforms improves India's growth prospects in 2013: Moody A flurry of reforms have improved India's growth prospects in 2013, global rating agency, Moody's said today. Moody's said in a report, that growth prospects have improved with a new finance minister, and a flurry of pro-business reforms designed to lift the economy. It said these moves are working. 10. Indian Economy Would Dominate the Economy of the World by 2030: US Intelligence Community Report US intelligence community in its report called Global Trends 2030: Alternative Worlds declared that India would straddle international commerce and will also dominate the economy of the whole world by 2030. This would happen with decelerating Chinese economy as well as declining West. ****Either you run the day or the day runs you.***** ----Jim Rohn
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20.

DAILY GK Updates December 11, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 10TH DECEMBER 1. Human Rights Day is being observed across the globe today This year, the objective is to highlight rights of all people including women, minorities, persons with disabilities and the marginalised people as well as to make their voices heard in decision making processes. NOTE:- On this day in 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 2. India and Ukraine sign 5 pacts India and Ukraine today signed five agreements to enhance cooperation including in areas of defence, Nuclear energy, Science and Technology and also to remove barriers for trade. The two countries also agreed to raise the bilateral cooperation to a Comprehensive partnership level. The pacts were signed at the end of delegation level talks between visiting Ukraine President Victor Yanukovich and Prime Minister Manmohnan Singh at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi. NOTE:- Bilateral trade between the India and Ukraine had doubled in the last five years to nearly 2.9 billion dollars. 3. Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram Selected For K Karunakaran Foundation Award Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram was selected for K Karunakaran Foundation award for his brilliant administration. NOTE:- The award is being offered in the memory of renowned Congress leader as well as the former Kerala Chief minister K Karunakaran. It includes 1 lakh Rupees as well as citation. 4. Australia Won Hockey Champions Trophy for the 5th Consecutive Year At the Champions Trophy 2012, Australia won once again, adding to fifth victory consecutively after it earned a 2-1 win in a match against Netherlands in Melbourne. For the Netherlands, it was silver medal with the silver lining. The bronze was claimed by Pakistan after they beat India 3-2 on a match. 5. Devendra Lal, the Renowned Geophysicist Died At 83 Devendra Lal, the renowned geophysicist as well as the visiting professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), University of California died at 83 on 1 December 2012. He passed away at his home in San Diego. 6. India to sign Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in criminal matters with 4 other nations India would sign Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in the criminal matters with four other countries in 2013. The treaty in general helps in mutual assistance between two nations for preventing, investigating as well as prosecuting crime. NOTE:- Discussions on treaty were initiated already with four countries namely Azerbaijan, Israel, Nepal and Oman. Ministry of Home Affairs announced that formal signing of this treaty will take place in 2013. 7. Lionel Messi set the Record for most Goals in a Calendar Year Lionel Messi, the renowned soccer player set the record for most goals in a calendar year by scoring his 86th goal of 2012. He set the record while scoring the winning goal against Real Betis. Messi's record included 12 for Argentina and 74 goals for Barcelona in 66 games. The earlier record was made by Gerd Mueller who had scored 85 goals in 1972 which included 72 goals for his club Bayern Munich and 13 for his country West Germany. 8. The 2nd Meeting on India-China Border Affairs held in New Delhi The 2nd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border

Affairs was held in New Delhi on 29-30 November, 2012. The discussions took place in a cordial, constructive and cooperative atmosphere. The two delegations reviewed developments in the India-China border areas since the 1st meeting of the Mechanism and acknowledged with satisfaction that peace and tranquillity continued to be maintained due to the efforts of both sides. 9. United Nations assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has convened consultation meetings in preparation for an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue. A statement issued by the UNAMA in Kabul today said this dialogue is non-official and intended to provide Afghan people with the opportunity to informally present and discuss their future visions of Afghanistan. NOTE:- These consultations will engage representatives of civil so ciety, womens groups, political leaders and religious figures to obtain their views on how the informal dialogue process should be organized. UNAMAs role in the process is limited to hosting the meetings and facilitating dialogue among Afghans of all political stances and backgrounds. According to the statement the purpose of the dialogue is to support and Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process of peace and reconciliation. 1O. Russia delivers 3 upgraded MiG-29s to India Russia has delivered the first three of the upgraded MiG-29 fighters to India, more than 2 years behind schedule. The planes were flown to India aboard an AN-124 heavy lift transport aircraft. NOTE:- The MiG-29s have been equipped with new avionics, weapons, radar, glass cockpit, helmetmounted displays and an inflight refuelling system.
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21. DAILY GK Updates December 10, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 9TH DECEMBER 1. Abhay Chautala elected as New President of Indian Olympic Association Indian Olympic Association on unanimously elected Abhay Singh Chautala as its new president after it decided to go ahead and hold its annual general meeting as well as elections, despite being suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which found the election violating its charter. 2. Haryana to buy 2000 MW Hydel Power from Bhutan Government of Haryana approached Bhutan to provide hydel-power to resolve the power crisis in the state. Haryana Government is supposed to purchase 2000 MW power from the country for which they have alreday finalised modalities regarding the purchase at the administrative level. NOTE:- Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupinder Singh Hooda is going to lead a high-level delegation to Bhutan from 14 December 2012 to 16 December 2012 calling for a significant step to make the state free of any power shortage in the coming days. Hydel-power is available at cheaper rates as compared to coal-based power plants. 3. Indian economy may beat expectations in 2013: Goldman Sachs India's GDP may exceed all expectations next year as there are signs that policymakers might spring up positive surprises, leading international fund house Goldman Sachs has said. NOTE:- Goldman Sachs Asset Management Chairman Jim O'Neill said that India in many ways remains the most complex of the four (BRIC nations), with its demographics giving it the best potential GDP

growth rate, but its inability to introduce effective policy change is a persistent source of disappointment. 4. Standard Chartered Bank to pay $330 mn to US regulators for Iran transactions Asia focused bank Standard Chartered expects to pay about $330 million to U.S. regulators as settlement for its failure to comply with sanctions against Iran, denting its full year profit growth. The payment is on top of the $340 million it has already paid to the New York State Department of Financial Services in the third quarter 5. Moyukh Bhaduri to take over as CMD of Hindustan Steelworks Public Enterprise Selection Board has appointed Moyukh Bhaduri as the New CMD of Hindustan Steelworks Construction Ltd (HSCL). NOTE:- Bhaduri, who now holds the position of Director Finance at HSCL , was selected from among 9 candidates on November 22. 6. United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Doha extends the Kyoto Protocol till 2020. UN Conference on Climate Change in Doha has come to an end with around 200 countries agreeing to extend the Kyoto Protocol till 2020. The treaty seeks to limit the emission of greenhouse gases by around 35 nations until the end of this year. NOTE:- The conference also agreed on promises of financing to help poor countries tackle climate change, and reaffirmed the previous decision of adopting a new global climate treaty by 2015. 7. Wipro Bought Singapore Based FMCG Company LD Waxson Wipro Consumer Care and Lightning (WCCL) acquired the Singapore-based FMCG Company LD Waxson for Rs. 790 Crore. NOTE:- It is being considered as the second largest acquisition by Wipro till date, Earlier Wipro had acquired Unza, another Singapore-based FMCG brand in Year 2007 for 246 million Dollars. 8. President's house Rashtrapati Bhavan now opened for Common People On the instructions of Union President Pranab Mukherjee it was decided to make the ceremonial change of guard of the President's Bodyguard open to the public every Saturday. NOTE:- Rashtrapati Bhavan will now host 200 public visitors at its forecourt for watching the ceremony. The ceremony that entails a series of military traditions from bugles and bands to the horse-riding President's Bodyguard (PBG) is now going to have a new look as the drill will be conducted in the backdrop of the majestic dome of the presidential house from the earlier North Block. 9. India lose bronze to rivals Pak in Champions Trophy India will once again return empty-handed from the Champions Trophy after losing 2-3 in the bronze medal play-off against arch-rivals Pakistan, who walked away with their first medal in the event in 8 years. 10. Mobile towers installation to touch 4,20,000 by FY'17: Report by Analysys Mason According to a report by Analysys Mason the Second generation (2G) telecom base stations, which are currently installed on 3,76,000 towers in the country are likely to increase to 4,20,000 by 2017. The future deployment of towers will be demand driven and not based on proactive deployment. The tenancies are expected to be driven by 3G capacity and 4G coverage with capacity in later years, and some 2G coverage in select areas, 11. Former CM of Karnataka B S Yeddyurappa formally launched Karnataka Janata Party Opening a new chapter in Karnataka politics, former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa today formally launched Karnataka Janata Party(KJP) and took over as its President at a massive rally here in North Karnataka. 12. RBI may hike NPA provision ratio if needed: K C Chakrabarty RBI Deputy Governor K C Chakrabarty has come down heavily on banks showing higher profits without providing adequately for bad loans, and said if need be, the central bank may hike provision coverage ratio (PCR) levels. 13. Government ready to disinvest 10 per cent equity in NMDC

The government is likely to sell its 10 per cent equity this week in iron ore miner National Mineral Development Corporation Limited which could fetch the exchequer nearly Rs 6,300 crore at the current market price. NOTE:- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on October 25 approved disinvestment of 10 per cent government shares in NMDC, amounting to 39,64,71,600 shares of face value of Rs 1 each to investors through "Offer for the Sale" (OFS) route, also known as auction route. 14. Trade between South Asian countries crosses $2 billion Secretary General of SAARC Ahmed Saleem has said, that the trade within the South Asian region has crossed USD 2 billion following the implementation of South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA). NOTE:- Regional efforts on poverty alleviation, food security and social development continue to make progress and devoting to the progress which South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has made in the past 27 years. 15. England defeatd India by 7 wickets in 3rd test England defeated India by seven wickets on the fifth day of the third Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata this morning. The visitors chased down the target of 41 runs after losing quick three wickets in just 12.1 overs to take an invincible lead of 2-1 in the series. 16. Seed industry expected to grow by 53 per cent by 2015 Country's seed industry is expected to grow by 53 per cent to 10,700 crore rupees by 2015 on increased demand for high-yielding varieties to ensure food security. NOTE:- According to industry body Assocham, awareness about high-yielding varieties among farmers and public private partnership with a strong regulatory framework and collaborative research would be key measures to ensure smooth growth of the seed industry. 17. Eve teasing likely to be non- bailable in Maharashtra Concerned over the spate of eve teasing cases in the Maharashtra, the state government is considering a proposal to make it a non-bailable offence. Minister for Women and Child Welfare Varsha Gaikwad said she will discuss the issue with Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan. NOTE:- She also said that a committee comprising social workers and women legislators will be formed to examine a draft bill to enact the Maharashtra Prohibition of Eve-teasing and Harassment of Women Act, prepared by an NGO. 18. Tajganj project to intensify Taj's security by U.P. Govt. Security of the Taj Mahal would be increased further under Uttar Pradesh Tourism Ministry's project to develop the slums of Agra's nearby Tajganj area. Separate set of CCTV cameras will be installed and a buffer zone created to ensure the safety of the monument. NOTE:- The slums of Tajganj are often seen as an eyesore on the canvas of Taj. The project comprises all-round development of the Tajganj area. 19. Six Patriot missile systems to be deployed in Turkey Around 600 foreign troops are expected to accompany six Patriot missile systems to be deployed in Turkey to reinforce the NATO member country's air defence and calm its fears of coming under a possible missile attack from neighboring Syria. NOTE:- The surface-to-air batteries, able to intercept ballistic missiles, are expected to be transported to Turkey by sea within four or five weeks. The United States, Germany and the Netherlands, the only three NATO nations with the most modern type of Patriots, have all agreed to send missiles to protect their ally.
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22.

DAILY GK Updates December 9, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 8TH DECEMBER 1.Life of Pi was awarded with two National Tourism Awards by the Ministry of Tourism Life of Pi was given two National Tourism Awards by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India recognizing the impact it has had in promoting India as a tourism destination, especially Puducherry and Munnar (Kerala). These Awards will be given to Ang Lee, Director of the film Life of Pi and Yann Martel, writer of the book of the same name. NOTE:- The Ministry of Tourism identified Film Tourism as a Niche Tourism product. It has requested the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations to recognize the potential of Film Tourism and constitute special bodies/cells to facilitate filming in their respective States/Union Territories. 2. Italy PM Mario Monti to resign as soon as budget passes Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti announced on Saturday that he intended to resign once next year's budget is approved in parliament after Silvio Berlusconi's party withdrew its support for his technocrat government this week. NOTE:- President Giorgio Napolitano is now expected to set the date for an election which must come within 70 days of the government resigning. Italy had in any case been due to go to the polls by April at the latest. 3. Government authorises state governments to fix prices for sugarcane With farmer organisations protesting against implementation of Rangarajan Committee report on deregulating sugarcane sector, the government has authorised state governments to fix prices for the produce. 3. Union Bank of India expects Rs 1,000 cr infusion this fiscal as part of recapitalisation plan also opens its 180th branch Union Bank of India expects Rs 1,000 cr infusion this fiscal as part of recapitalisation plan Union Bank of India today opened its 180th branch at new Motibagh area in the national capital. The branch has been opened under the Banks Nav Nirman transforma tion initiative, which aims at delivering superior customer services. Inaugurating the branch, the Chairman and Managing Director of the bank, D. Sarkar said that it is committed to provide better facilities to customers and has also started several special initiatives for the physically handicapped. 4. ADB report: Lagging Asian economies should pick up steam in coming year New report from the Asian Development Bank says lagging Asian economies should pick up steam in the coming year. The latest Asian Development Outlook Supplement predicts that developing Asia will post a growth of 6 percent in 2012 and 6.6 percent in 2013, about a tenth of a percentage point lower than anticipated in October. The report said vigorous private consumption in Southeast Asia and a mild economic recovery in China nearly balance out the weaknesses in India's economy. 5. Sanjiv Goenka appointed chairman of BPO service provider Firstsource Solutions Sanjeev Goenka has been appointed chairman of BPO service provider Firstsource Solutions (FSL), which has been acquired by CESC Ltd through a wholly-owned subsidiary. NOTE:- Sailesh Mehta had ceased to be the Chairman of FSL but continued as an Independent Director. 6. Government de-recognised the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation Union government of India de-recognised the Indian Amateur Boxing Federation and the Archery Association of India. The government took this step in the interest of sportspersons. NOTE:- Earlier, the International Boxing Association (AIBA) had suspended the Indian Amateur Boxing

Federation, IABF alleging possible manipulation in its recent elections. However, the IABF has denied the charge, insisting that the process was transparent. 7. Maladives took over Charge of Male Airport scrapping Agreement with GMR Maladives took charge of Male airport from GMR. Maldives government had scrapped the agreement with GMR on first December 2012, saying that the agreement was not in the interest of the country. Singapore Supreme Court had upheld the right of Maldives to terminate the 25 year contract. NOTE:- There will be a three-week transition period starting 7 December 2012 at the end of which GMR will stop operating the airport. Maldivian Airport Company Limited, which will run the airport, has agreed to retain all staff, including Indian nationals, on the same terms. 8. Karnataka to Provide Tamil Nadu with 12 TMC feet of Cauvery water: CMC Cauvery Monitoring Committee (CMC) asked Karnataka to provide Tamil Nadu with 12 TMC feet of Cauvery water during December even as it asked both the states to be more efficient in using available water. NOTE:- The meeting of the CMC came after the Supreme Court of India asked the multi-state panel to meet within the next two days to decide on water requirement of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.The states sharing the disputed Cauvery River waters were informed that the final award of the Cauvery Waters Dispute Tribunal will be notified by the end of December 2012. 9. New drug policy to cut cap prices of 650 common drugs Prices of 652 commonly used medicines under 27 therapeutic areas are likely to come down by 10-15% once the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy 2012 is notified, which is expected in a few days. The policy, which caps prices of essential drugs, was finalized recently after several twists and turns over the years. NOTE:- It will cover a wide range of drugs, such as anti-infectives (Cetrizine), cardiac (Aten) and gastrointestinal medicines (Ocid), pain-killers (Paracetamol) and anti-diabetic drugs (insulin). 10. England Cricket Captain Alastair Cook became the youngest Batsman to score 7000 Runs England Cricket team captain Alastair Cook claimed his place among the cricketing greats when he set an England record for the most Test centuries and became the youngest player in the long history of the game to pass 7000 runs. NOTE:- The 27 years old Alastair Cook scored his 23rd Test hundred to leave England closing in on a rare series win in India.
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23. DAILY GK Updates December 9, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 7TH DECEMBER 1. Parthasarathi Shome Appointed As the Adviser to Finance Minister of India The Union government of India appointed Parthasarathi Shome, the tax expert, as the adviser to finance minister P Chidambaram. Shome was appointed with a rank of minister of state and this also indicated his comeback to the Secretariat building after almost 5 years. NOTE:- Shome was also the adviser to P Chidambaram during the UPA-I. He was the working brain behind fringe benefit tax as well as banking cash transaction tax on the withdrawals of the cash. These tax policies were aimed towards keeping a check on black money which

was a subject of sharp criticisms apart from the securities transaction tax. 2. Kobe Bryant Became Youngest Player in the History of NBA to Reach 30000 Career Points Kobe Bryant, 34, achieved the title of youngest ever player to reach the milestone of 30000 career points in NBA (basketball) on 5 December 2012. He achieved the milestone when he took Los Angeles Lakers towards the 103-87 victory over New Orleans Homets. 3. China Held largest Air Force Drill involving 100 Fighter planes China held one of its largest- ever airforce drill involving about 100 multi-types fighter planes, amid heightened tensions with Japan over territorial dispute in the East China Sea. 6. Suresh Vaswani Appointed As the New President of Dell Services Suresh Vaswani, the former co-CEO of Wipro was appointed as the President of Dell Services, the computer-maker. He replaced Steve Schuckenbrock, the former president of Dell Services. NOTE:- As per the new role, Suresh Vaswani is required to report to the chairman and CEO of Dell Services, Michael Dell. Suresh Vaswani apart from his role would also be responsible for IT delivery of Dell which includes 64 billion dollar Dells infrastructure as well as applications across the world. 7. Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi on the List of Top 20 Most Powerful People of the World Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh were named in the list of top 20 most powerful people in the world by the Forbes Magazine in annual power rankings. Enjoying the first position for the second year consecutively is the US President Barrack Obama. NOTE:- Prime Minister Manmohan Sign was ranked at number 19. Sonia Gandhi dropped from the

rankings of 2011 to number 12 in 2012. Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, the richest business tycoon of India as well as Arcelor Mittal CEO Lakshmi Mittal also appeared in this list. Ambani is ranked at number 37 and he outranked Mittal by various positions

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DAILY GK UPDATE: 15TH OCTOBER 2012 1. International Day of Rural Women observed today across the globe International Day of Rural Women being observed today across the globe. NOTE:- The day recognizes the role of rural women, including indigenous women, in enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty. 2. Today is Mahalaya, the beginning of Devi Paksha
Today is Mahalaya, the beginning of Devi Paksha, the greatest festival of Bengalees, Durga Pooja. NOTE:- Mahalaya marks the end of Pitra Paksha and beginning of Devi Paksha. It is believed that Maa Durga begins her journey to the earth on Devi Paksha. On this day, people offer prayers betterly known as Tarpan to their ancestors. 3. Roth and Shapley of US won the 2012 Nobel Prize for Economics The US duo Alvin Roth and Lloyd Shapley have won the Nobel Prize for Economics this year for the theory of "stable allocations and the practice of market design". 4. Ali Zidan elected as the New Prime Minister of Libya Libya's National Congress today elected Ali Zidan as the new Prime Minister. NOTE:- Mr Zidan, an independent, won 93 votes, a majority among those present. He beat a candidate favoured by the Justice and Construction party which is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood.

5. India, Russia agreed to accelerate economic ties India and Russia today decided to accelerate their economic ties and agreed to factor in New Delhi's liability concerns in their techno-commercial negotiations for units III and IV of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. 6. Scottish independence referendum agreed for 2014 British Prime Minister David Cameron and Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond signed an agreement today to hold a referendum in 2014 on Scottish independence. NOTE:- The referendum agreement has been signed following talks in Edinburgh between Cameron and Salmond, who leads the pro-independence Scottish National Party. 7. Ex Cambodia King Sihanouk passed away in China Former King of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk passed away in China, where he had been receiving medical treatment. He was 89 years old. NOTE:- Norodom Sihanouk played a crucial role in the life of Cambodia for more than 60 years. 8. SC refuses to stay Centre's FDI policy in retail sector Supreme Court today refused to stay the Centre's FDI policy in retail sector. The Apex Court asked RBI to amend FEMA regulations within two weeks to allow implementation of FDI in this sector. 9. Inflation rises to 7.81 per cent in September, from 7.55 percent in August. Inflation rose to its highest level this fiscal at 7.81 per cent in September as prices of wheat, cereals and diesel soared. Inflation, as measured by the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), was 7.55 per cent in August. 10.Australia is likely to enter into civil nuclear cooperation with India. Australia is likely to enter into civil nuclear cooperation with India. It is expected to offer the sale of uranium to India during Prime Minister Julia Gillard's 3-day visit to the country beginning this evening. NOTE:- Despite supporting the move by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in 2008 to allow India to conduct nuclear commerce, Australia continued to deny uranium to India for not having signed the NPT. Now, it is likely to enter into civil nuclear cooperation with India. The core of this cooperation is the safeguards agreement that will allow Australia to bypass opposition from various groups, which are opposing the Labour government's decision to overturn the ban on uranium sale to India. 11. International Telecom Union Conference, ITU -2012 held in Dubai The global leaders and ICT experts have expressed concern at the growing threat to the internet world. Cyber security is in focus at the International Telecom Union Conference, ITU -2012 in Dubai. Telecom and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal has emphasised the need to protect the security of the networks as per globally accepted standards. 12. 13th round of Home Secretary level talks between India and Bangladesh will begin tomorrow in Dhaka Home Secretary Mr. R.K. Singh arrived in Dhaka this morning to participate in the 13th round of Home Secretary level talks between India and Bangladesh. He is leading a 10-member Indian delegation to hold talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart CQK Mustaq Ahmed. 14. Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek won the Shanghai Masters men's Doubles Title. Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek won the ATP Shanghai Masters men's Doubles Tennis Title at Shanghai, China. The fourth seeded Indo-Czech pair yesterday defeated the Indian duo of Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna 6-7, 6-3, 10-5, in the final, to lift the title. NOTE:- In Men's singles, Novak Djokovic beat Andy Murray to win the Shanghai Masters Tennis Title. 15. Government to conduct random audit to check corruption in MGNREGA Projects. Expressing concern over complaints of corruption in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme (MGNREGA) projects, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said that the government has decided to conduct audit of ten per cent of villages on a random basis every year. NOTE:- The Minister said the Comptroller and Auditor General was checking the MGNREGA accounts in

various states and is likely to prepare a state-wise report by December. 16. Villages across the country to be connected through Broad Band by the 2013. Telecom and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal today while addressing, the International Telecom Union Conference, ITU-2012 in Dubai said, the government is working to ensure accessible and affordable modes of energy and communication for all in this regard. He also informed that the Villages across the country will be connected through the Broad Band by 2013 and the government is investing more than 4 billion dollars through Bharat Broadband to lay the fibre optic network for this purpose. The Telecom Minister also said that 4G applications are expected to be in place on a wider scale in the country by 2014.
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2. DAILY GK Updates October 16, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 14TH OCTOBER 2012 1. Union Rural Development Ministry launched Nirmal Bharat Campaign: Creating awareness about hygiene Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh recently launched the Nirmal Bharat Campaign in Sevagram, Maharashtra. NOTE:- The aim of the campaign is to create public awareness about cleanliness and hygiene through various programmes. 2.West Bengal government announced Single Window clearance in agriculture sector for the benefit
of farmers. West Bengal Government announced to introduce single window system in the agriculture sector for the benefit of farmers. It will be set up on the line of industrial sector where farmers will get all necessary helps and information under one umbrella. NOTE:- The system will be launched in all 341 blocks in the state by this month. 3.FIIs invest 10,000 crore rupees in Indian stock market in October so far following recent economic reforms measures. Foreign institutional investors (FII)s poured in over Rs. 10,000 crore in the stock market this month so far enthused by reforms initiatives taken by the government to boost economic growth and investor sentiment. NOTE:- As per data available with market regulator SEBI, during October 1-12, overseas investors were gross buyers of shares worth 30,605 crore rupees, while they sold equities amounting to 20,223 crore, translating into net inflow of over 10,000 crore rupees. FIIs investment in the country's equity market has reached 92,713 crore rupees so far this year. 4. Defence Minister A K Antony on a three-day visit to Indonesia Defence Minister A K Antony will be on a three-day visit to Indonesia beginning tomorrow to participate in the first ministerial-level defence dialogue between the two countries. NOTE:- The defence dialogue mechanism at the highest level was agreed upon during the visit of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to India in January last year. 5. Noted Film Writer Saleem Khan with the National Kishore Kumar Award

Madhya Pradesh, Culture and Public Relations Minister Laxmikant Sharma faciltated noted film writer Saleem Khan with the National Kishore Kumar Award at a function held in Khandwa. NOTE:- The award carrys a cheque worth two lakh rupees and a shawl. Addressing the function, Mr. Sharma said that the National Kishore Kumar Award will also be given for playback singing from the next year. So far, it is given for film direction, acting, and lyrics writing. 6. Union Minister of Tourism, Subodh Kant Sahai will inaugurate the India Tourism Roadshow in Omans capital Muscat. Union Minister of Tourism, Subodh Kant Sahai will inaugurate the India Tourism Roadshow in Omans capital Muscat tomorrow. The roadshow will showcase Indias tourism potential and tap the growing tourist market from Oman to India. NOTE:- The number of foreign tourist arrivals in India fromOman has been on the rise. In the year 2010 around 35,500 tourists from Oman visited India, a 10 percent rise over the previous year. 7. International Telecom Union World-2012 Conference started in Dubai. International Telecom Union World-2012 Conference got underway in Dubai today. The 5 day event from October 14-18 will discuss the road ahead for the Information and Communication Technology sector since its radical transformation over the past decade. 8. Sebastian Vettel won the Korean Grand Prix Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel won the Korean Grand Prix today to move ahead of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso in the Formula One championship standings by 6 points with four races remaining. Vettel, who also won the previous races in Singapore and Japan, is moving within sight of a third straight title - something only previously achieved by Juan-Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher. 9. NIA requests for installation of CMS for secured work flow National Investigation Agency (NIA) has approached Department of Telecom requesting for installation of Central Monitoring System (CMS). Officials of National Investigation Agency, which was set up in the aftermath of 26/11 Mumbai attacks, had a series of meetings with Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT), an organisation which has been tasked by the government to build the CMS project. NOTE:- The C-DoT's CMS provides call interception, monitoring, analysis of social networking of the target data and ensures end-to-end secured work flow as per the requirements of law enforcement agencies to address threats and unlawful activities of anti-social elements 10.Turkey banned Syrian planes from Turkish air space Turkish Foreign Ministry has announced that Syrian planes have been banned from Turkish air space. The ban follows similar restrictions imposed by Syria, after a Syrian plane alleged to be carrying Russian munitions was intercepted by Turkey. It applies to civilian aircraft, as military aircraft were already de facto banned.
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DAILY GK UPDATE: 13TH OCTOBER 2012 1. Justin Rose wins World Golf Final Justin Rose of England beat European Ryder Cup teammate Lee Westwood by a stroke to win the eight-player World Golf Final in Belek, Turkey and earn a career-best $1.5 million. 2. Corporation Bank denied giving overdraft to Vadra Corporation Bank today insisted that it did not advance an overdraft to any of

Robert Vadra's companies, adding a twist to the controversy swirling around the remarkable
rise in the riches of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law. Ajai Kumar, CMD of Corporation Bank said "No such transaction with us as per our records so far, adding that he had sought full facts on the issue. NOTE:- In its annual report for 2007-08 financial year, Vadra's firm Sky Light Hospitality claimed an overdraft of Rs 7.94 crore from the bank. It was the first year of operation for the company, which had a paid-up capital of just Rs 1 lakh. By the end of the year, the company claimed it had Rs 7.95 crore worth of fixed asset. 3. ECB President Mario Draghi urges euro zone to keep up reforms European Central Bank President Mario Draghi pressed euro zone countries on Saturday to make progress with economic reforms as part of a drive towards greater integration among the bloc's 17 members. NOTE:- The ECB has taken some of the heat out of the Euro Zone debt crisis by last month unveiling its new bond-purchase programme - dubbed "Outright Monetary Transactions", or OMT - but Draghi urged governments not to become complacent with reforms. 4. AP Govt introduced new Sand Mining Policy Andhra Pradesh Government introduced a new Sand Mining Policy under which the old system of auctioning has been dispensed with and a lottery arrangement put in place. NOTE:- Based on the recommendations made by a Group of Ministers, which reviewed the sand mining policy in the light of the Supreme Court's verdict banning indiscriminate quarrying, the Industries Department issued an order today framing the revised policy guidelines. 5. Santosh Kashyap resigned from the post of Mohun Bagan Coach Mohun Bagan's merry-go-round with their coaches continued for yet another season with Santosh Kashyap resigned from the post of Teams Coach. 6. Kingfisher extended lockout till 20th Oct Ailing Kingfisher Airlines today extended its lockout till the next weekend, apparently after failing to convince its striking staffers, protesting delay in salaries, to return to work. 7. Anand shocked by Carlsen in Final Masters World Champion Viswanathan Anand suffered a shocking loss at the hands of Norwegian Magnus Carlsen in the 9th and penultimate round of 5th Final Chess Masters in Bilbao, Spain. 8. Gary Collins, actor and TV host, died at 74 Gary Collins, an actor who was the longtime host of the syndicated TV show Hour Magazine and a former master of ceremonies for the Miss America Pageant, died early Saturday in Biloxi, Miss. He was 74. 9. Rajasthan Govt. appointed Vice Chancellors of two New Universities Rajasthan Governor Margaret Alva has appointed journalist Sunny Sebastian as the vice chancellor of upcoming Haridev Joshi University of Journalism in Jaipur. The Governor also appointed former IPS officer M L Kumawat as the first vice chancellor of Haridev Joshi University of Journalism to be set up in Jodhpur. 10. FDI in multibrand to be implemented in Delhi next fiscal: CM Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit said FDI in multibrand will be implemented in the national capital by next financial year and accused BJP of trying to halt India's economic growth by opposing the move. 11. Centre to continue fund sharing pattern for model schools Government gave nod to continue the fund sharing pattern between the Centre and States during this fiscal for setting up of model schools at block level as benchmark of excellence. 12. Sibal layed foundation stone of NIT in Mizoram Union Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal laid the foundation for setting up of

the first ever National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Mizoram at Lengpui area, near the lone airport in the state. 13. Debt-ridden Deccan Chargers termination stands After a month long legal battle, the cash-strapped Deccan Chargers has lost its status as an IPL team after the Bombay High Court stayed the order of Arbitrator for maintaining status quo on the matter till further hearing. NOTE:- The beleaguered owners of Deccan Chargers failed to produce a Rs 100-crore bank guarantee before the Bombay High Court, a condition that had been set for the struggling team's survival in the league. They later approached the Court-appointed Arbitrator who had passed the order of status quo.
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5. DAILY GK Updates October 16, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE:12TH OCTOBER 2012 1. European Union (EU) wins 2012 Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize for the year 2012 was awarded to the European Union, an institution currently wracked by crisis but is credited with bringing more than a half century of peace to a continent ripped apart by World War II. 2. Global Hunger Report 2012: India ranked at 65th position The report on Global Hunger Index for 7th year was released by the International Food Policy
Research Institute (IFPRI), Welthungerhilfe, and Concern Worldwide. The basic theme of the report for the 2012 Global Hunger Index -- The Challenge of Hunger: Ensuring Sustainable Food Security under Land, Water, and Energy Stresses. As per the report, India instead of its fast paced economic growth in past two decades has lagged behind in improving its record in Global Hunger Index chart. In the list of 79 countries in the global Hunger Index, India was ranked 65th behind China that was placed at 2nd place position, Pakistan at 57th and Sri Lanka at 37th position. 3. Union Govt. sanctioned Rs. 4200 cr to UP under NRHM scheme for 2012-13 Govt has sanctioned Rs. 4200 crore to Uttar Pradesh under National Rural Health Mission(NRHM), for the current financial year 2012-13. NOTE:- A proposal for sanctioning 350 crore has also been sent to the Centre for Action Plan-2 under NRHM. 4. Rangarajan Committee recommended deregulation of sugar sector Rangarajan Committee has recommended deregulation of the sugar sector, by giving freedom to mills to sell sugar in the open market. It also suggested revising the existing arrangement for providing better Fair and Renumerative Price (FRP) to sugar cane farmers at the time of cane purchase and payment of cane arrears accumulated over the years. NOTE:i) The Panel headed by C. Rangarajan in its report released in New Delhi today recommended that

farmers would be entitled to a 70 per cent share in the value of sugar and sugarcane by-products while the Sugar Mills would be entitled for 30 per cent. Mr. Rangarajan said, the FRP can be revised on a halfyearly basis and the revenue sharing mechanism should be based on that. ii) The Panel has suggested the scrapping of State Advised Price (SAP) for sugarcane. Mr. C. Rangarajan also said, the existing subsidies will continue and the 30,000 crore rupees of Sugar subsidy will be given to the State Governments. The Panel has suggested the scrapping of State Advised Price (SAP) for sugarcane. Mr. C. Rangarajan also said, the existing subsidies will continue and the 30,000 crore rupees of Sugar subsidy will be given to the State Governments. 5. Anil Kumble Appointed as New Chairman of ICC Cricket Committee Former Indian cricketer and captain Anil Kumble was named the New head of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) cricket committee, replacing former West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd. NOTE:- The International Cricket Council's (ICC) cricket committee is a 16-member committee which meets twice a year to consult on playing matters and offer recommendations to the ICC on technical aspects and rules of the sport. 6. L&T Finance Acquired Indo-Pacific Housing L&T Finance Holdings Limited, the Non Banking Financial (NBFC) arm of the engineering giant Larsen & Toubro,successfully completed the acquisition of Indo Pacific Housing Finance Limited (IPHF) for Rs. 110 crore. NOTE:- The L&T Finance Holdings company earlier on 12 March 2012 had announced the signing of the definitive agreement for same acquisition. 7. Union Cabinet Approved Amendment of Indecent Representation of Women Act The Union Cabinet approved the introduction of Amendments to the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 in Parliament under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The amendments proposed are as follows: (a) Broaden the scope of the law to cover the audio-visual media and material in electronic form which includes Internet, satellite-based communication, multi-media messaging and cable television, among others. (b) Penalties to be enhanced to a maximum of three years of imprisonment and fine of between 50000 to 100000 Rupees for first conviction, and imprisonment of not less than two years, but which may extend to seven years, and a fine between 100000 Rupees to 500000 Rupees for second conviction. (c) Police officers not below the rank of Inspectors authorized to carry out search and seizure, in addition to State and Central Government officers authorized by the State or Central Government. 8. Japan and India Launched Research Project to Study LNG Pricing Japan and India launched a joint research project into pricing structures in LNG markets. NOTE:- Japan is the worlds top importer of liquefied natural gas. Asian buyers pay far more than those in North America because the price is index-linked to oil on the continent. Under the present pricing structures in LNG markets, the price in North America is determined on the basis of supply and demand. 9. 3 Dutch Hockey Stars announced their retirement Floris Evers, Roderick Weusthof and Teun Floris de Nooijer, the 3 Dutch Hockey stars announced their retirement from International Hockey. 10. Pilot Projects for development of People Friendly Roads approved Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, C.P. Joshi, approved two pilot projects for development of People Friendly Roads. NOTE:- This project will involve construction of National highways on corridor redevelopment and spot improvement concepts. This will help in reducing the financial burden from the government making it public friendly.

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DAILY GK UPDATE: 5TH DECEMBER 1. Global Terrorism Index Revealed India Ranked Among Top Five Terror-Hit Nations New index called Global Terrorism Index (GTI) prepared by Australian think tank revealed on 4 December 2012 that India, Afghanistan and Pakistan were the most terrorism-hit nations in 2011. NOTE:- GTI was released by Australia-based Institute for Economics & Peace and it ranked various countries based on the data collected from Global Terrorism Database, which in turn is
operated by a group at University of Maryland. GTI revealed that India, Afghanistan and Pakistan accounted for 11 percent, 10 percent and 12 percent of global terrorist events respectively from time period 2002 to 2009. 2. Air India won Lal Bahadur Shastri hockey tournament against Bharat Petroleum Air India emerged champion against Bharat Petroleum in the 23rd Lal Bahadur Shastri hockey tournament at the Shivaji Stadium. NOTE:- This was second title of this season for Air India. Air India had already shared the MCCMurugappa Cup with Indian Oil. 3. RBI fixes reference rate of rupee for US dollar and EURO Reserve Bank today fixed the reference rate of the rupee for the US dollar at 54.5690 and the euro at 71.5 as against 54.9 a dollar and 71.7 a euro as on Tuesday. NOTE:- In a press release issued by RBI, the exchange rates for the pound and yen against the rupee were quoted at 87.9 a pound and 66.3 per 100 yen, based on reference rates for the US dollar and crosscurrency quotes at noon. The reference rate is based on the noon rates of select banks here and the SDR-Rupee rate would be based on this rate. 4. India ranks 94 in list of corrupt nations India was ranked 94 out of 176 countries surveyed in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2012, with a score of 36 on a scale from 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean) according to a report by Transparency International India (TII). Last year India ranked 95 out of 183 countries. NOTE:- The 2012 index ranks countries by their perceived levels of public sector corruption and assigns scores of between one (highly corrupt) and 100 (clean). While Somalia, North Korea and Afghanistan were the most corrupt countries with a score of eight, Denmark, Finland and New Zealand tied for the first place of the least corrupt with a score of 90. China had a CPI score of 39, which is better than India, while Pakistan's was 27. 5. Govt wins FDI vote by 253 votes against 218 in Lok Sabha The government has won the vote on motion against FDI in multibrand retail in the Loksabha. The voting came a shortwhile ago after two days of intense debate under rule 184. NOTE:- The motion brought by opposition parties was defeated by a margin of 35 votes. 218 members voted in favour of the motion while 253 against it. The discussion was initiated on Tuesday by BJP leader Sushma swaraj. 6. Uttar Pradesh Government decided to issue Golden Cards to Industrialists Uttar Pradesh government decided to issue Golden Cards to industrialists and industrial associations for easy access to its offices.

NOTE:- The Golden Card facility is part of the larger effort of creating an industry-friendly environment in Uttar Pradesh. 7. Google India Partnered With E-Commerce Sites to Bring Cyber Monday to India In order to develop the concept of online shopping in India, Google India decided to partner with leading e-commerce websites to introduce the concept of Cyber Monday in the country. Titled as the Great Online Shopping Festival, it is slated for 12 December 2012. Some of the e-commerce websites that would partner with Google India include Snapdeal, Flipkart, Homeshop 18 as well as Makemytrip. NOTE:- India has more than 137 million Internet users. Significant growth is being observed in online activity. It is the first time that there will be an industry-wide program of such a scale. It would enable the entire country to benefit from the unbeatable deals which would be offered on the Internet. 8. 11th Meeting of India-Canada JWG on Counter Terrorism held in New Delhi 11th meeting of the India-Canada Joint Working Group (JWG) on Counter Terrorism held in New Delhi. The meeting took place within the framework of the enhanced interaction in bilateral relations between India and Canada, and in keeping with the desire of the governments of India and Canada towards greater cooperation in counter terrorism matters. NOTE:- The next and the 12th meeting of the Joint Working Group will be held in Canada in 2013 on mutually convenient dates. 9. US Export-Import Bank to extend $2.1 billion credit to Reliance Industries US' Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank has extended $2.1 billion credit to Reliance Industries (RIL), which will be primarily used to finance goods and services sourced from America for expanding Reliance's projects at Jamnagar. 10. Barack Obama leads Forbes ranking of world's most powerful The US President leads and then there's the Pope, and Angela Merkel, and Facebook's founder, and other global rainmakers on Forbes' ranking of the mightiest earthlings. But the magazine's 2012 list of the planet's most powerful people also features folks who might raise an eyebrow or two: a Mexican drug baron, and the pudgy-faced young leader of North Korea, a hermit state assailed for pursuing a nuclear program at the expense of feeding its very poor people. Last year's No. 2 on the list, Chinese President Hu Jintao, is among the heavyweights off the list altogether this time. NOTE:- The ranking features 71 names, a figure Forbes said it set as a cutoff because there are an estimated 7.1 billion people in the world and thus the ranking works out to one very heavy hitter for every 100 million people. 11. NASA Spacecraft "Voyager 1" Drifted Into Unknown Region of the Space Voyager 1 spacecraft sailed into the new area of solar system which scientists were not aware about. Both Voyager 1 as well as Voyager 2 have been continuously moving away from the Sun into the interstellar space, also known as the space between the stars.
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2. DAILY GK Updates December 7, 2012

DAILY GK UPD ATE: 4TH DECEMBER 1. S.A. Ibrahim Appointed as New Director of Intelligence Bureau The Competent Authority approved appointment of S. A. Ibrahim the IPS (MP-77) as officer on Special Duty in the Intelligence Bureau and also as the Director for Intelligence Bureau for a next 2 years from the date he acquires his charge or till the next order that is is further sent. His tenure to the...See More
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3. DAILY GK Updates December 4, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 3RD DECEMBER 1. Ranjit Sinha takes over as CBI Director Senior IPS officer Ranjit Sinha today took over as the new CBI Director and said he would lay special emphasis on addressing delays in execution of Letters Rogatory and improving forensic capabilities of the agency. NOTE:- Addressing the media after assuming charge, Sinha said he was aware of challenges facing the agency like shortage of manpower, delays in execution of Letters Rogatory
and in the forensic field and would try to address them during his tenure. 2. Stage set for first ever 3 day India Show in Bangladesh The stage is all set for the first ever three day India Show in Bangladesh. The Show is being organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry with the assistance of Government of India in partnership with the Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry. NOTE:- The theme of the Show which involves the participation of more than sixty top Indian companies is Partnerships for Progress'. 3. UN Climate Change Conference in Doha runs into rough weather UN Climate Change Conference in Doha has run into rough weather with the differences on the Kyoto Protocol extension, Climate financing, Closure of Long term co-operative Action, issue of unused emission credits among the participating countries. However, the negotiators from around 200 countries are optimistic that the issues might be thrashed at the Ministerial level talks beginning on Tuesday. NOTE:- India and G-77 Countries have opposed the move to rush through the text of Long term Cooperation Action (LCA) since it made no mention of the concerns raised over finance, technology transfer, equity intellectual property rights and unilateral action in climate change. Developed countries say its time to wind up LCA since the work under it is complete as in 2009.2010 and 2011. 4. Syrian govt forces continue attacks on rebels at Damascus Syria, the government forces have continued attacks on areas around Damascus as they try to push back against rebel attempts to close in on the capital. Opposition activists said Syrian forces shelled Damascus suburbs, a day after carrying out deadly airstrikes and rocket attacks against rebel-held areas. 5. Extreme weather calls for action, says WMO Chief

The rise in global warming is leading to extreme weather conditions from melting of polar ice caps to Super storm Sandy are a wake up call to the international community to urgently address the issues related to climate change. NOTE:- Addressing the UN Climate Change Conference in Doha, the Chief of the World Meteorological Organization, Michael Jarraud called for urgent action to tackle such changes before it is too late. The negotiators from over 194 countries are busy working out the details for Ministerial and Head of States level talks at the Conference in Doha. More than 100 Cabinet Ministers are expected to attend the Ministerial levels talks beginning tomorrow. 6. Centre starts scheme named Ganga Action Plan to clean Ganga Central government has started a mega scheme named Ganga Action Plan to clean the river Ganga. One billion dollars have been approved from the World Bank to fund an eight-year project. The focus is on clearing large stretches of the river heavily polluted by industrial effluents and domestic waste. NOTE:- The accumulation of silt deposit, discharge of industrial effluents and domestic waste along the banks has worried the environmentalists along with the shrinking size of the river.In Kanpur Uttar Pradesh and in Patna Bihar campaigns have been launched. 7. SC restores limit of 200 SMSes per day per SIM The Supreme Court has stayed Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT)'s order, which had quashed the sector regulator TRAI's circular limiting the number of SMSes to 200 per day per SIM. NOTE:- A bench headed by Justice G S Singhvi stayed the tribunal's order and issued notice to late Bal Thackeray's grandson Aditya on whose plea TDSAT had passed the order. The apex court passed the order on an appeal filed by TRAI challenging tribunal's order and asked Thackeray to respond to regulator's plea within six weeks. 8. Menon First Top Ranking Indian Official to Visit China after Changes in Communist Party of China Shiv Shankar Menon, the national security advisor as well as negotiator in the border talks with China paid the visit here on 2 December 2012. This was the first visit by any top ranking Indian official post changes announcement in Communist Party of China. Menon would meet the next premier of China- Li Keqiang. 9. Kingfisher Airlines Sent Eviction Notice by Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd Kingfisher Airlines that had its operations from domestic Terminal 1A of Mumbais airport was given an eviction notice by the Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd (MIAL) in the last week of November 2012. NOTE:- Kingfisher owes 22 crore Rupees to airport operator and was rented check-in desks as well as offices to this terminal. There are now doubts whether Kingfisher would be able to resume its operations or not and therefore consequently, the airport operator started off with the process of finding another airline that could operate from Terminal 1A. 10. MoU Signed Between Mysore Zoo and Leipzig Zoo in Germany for Transporting Four Sloth Bears Zoo authorities of the Mysore Zoo and Leipzig zoo in Germany signed a MoU, according to which four sloth bears will be transported to the zoo in Germany. NOTE:- Leipzig zoo in Germany is well known for its management of vulnerable nocturnal mammal. In return to transportation of these sloth bears, India will get access to expertise as well as knowledge of handling these bears. This is actually the primary feature of MoU which is signed between the zoos of two countries. 11. Kuwait Elected Its News Parliament But With Low Turnout Kuwait elected its parliament which might prove to be government-friendly than the previous one. NOTE:- However, it faced low voter turnout as well as opposition boycott. Around 39 percent of the 422569 eligible voters had cast their ballots on 2 December 2012. However, it wasnt evident whether these figures included any invalid voters as well or not.
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4. DAILY GK Updates December 3, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 2ND DECEMBER 1. Cheque signature mismatch may lead to criminal proceedings: Supreme Court The Supreme Court today said, a person may face criminal proceedings if a cheque issued by him gets dishonoured on the ground that his signature does not match the specimen signature available with the bank. The apex court, however, said that in such cases, the account holder must be given a notice and an opportunity to arrange the payments
before initiation of criminal proceedings against him. NOTE:- A bench of justices T S Thakur and Gyan Sudha Mishra set aside the verdict of Gujarat High Court which had held that criminal proceedings for dishonouring of cheque can be initiated only when the cheque is dishonoured because of lack of sufficient amount in the bank account and not in case where a cheque is returned due to mismatch of signature of account holder. 2. Ravindra Jadeja becomes first Indian batsman to hit three triple centuries in first-class Ravindra Jadeja became the first Indian batsman and only the 8th in the first-class history to hit 3 triplecenturies as his career-best unbeaten 320 helped Saurashtra reach a mammoth 534 for six against the Railways in a Ranji Trophy Group A match, in Rajkot today. NOTE:- Jadeja, who had smashed 303 in the first match of the season against Gujarat, scored his second triple ton and third overall to become the only Indian cricketer to achieve such a feat. 2. India to erect 'floating fence' along Sir Creek border area India will soon erect a 'floating fence', anchored by submerged metallic meshes, along the disputed Sir Creek border area with Pakistan. NOTE i:- Sir Creek Border is a 96-km strip in the Gujarat's Rann of Kutch marshes and is notorious for illegal crossings and smuggling of narcotics and arms and is patrolled round-the-clock by BSF marine commandos.Union Home Ministry has entrusted the CPWD and NBCC to install an all-weather 'gabion box' fence along the stretch. NOTE ii:- The 'Gabion box' is a regular technology used for flood water control and prevention of rock breaking along coasts by the impact of the saline ocean water. The Sir Creek area is characteristic with shallow and slushy water and these boxes would be the best material to be sunk under water considering the difficulty of the terrain to execute such a difficult project. 3. Haryana top among states in exceeding revenue mobilisation target Haryana has topped the chart of the states which have significantly exceeded revenue mobilisation target during the 11th Five Year Plan. NOTE:- According Planning Commission's latest report on state finances, Haryana mopped up Rs. 64,123 crore during the 5 year policy period which was 192 per cent of the targeted resource mobilisation in the 11th Plan. Majority of states have failed to meet the projected planned resources as collectively they could fetch only 92.5 per cent of target. About 8 states in the country including Haryana, Assam, Odisha, Karnataka, Goa, Bihar and Arunachal Pradesh could mop up more than their targets. 4. Third World Cup Kabaddi tournament begins in Bathinda The third World Cup Kabaddi -2012 was declared open by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal at

the Multipurpose Stadium in Bathinda. NOTE:- As many as 16 men's teams and seven women squad from all six continents of the world have descended on the heartland of Malwa as Punjab witnessed biggest ever sports extravaganza in the gala but somber opening of World Cup Kabaddi -2012. 5. World Squash rankings: Pallikal becomes 1st Indian to come under top 10 Squash ace Dipika Pallikal has become the first Indian to break into the top 10 of the world rankings. NOTE:- Pallikal jumped three places to be ranked 10th by the Women's International Squash Players Association with 5175.75 points. She was also the first Indian woman to break into the top 20 in the WSA rankings. 6. India records second consecutive win in the Champions India have recorded their second consecutive win in the Champions Trophy Hockey tournament in Melbourne. They beat New Zealand 4-2 in their Pool 'A' encounter on Sunday. In their opening match on Saturday, India had defeated England 3-1. With six points from two games, India now top the Pool. India are the only unbeaten team in the pool, following England's surprise 4-1 victory over Olympic Champions Germany earlier. 7. National Security Advisor Menon reached in Beijing National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon arrived in Beijing today for wide-ranging talks on bilateral ties, including the vexed border issue. During his three-days stay Mr. Menon would be meeting some of the new leaders elected during last month's Congress of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) to succeed the outgoing administration headed by President Hu Jintao. NOTE:- Besides holding talks with his counterpart and China's top diplomat Dai Bingguo, Mr.Menon is expected to call on Vice Premier Li Keqiang, the number two leader in the seven-member new Standing Committee of the party headed by General Secretary Xi Jinping.
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5. DAILY GK Updates December 3, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 1ST DECEMBER 1. World AIDS Day observed across the country World AIDS Day was observed across the country with awareness rallies being staged in several cities. Hundreds of youth and children carrying placards and raising slogans prominently displayed the anti-AIDS icon Red Ribbon as they passed through the main city centres. NOTE:- i. A report of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) released on Friday
reveals great success in retarding the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country as the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) Phase-3 completes its fifth year next month. ii. There has been a sharp 57 percent drop in the rate of new HIV infections in the last decade, a fact also hailed by the UNAIDS, the United Nations' arm working to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals of halting and reversing the epidemic by 2015. 2. PSU banks report 6,457 crore fraud cases in 2012 Fraud cases involving an amount of Rs.6,457 crore have been reported by public sector banks in 2012, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha. This was much more than

Rs.3,850 crore reported in 2011, he said. NOTE:- Chidambaram was replying to a question about scams that took place in banks. Indian Overseas Bank reported fraud cases involving an amount Rs.758 crore so far in 2012, followed by Punjab National Bank, which reported cases involving Rs.728 crore. On measures taken to prevent/frauds, he said, "RBI is sensitising banks from time to time about common fraud prone areas through issuance of modus operandi circulars on various types of frauds. 3. Supreme Court Issued Guidelines to Curb Eve Teasing At the Public Places Supreme Court issued certain guidelines in order to put a halt to eve-teasing. SC termed eve-teasing consequences disastrous and also directed the government that women cops in plain clothes should be deputed at the public places. NOTE:-The state governments as well as the union territories are ordered by the Supreme Court to depute female police officers in plain clothes at the public places such as metro stations, bus stands, railway stations, shopping malls, beaches, parks, worship places, cinemas as well as public service vehicles. This has been done to monitor as well as supervise the incidents of eve-teasing. 4. Projects under NLCPR implemented in Mizoram: Ghatowar Union Minister for Development of North East Region Paban Singh Ghatowar says, Projects under NLCPR has been well implemented in Mizoram state. Speaking to the Press in Aizawl on Saturday, Ghatowar said that the State Government has significantly improved its 0ff-take from the NLCPR Scheme during the last 3 years. The State Government has completed 65 projects worth 393 crores rupees. 5. Former Karnataka CM Yeddyurappa in tears as he sets out to quit BJP Estranged Karnataka BJP strongman BS Yeddyurappa, who is set to resign from primary membership of the party, today became emotional as he recalled his long association with the party even as he trained his guns at BJP leaders for hatching a "conspiracy" against him. 6. Tennis: Serena named WTA Player of the Year Serena Williams has been named WTA Tour Player of the Year for the fourth time after winning Wimbledon, the US Open and Olympic gold in a stunning summer of success. ey leads World Challenge. 7. Jeff Zucker named CNN's New Chief Executive Former NBC Universal chief Jeff Zucker has been named president of CNN Worldwide. He will succeed outgoing CNN chief Jim Walton starting in January 2013. 8. Infosys Decided Shifting Its American Shares From Nasdaq to NYSE Infosys decided to transfer listing of American shares of the company from Nasdaq to NYSE or New York Stock Exchange, which is partner of the Paris as well as London exchanges. The trading market of NYSE known as NYSE Euronext, enables the European investors trading easily in the American shares of Infosys through the European exchanges. 9. Newly Discovered Colourful Species of Fish Named After US President Obama Recently discovered colourful, freshwater species of fish known as Darters, was named after the reelected US President Barack Obama in the first week of December 2012. The species of fish was named so because of Obamas global vision towards environment conservation as well as protection. 10. I-card becomes mandatory for sleeper-class train passengers It has become mandatory for sleeper- class train passengers to carry identity proof from 1st December in a bid to facilitate travel by bonafide people and reduce the scope for misuse of tickets by touts. 11. PMGSY norms relaxed for Assam to boost rural road network Centre has decided to relax norms for Assam so that it can get benefits at par with tribal areas and hill states for constructing rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Union Min Jairam Ramesh said. 12.World Junior Table Tennis chship from 9th to 16th Dec

The 10th edition of World Junior Table Tennis Championship will be held in Hyderabad from 9th to 16th December. 13. Ministry of Coal has de-allocate Bhatgaon coal block of Chhattisgarh According to the letter written to the Chairman of Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation,CMDC, the Shankarpur Bhatgaon - II and extension coal block allocated to CMDC is de- allocated. NOTE:- The CMDC formed a joint venture to develop this coal block with a Nagpur based firm SMS Infrastructure of BJP leader Ajay Sancheti. Sancheti is known to be close to BJP President Nitin Gadkari.
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6. DAILY GK Updates December 2, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE:30TH NOVEMBER 1. Ex PM I K Gujral passes away, 7 day national mourning declared Former Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral passed away this afternoon in Gurgaon near New Delhi after prolonged illness. He was 92. NOTE:- Mr Gujral was the 12th Prime Minister of the country. The Government has declared a 7-day national mourning as a mark of respect to the departed leader. He will be given a state funeral.
Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned as a mark of respect to former Prime Minister. 2. 43rd IFFI: Punjabi film "Andhey Ghorey Da Daan" bags Golden Peacock award Andhey Ghorey Da Daan" a Punjabi film directed by Gurvinder Singh and produced by National Film Development Corporation, has bagged the Golden Peacock award of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI). NOTE:- The award carries a Golden Peacock and a cash prize of 20 lakh rupees. The Silver Peacock with a cash prize of 15 lakh rupees has gone to "Una Noche" directed by Lucy Mullay. With this, the curtains came down on the 43rd edition of the IFFI today at a glittering function held at Campal Football grounds at Panaji in Goa. 3. EPFO launched e-Passbook portal for members Employees Provident Fund Organization (EPFO), today launched its e-Passbook portal for its members to access their accounts online. The facility will be available on the website-www.epfindia.gov.in. NOTE:- i. The members will now be able to download their e-passbook each month, if they are active and Electronic Challan-cum-Return (ECR), is being uploaded by their employer. ii. In the case of members who are not active or left service and have not settled their account, the facility to download the passbook on request basis, shall be available. iii. Any EPFO member can register him on the portal by using his photo identification number such as PAN, Aadhar card, Driving license, passport and voter ID and use the mobile number as password. iv. The member can also add multiple ID numbers after registration and can use any one for login. Once registered, a member can download the passbook by entering his or her account number. If available, the passbook will appear for download. 4. Govt tables amendments made to FEMA in Lok Sabha The government today tabled amendments made to the Foreign Exchange Management Act of 1999 (FEMA) in the Lok Sabha following its decision to allow 51 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in

October this year. NOTE:- Minister of State for Finance S S Palanimanikam laid the copies of notifications on the table of the House. The amendments relate to regulating the transfer or issue of security by a person resident outside India, deposits and foreign exchange derivative contracts. 5. Men's Hockey Champions Trophy Melbourne 2012 starts tomorrow Men's Hockey Champions Trophy Melbourne 2012 starts in Melbourne, Australia from tomorrow. NOTE:- The 9 day tournament will feature 4 top ranked teams in the world and another regarded invitational teams. India are placed in Pool A alongwith reigning Olympic champions Germany, England and New Zealand. Pool B features Australia, The Netherlands, Pakistan and Belgium. 6. Agri sector share in GDP shows decline: MoS Agri Anwar The share of agriculture sector in the country's GDP has declined from 15.8 percent in 2008-09 to 14.5 percent in 2010-11. NOTE:- i. Stating this in the Rajya Sabha today, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Tariq Anwar said the decline of 1.3 percent over 2 years is on account of comparatively higher growth of other sectors. ii. Similarly, the number of workers employed in agriculture declined from 580 in 2005-06 to 532 in 200910 for every one thousand employed people. This was primarily on account of higher employment opportunities in non-agriculture sectors. iii. Per capita availability of foodgrains declined to 437.1 gram per day in the year 2010 from 494.1 grams per day in 2002. However, according to provisional figures this has again risen to 462.9 grams per day in the last year. 7. Economic growth declines to 5.3% in Jul-Sep quarter Indian economy grew by 5.3 per cent in the July-September period of the current financial year (201213), pulled down by poor performance of manufacturing and agriculture sectors, showing persistent signs of slowdown. The Gross Domestic Product(GDP) had expanded by 6.7 per cent in the same period of last fiscal.It had grown by 5.5 per cent in the first quarter (April-June) of 2012-13. NOTE:- i. During the three-month period ended September 30, the manufacturing sector grew marginally by 0.8 per cent, against 2.9 per cent growth in the same period of 2011-12, according to data released by the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) today. ii. Farm sector output expanded by just 1.2 per cent in the July-September period this fiscal against 3.1 per cent in the same period last year. iii. The economic growth in the first six month of this fiscal (April-September) is 5.4 per cent, lower than 7.3 per cent growth clocked in the year-ago period. In the July-September quarter, trade, hotels, transport and communications segment also witnessed lower pace of growth at 5.5 per cent compared to 9.5 per cent expansion in the same quarter in year ago. 8. AP govt introduces SC/ST sub plan implementation bill; country's first Andhra Pradesh Government has introduced a Bill in the Assembly aimed at ensuring transparent, accountable and accurate implementation of Sub-plans for the welfare of Scheduled Casts and Scheduled Tribes. NOTE:- The bill is first of its kind in the country to prevent diversion of funds earmarked for SC and ST welfare. The bill also provides provision of social audit of the Sub Plans every year and promotes equal opportunities on Social, economic and Human Resource Development fronts. Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy who introduced the bill in the Assembly appealed all political parties to give suggestions for enactment of strong Law. 9. UNGA votes to recognize Palestine as non-member observer state UN General Assembly has voted in favour of granting the upgraded status of Observer state to Palestine on the lines of Vatican. India was among the 138 countries which voted in favour of the resolution while there were nine votes against the move led by US and Israel. 41 countries abstained from the voting.

NOTE:- The change in status from Observer entity to Observer State means Palestinians can now co sponsor the resolutions at UN. They can access membership of additional UN bodies like the International Criminal Court where they can try to put Israel on war crime charges. 10. Honduran officials claim biggest cocaine seizure in country's history Honduran officials say they have made probably their largest ever seizure of cocaine in the country's history. The haul of about 15 tonnes was found at an underground lab. The Honduran army supported by other drug enforcement agencies discovered the extensive underground laboratory. A wide network of tunnels was also discovered through which the drugs were packaged and smuggled out. NOTE:- The haul is considered an important victory for the Honduran government in its fight against the country's powerful drug cartels. Honduras is a major drug smugling route to the United States. 11. Extortion case: 2 Zee News editors sent to 14 days judicial custody Two senior editors of Zee News, arrested on charges of trying to extort Rs. 100 crore from Congress MP, Naveen Jindal's firm, were today sent to judicial custody for 14 days by a Delhi court. NOTE:- Metropolitan Magistrate Gaurav Rao sent Zee News head Sudhir Chaudhary and Zee Business Editor Samir Ahluwalia to Tihar jail till December 14 after the Crime Branch of Delhi Police said, their custodial interrogation was completed and they were no longer required in police custody. 12. Brazilian Football Confederation appointed Luiz Felipe Scolari as the Coach of Brazil Luiz Felipe Scolari would be leading the team as its coach also during the 2014 FIFA World Cup scheduled to take place in Brazil. NOTE:- Before this in the 2002 FIFA World Cup held in South Korea and Japan, Luiz Felipe Scolari led the Brazilian side as its coach, the team which was declared the winner of the tournament. His recent recruitment at the position of coach would give him a time of 18 months to guide the Brazilian Football Team to win the next World Cup at its home. He would be guiding the team during the FIFA Confederations Cup that is scheduled to be organized in June 2013 in Brazil. 13. Parliament of Egypt Passed Draft of the New Constitution Parliament of Egypt passed draft of their new constitution in which the duties, responsibilities and roles of the legislature, judiciary and executive have been defined. 230 articles of this new constitution were discussed as well as voted upon by Salafist and Islamist MPs at the rushed session of Egyptian Parliament which took place for 16 hours. NOTE:- As per the law of Egypt, now the draft would be sanctioned by the President of Egypt- Morsey. It would then be put for referee.
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7. DAILY GK Updates November 30, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 28TH NOVEMBER 1. Guru Nanak Jayanti being celebrated today with religious fervor 543rd anniversary of the founder of Sikh religion Guru Nanak Dev Ji is being celebrated today with great religious fervour, dedication and devotion across the country.On this day in 1469 NOTE:- Guru Nanak was born in 1469 in Talwandi, a village in the Sheikhupura district, 65 kms. west of Lahore, now known as Nankana Saheb in a Bedi Hindu

family. Thousands of devotees from across the world today throng the , the Golden Temple and take holy dip in the sacred sarovar. 2. Bangalore to host first ever T20 World Cup for blind The first ever Twenty20 World Cup for the blind will witness nine countries battling it out for the trophy here from December 2 to 13. NOTE:- Besides hosts India, Australia, Bangladesh, England, Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Nepal will participate in the tournament, which is a joint effort by Bangalore-based NGO, Samarthanam and Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI). 3. Indian companies second worse in world on fraud after Africa India has the highest number of fraud-hit companies after Africa, according to a report by global advisory firm Kroll. Fraud risks in India remain above the global average and, outside Africa (77 per cent), the country has seen the highest number of companies affected by frauds at 68 per cent, followed by China and Indonesia at 65 per cent, compared to the global average of 61 per cent, said Kroll's 'Global Fraud Report' released. NOTE:- Theft of physical assets or stock was the most frequent (27 per cent) type of fraud reported. The report is based on interviews of 800 senior executives worldwide, including 60 from the country. 5. India behind China in domestic use of software: UN report India lags way behind China in domestic use of software as the country uses only 23 per cent of total production, according to a UN report. "The domestic use of software in India is only 23 per cent of total productions compared to almost 90 per cent in China. Moreover, Chinese production is almost three times to that of India," according to a report by United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). NOTE:- The report further said India's computer software and services spending for 2011 stood at USD 8.4 billion which is 8.7 per cent share of total information and communication technology spending in India. 6. Bihar's economic growth best among major states in 11th Plan Bihar has been the top performer among the major states in terms of economic growth during the 11th Five Year Plan which ended on March 31, 2012. NOTE:- According to a Planning Commission report on state finances, only Sikkim and Goa, which are much smaller in size than Bihar, have performed better than the state. The report reveals that the nominal gross state domestic product (GSDP) growth rate of Bihar was 21.9 per cent during the 11th Plan spread over 2007 to 12. None of the major states which include Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh could over 20 per cent GSDP growth rate in nominal terms. NOTE:- Among all the states and union territories, Sikkim recorded highest GSDP growth rate of 31.6 per cent during the five year period followed by Goa at 22.9 per cent. The worst performers include Jharkhand which recorded GSDP growth rate of 9.2 per cent followed by the Puducherry, Nagaland and Manipur (all below 11 per cent). In case of major states, Haryana clocked the GSDP growth rate of 19.5 per cent followed by Rajasthan at 18 per cent, Kerala at 16.9 per cent, Madhya Pradesh 16.8 per cent, Andhra Pradesh at 16.7 per cent and West Bengal at 16.4 per cent. During the 11th Plan, Gujarat grew at 16 per cent followed by Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh at 15.3 per cent each. 7. 2012-16: Indian economy to grow at 7.7, says ING The country's economy is likely to grow by an average of 7.7 per cent during 2012-16, a report by leading financial services firm ING said today. "We expect the economy to grow in 2012-16 by 7.7 per cent on average. On the demand side, private

consumption and investment will be the main drivers of growth," the report said NOTE:- From a high over 9 per cent GDP growth for many years prior to the 2008 crisis, the economy grew 6.5 per cent last year and is projected to slow down further to a decadal low 5.5 per cent or even lower this fiscal. 8. NSE's Chitra Ramakrishna in select league of women CEOs With her elevation as CEO and Managing Director of leading Indian bourse NSE, Chitra Ramakrishna will join the select league of women executives in the world who head stock exchanges. Only two of the top 20 bourses globally have women CEOs, while Ramakrishna, currently joint MD of the National Stock Exchange (NSE), will assume the role of its chief from April 1, 2013 for a period of five years. NOTE:- Among the top-20 bourses in terms of market value of listed companies, South Africa's Johannesburg Stock Exchange and China's Shenzhen Stock Exchange are headed by Nicky Newton-King and Liping Song respectively. 9. NSE ranked 12th in the world Stock Exchange List NSE, with a market value of USD 1,178 billion, is ranked 12th in the world as of October 2012, as per the latest data of the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE). NOTE:- The 11 exchanges having higher market capitalisation than NSE include NYSE Euronext (US), Nasdaq, London Stock Exchange Group, NYSE Euronext (Europe), Hong Kong Exchanges, China's Shanghai SE, Canada's TMX Group, Germany's Deutsche Boerse, Australian Stock Exchange and India's BSE. 10. China to grow at 7.5% despite global downturn China today said it is confident of achieving GDP growth target of 7.5 per cent despite global economic downturn and steady fall in exports. NOTE:- Chinese Minister of Commerce Chen Deming said the country is poised for an annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 7.5 per cent, consistent with the predictions made at the beginning of 2012. 11. 2-yr ban on MITL for trades with Ketan Parekh related entities Market regulator Sebi has barred Mascon Information Technologies Ltd (MITL) from the securities market for a period of two years for alleged fraudulent trading by way of offloading shares through off market transfers to Ketan Parekh 12. India to witness 89 GW of installed wind power by 2020 India is expected to have 89 gigawatts (GW) of installed wind power capacity by 2020 and attract $16.5 billion annual investment according to Indias Wind Energy Outlook 2012. This would hypothetically help prevent the emission of 131 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. NOTE:- India is the third largest annual wind power market in the world and provides business opportunities for both domestic and foreign investors
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8. DAILY GK Updates November 29, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 27TH NOVEMBER

1. Centre to set up country's 1st geothermal power project in Ladakh Central Govt. is setting up its 1st geothermal power project in Ladakh J&K for promoting non-conventional energy. NOTE:- The Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah said today. "We are working on that. Our first project on geothermal with a capacity of 3MW is coming up near Ladakh,".
2. Marc Grossman, US Special Envoy to Af-Pak Resigned US special envoy to Af-Pak (Afghanistan-Pakistan), Marc Grossman announced his resignation after being at the helm of diplomatic affairs in the volatile region for two years from 2010 to 2012. His resignation would come into effect from 14 December 2012. NOTE- NOTE:- Grossman would be succeeded by his Deputy Special US Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, David D Pearce. 3. Maldives cancelled its Biggest Foreign Investment Project with GMR Group Maldives cancelled its biggest foreign investment project with Indian firm GMR Group to develop its international airport. The total value of the project was 511 million dollar. NOTE:- The deal with the GMR was signed during former President Mohamed Nasheed's administration. Prior to this, a competitive bidding process was conducted by the World Bank's International Finance Corporation (IFC). The project was implemented through a joint venture company comprising GMR Infrastructure Limited and Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad. 4.India to Launch Worlds Biggest Cash-to-the-Poor Program India is planning to start giving cash directly to its poorest citizens starting in January, in a bid to reduce massive corruption that prevents subsidised goods and welfare benefits from reaching those who need them. NOTE 1:- The project would affect at least 720 million people - a population almost the size of the whole of Europe - making this the world's biggest programme of giving money directly to the poor. NOTE 2:- The programme is open to families who live below or just above the government-set poverty line - which is Rs. 28.65(S$0.63) a day in urban areas and 22.42 rupees for rural areas. That definition of poverty, however, has come under criticism for being exceptionally low and the government said earlier this month that a new committee would be formed to reconsider the amount. The government expects to transfer up to Rs. 40,000 a year to each poor household. 5. Microfinance India Summit 2012 held in New Delhi Indias nascent microfinance sector is showing signs of mild recovery after the SKS Microfinance -triggered meltdown, says a new report on the sector. NOTE:- According to the State of the Sector Report 2012, brought out under the aegis of microfinance facilitation organisation Access Development Services, the loan amount disbursed by microfinance institutions, as well as the average loan ticket size, has shown signs of recovery in fiscal 2011-12. 6. 16 countries to participate in Kabaddi World Cup 16 countries will vie for top honours in the annual Kabaddi World Cup which will be held across the Punjab, starting December 1. NOTE:- After the large-scale doping offences witnessed last year, the tournament, organised by the Punjab Government, this time will witness strict checks to make the event drug free. 7. HIV epidemic showing signs of reversal: WHO With the HIV/AIDS epidemic showing signs of reversal globally, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and countries are now working towards zero new HIV infections, zero deaths from AIDS-related illnesses

and zero discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS. NOTE:- To achieve this goal, the WHO has emphasised the need for people to learn about their HIV status, and for greater effort to reach and support young people and men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who inject drugs, migrants and others who are most vulnerable to the disease. December 1 is observed as World AIDS Day annually the world over. 8. Kamal Nath and leading Indian industrialist Anand Mahindra to be honoured by a business leadership forum for Asia Minister for Urban Development Kamal Nath and leading Indian industrialist Anand Mahindra were among a host of business leaders and policy makers from the Asian continent honoured by a business leadership forum for Asia in the UAE. NOTE:- While Mr. Kamal Nath was awarded the Asian Business Leadership Forum ABLF Statesman Award, the Chairman and Managing Director of Mahindra Group was honoured with the ABLF Business Courage Award. 9. India's first indigenously created low-cost tablet Aakash will be showcased at the United Nations headquarters India's first indigenously created low-cost tablet Aakash will be showcased at the United Nations headquarters. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon will launch the tablet at the invitation of the Permanent Mission of India to celebrate India's presidency of the UN Security Council through November. NOTE:-India will be presenting a tablet to the representative from each country at the General Assembly . 10. Pakistan test fired "Hatf V Ghauri" a nuclear-capable ballistic missile Pakistan test fired a nuclear-capable ballistic missile with a range of 1,300 kilometers. The military described the Hatf V Ghauri missile as a liquid fuel missile, which can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads. NOTE:- It was Pakistan's eighth missile test so far this year and comes two months after its last test of a Hatf-VII with a range of 700 kilometers. 11. 8 day long International Pushkar Fair concluded today in Rajasthan The 8 day long International Pushkar Fair concluded with Kartika Purnima Snan at Holy Pushkar Sarovar.
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9. DAILY GK Updates November 29, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 26TH NOVEMBER 1. Rich tributes were paid to the martyrs and victims of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks Rich tributes were paid to the martyrs and victims of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks amidst tight security in Mumbai today. NOTE:- Union Home minister Sushilkumar Shinde and Union Agricultural Minister Sharad Pawar paid floral tributes to the martyrs at the memorial at the Police gymkhana in
South Mumbai on the fourth anniversary of the attacks. Scores of people participated in various peace walks, and commemorative events at CST railway station, Leopold caf, hotel trident, nariman house, marine drive and other targets which were attacked by terrorists during 26/11 attacks.

2. UN Conference on Climate Change gets underway in Doha United Nations Conference on Climate Change got underway in Doha amid global concerns to limit the greenhouse gas emissions and the divide among the developing and the developed nations. NOTE:- More than 17000 delegates from 194 countries will discuss another extension to Kyoto Protocol for cutting emissions by developed nations and bringing sustainable development for the developing countries to the fore. 3. Rory Mcllroy wins Dubai World Tour Golf Championship World Champion, Rory Mcllroy has won the Dubai World Tour Golf Championship and retained his number one title at the end of the season in 2012. NOTE:- Englands Justin Rose came second. Mcllroy was tied with his arch rival Luke Donald in the fourth and the final round, but came out with a superb finish in the decider to bag the title. 4. Chitra Ramakrishna to become MD & CEO of NSE on 1st April 2013 Chitra Ramakrishna will be the Managing Director and CEO of National Stock Exchange from 1st April 2013, while its current chief Ravi Narain will assume the role of Vice-Chairman in a non-executive role. NOTE:- At a meeting held in Mumbai on Monday, the board of the National Stock Exchange decided that Ramkrishna, currently Joint MD of the bourse, will take charge as MD and CEO with effect from 1st April 2013 for a period of five years. 5. Agro Tech-2012 to begin in Chandigarh on 1st December The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Monday announced 10th edition of coun trys only integrated biennial agriculture fair, Agro Tech-2012. It will be held at the Parade ground of Sector 17 in Chandigarh from 1st to 4th December. NOTE:- Chairman of Agro Tech-2012, Mr. Gokul Patnaik said that it would be a technology and business fair with participation of 45 foreign exhibitors from eight countries besides a large number of Indian exhibitors. 6. Bill introduced to set up two Central universities in Bihar A bill, which would enable setting up of two Central universities in Bihar was introduced in Lok Sabha on Monday. The Central Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2012 was introduced by HRD Minister MM Pallam Raju amid din over the FDI in retail issue. NOTE:- The amendment will enable opening a central university in Motihari in addition to the one in Gaya, which is already functioning from a temporary location. The Act had a provision for setting two Central universities in Jammu and Kashmir as a special case. The University in Motihari will be named as Central University of North Bihar and the one at Gaya will be named as Central University of South Bihar. 7. India and Sweden sign pact to enhance cooperation on social security India and Sweden have signed an agreement to enhance bilateral cooperation on social security issues. The agreement was signed by Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and Minister of Social Security in Sweden Ulf Kristersson in New Delhi. NOTE:- There are about 18 thousand overseas Indians in Sweden working as self-employed and professionals. New Delhi has also signed similar agreements with Belgium, Germany, Canada and Japan among others. 8. India and China sign 11 pacts to enhance trade and economic ties India and China have signed 11 pacts on Monday for further deepening of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. 4 MOU's were inked in public sector and seven agreements in the private sector involving 5.2 billion US dollars. On the 2nd Indo-China Strategic Economic Dialogue in New Delhi, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia said, both countries have also agreed to address the trade imbalance between the two countries. NOTE 1:- MoUs were signed in areas of improving energy efficiency, technical cooperation in Railways, Cooperation in Information Technology and joint studies between Planning commission and the Chineese

Reform commission. NOTE 2:-The agreements were signed for 2500 MW renewable energy project worth 3 US billion dollars investment between Reliance Energy and Guangdong Mingyang Wind Power with project financing from China Development Bank. NOTE 3:-Other agreements include Lanco group's, 600 US million dollars Anpara Phase II 4 X660 MW power project, USD 800 million deal between NIIT and Hainan province for Knowledge park, 384 US million dollars joint venture Waste to energy projects on Build Operate Transfer basis in New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai. 9. 270 million enrolled under UID in 3 years Unique Identification (UID) project has enrolled 270 million people in last three years and the data collected through it can be used to provide various benefits like direct cash transfer to cardholders. UID project chief Nandan Nilekani Monday expressed the need to make the project irreversible by providing "compelling services" to the people. 10. EGoM studies issues related to 3rd phase of radio expansion Government has said that an Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) was studying several issues related to the third phase of expansion of radio that were either not covered by the existing Cabinet decision or had risen during the implementation. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said that issues being considered by the EGoM included the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's recommendation to reduce inter channel spacing to 400 KHZ from the present 800 KHz. 11. Government to transfer subsidies directly into beneficaries' accounts from 1st Jan. 2013 Government will start direct cash transfers of subsidies into beneficaries' bank accounts in 51 districts across the country through the Aadhar based system from 1st January 2013. NOTE:- Addressing the first meeting of the National Committee on Direct Cash Transfers, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh said that Direct Cash Transfer will open the doors for eliminating waste, cutting down leakages and targeting benificiaries better. 12. K Venukuttan Nair, a well known theatre personality as well as the Malayalam film actor passed away K Venukuttan Nair, 81, a well known theatre personality as well as the Malayalam film actor died on 26 November 2012 at Thiruvananthapuram because of brief illness. NOTE:- Nair was a respected personality in theatre circles in the state of Kerala. Nair had also received state government award for the best drama director four times. Nair is survived by his wife.
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10. DAILY GK Updates November 29, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 25TH NOVEMBER 1.10th day of Muharram observed across India Yom-e-Ashura or 10th day of Muharram was observed today across the country. NOTE:- It is observed to mark the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain, the grandson of prophet Mohammad.

2.Gokarna expresses concern over rising gold imports Deputy Governor of RBI Subir Gokarna has expressed concern over the growing import of gold in the Country.
3. RIL agrees for official scrutiny into its KG-D6 gas block expenses Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) agrees to a scrutiny of its expenses in the flagging KG-D6 gas block by the official auditor even after expiry of the contractual period. NOTE:- RIL President B. Ganguly however said, contractually there was no scope for CAG doing a performance audit and the scrutiny should be strictly a financial audit as he has been promised by the Oil Ministry. 4. 9th Senior National Women's boxing championships begins 9th Senior National Women's boxing championships will begin in Guwahati today. NOTE:- Olympic bronze-medallist M C Mary Kom will, however, skip this year's championships as she wants youngsters to come up in the domestic arena. The five-time world champion said this on the sidelines of a press conference to announce the setting up of a Boxing Academy in the National Capital Region. 5. 2nd edition of ASEAN-India car rally flags off tomorrow second edition of the ASEAN-India car rally flags off in the historic city atof Yogyakarta, Indonesia tomorrow. NOTE:- A total of 124 participants from 11 countries will participate in the 22-day sojourn, covering almost 8000kms. Jointly organised by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and all ASEAN nations, the rally will demonstrate the close civilisational links with ASEAN countries, create public awareness, promote connectivity and enhance trade, investment, tourism and people to people connectivity among the member nations. 6. Hyderabad Metro to be dedicated to nation next year The Hyderabad Metro Rail project will be dedicated to the nation in December next year, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy today. Inaugurating the work to set up launching girders on to the Metro rail pillars, Mr Reddy said the trials of the first phase of the Rs.16,375 crore project would begin in June 2014. BJP suspends Jethmalani 7. Dubai announces ambitious mega projects for tourism and retail sector development Dubai Government has announced mega projects for tourism and retail sector development. These include the largest shopping mall in the world, a park 30 percent bigger than Londons Hyde Park, the largest family entertainment center in collaboration with Universal Studios and the largest area for art galleries in West Asia and North Africa region. 8. China's first aircraft carrier moves "one step closer to combat readiness" with first fighter jet landing China has become the latest country to possess naval air power after it demonstrated a successful landing of a fighter jet on its first aircraft carrier. NOTE:- The landing exercise marked the debut of the J-15 fighter jet, a carrier-based fighter-bomber also known as "Flying Shark" developed by China from Russia's Sukhoi Su-33. 9. Former world boxing champion Hector 'Macho' Camacho dies after being taken off life support Doctors have confirmed former championship boxer Hector 'Macho' Camacho has died after being taken off life support NOTE:- Former world boxing champion Hector 'Macho' Camacho was taken off life support on Saturday, according to his mother's wishes. 10. Maps inside new Chinese passports trigger territorial dispute China has angered several of its neighbor states by claiming ownership of the entire South China Sea and

even Taiwan on a map printed in its newly designed passport NOTE:- China's newly revised passports include a map of the country. But as well as outlining mainland China, the map lays claim on almost the entire South China Sea and even Taiwan which has been independent for more than 60 years. 11. kUBS rogue trader Kweku Adoboli convicted of $2.3-billion fraud Former UBS trader Kweku Adoboli has been found guilty of the biggest fraud in UK history, costing his employer $2.3 billion A rogue city trader, who gambled away $2.3 billion at UBS bank has been convicted of fraud. A jury at London's Southwark Crown Court found former UBS trader Kweku Adoboli guilty of one count of fraud and is set to still return a verdict on five further charges.
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11. DAILY GK Updates November 25, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 24TH NOVEMBER 1. Martyrdom of Sri Guru Teg Bahadur being observed today Martyrdom day of 9th Sikh Guru, Sri Guru Teg Bahadur is being observed today. NOTE:- This day was marked with recitation of Gurbani Kirtan in the Gudwaras and religious processions at different places. Guru Teg Bahadur sacrificed his life in Chandni Chowk of New Delhi to save religion from the tyranny of the rulers of the day.
2. Ernest Bai Koroma Re-elected as President of Sierra Leone Sierra Leone's president, Ernest Bai Koroma, has been sworn in for a second term after winning nearly 60 percent of the vote in yesterday's peaceful elections. NOTE:- Koroma, who was first elected in 2007, has pledged to increase foreign investment and fight corruption. 2012 election was the first post-war election which Sierra Leone had organised itself, the other two held since the war ended in 2001 were run by the United Nations. 3. Arvind Kejriwal launched his political party with the name "Aam Admi Party" Social activist Arvind Kejriwal today named his political outfit as "Aam Admi Party".The name was finalized at a meeting of its founder members held in New Delhi. During t he meeting, the partys Constitution was also adopted. NOTE:- Kejriwal had on 2nd October announced the formation of the party, saying its official launch would be on 26th November, the day Constitution of India was adopted in 1949. 4. Maulana Syed Ahmad Hasan passes away yesterday Noted Shia religious leader and Imam-e-Juma of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, Maulana Syed Ahmad Hasan died yesterday after a prolonged illness. He was 65. NOTE:- Maulana Syed Ahmad Hasan was an eminent scholar, poet and litterateur. His last rites will be performed in Varanasi today. 5. Mar Cleemis Thottunkal of Trivandrum elevated as cardinal by the Pope The major Archbishop of the Trivandrum of the Siro-Malankaresi in India, His Beatitude Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal has been elevated as Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI. NOTE:- He is among six priests, all non Europeans, appointed by the Pope at a service in the Vatican's St Peter's Basilica today.

6. National Cancer Institute and National Cardio Care Centre to be setup in Badhsa in Jhajjar district of Haryana The National Cancer Institute and National Cardio Care Centre will be setup at the second campus of All India Institute of Medical Sciences at Badhsa in Jhajjar district of Haryana. NOTE:- This was announced by Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Gulam Nabi Azad there today. Azad said the second campus of AIIMS will be developed as a world class international level institution. 7. Ireland Govt orders 3rd probe into Savita Halapannavar's tragic death Ireland has ordered a 3rd probe into NRI doctor Savita Halapannavar's tragic death at a Galway hospital earlier this month after her dentist husband Praveen claimed that crucial papers relating to her repeated requests for abortion were missing from the hospital's files. 8. All India Police Shooting Championship to be held in Jalandhar Punjab Police is organizing the 6th All India Police Shooting Championship-2012 at Punjab Armed Police Headquarters in Jalandhar from Monday. More than 400 men and women shooters from 23 states, union territories and central police organizations including BSF, CISF, CRPF and ITBP will participate in the 5 day event. NOTE:- Punjab Police is hosting the meet for the second time since its start in 2007. Opening ceremony of the competition will be presided over by the DGP, Punjab Police, Sumedh Singh Saini. 9. Tamil Nadu Government, aided school students get smart cards The State government of Tamil Nadu has introduced Smart Cards containing data on students. It will benefit over 91 lakh students in government and aided schools. NOTE:- As a pilot project, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa presented the cards to students of five government higher secondary schools in Tiruchi district on Saturday. The Smart Cards will have data such as the names of students, parents, their address, annual income, date of birth, admission details, pass percentage and so on. 10. Australia approved the plan to save the Murray-Darling Basin Australia approved the plan to save the Murray-Darling Basin, an ailing river system. As per the plan, the sum total of five Sydney Harbours worth of water to the network every year. NOTE:- Murray-Darling Basin river system is vital to the Australias food bowl. This river network is sprawling across 5 Australian states and covering the area of one million square kilometers. Two million tonnes of salt will also be flushed out each year under the plan. The concerned river system affects the livelihood of millions of people, but due to overexploitation it is ailing now. It suffers from increased salt concentrations as well as depletion in its amount of water because of draught. 11. Portman Holdings Invested Rs. 65 Crore in Tata Housing Project U.S.-based Portman Holdings invested 65 crore Rupees in Tata Housing luxury housing project based in Bangalore. NOTE:- Private equity funding is done for the first time for the Tata Housing project. ***Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later*** --- Og Mandino
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12. DAILY GK Updates

November 25, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 23RD NOVEMBER 1. Prasar Bharati Celebrated its Establishment day Today is Prasar Bharati day. It was on this day in 1997 that the statutory autonomous body was established under the Prasar Bharati Act. NOTE:- Prasar Bharati was established following a demand that government owned broadcasters in the country be given autonomy like those in many other countries. 2. India carries out successful user trial of Advanced Air Defence Interceptor Missile from Wheeler
Island off Odisha Coast India today carried out yet another successful user-trial of the Advanced Air Defence Interceptor missile from Wheeler Island off Odisha Coast. NOTE:- The user-trial, the second this year, was conducted at around 12.55 pm today from Launch complex-4 on Wheeler island near Dhamra, about 70 km from Bhadrak. 3. Barbosa sworn in as first non-white President of Brazil's Supreme Court Joaquim Barbosa has been sworn-in as Brazil's Supreme Court's first non-White President at a packed ceremony in the capital Brazilia. NOTE:- Barbosa, recently became a household figure in Brazil after overseeing one of the country's biggest corruption trials involving key members of the former President Lula Da Silva's government. NOTE:- Brazil has the second largest non-White population in the world after Nigeria, but few of them achieve high office. 4. Fiscal deficit in 2012-13 projected to be about 5.3% of GDP Fiscal deficit in 2012-13 is projected to be about 5.3 percent of the GDP. The government has unveiled a roadmap to consolidate fiscal deficit. This was stated by Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena. 5. EU summit opens in Brussels over differences over budget European Union's summit is officially opened in Brussels, after a three hour delay, caused by stark differences over the EU's next budget. NOTE:- The European Commission had proposed an increase in the budget but several of the countries are demanding a cut in the spending. 6. Governments 4% stake sale in Hindustan Copper over -subscribed Government's 4 per cent stake sale in state-run, Hindustan Copper was over-subscribed, today. Bids were received for a total of 3.89 crore shares, worth over 603 crore rupees by the close of trading, according to data available from the stock exchanges. NOTE:- The government set a floor price of 155 rupees per share - a 41 per cent discount to yesterday's closing price of Hindustan Copper on the BSE. Hindustan Copper's shares today closed at 213 rupees, down 20 per cent from its last close. Stake sale in the company has kick-started the government's disinvestment plan, which is targeting to raise 30,000 crore rupees in the current fiscal. 7. Tax refund process streamlined; graft contained: MoS Finance Government informed the Lok Sabha today that significant success has been achieved in combating corruption in settling refund claims in the Income Tax Department. Minister of State for Finance S.S. Palanimanickam said in a written reply that wherever any instance of corruption comes to his Ministry's notice, the complaint is verified. 8. India issues visas with Arunachal, Aksai Chin maps to protest chinas claim Unhappy over China showing Arunachal Pradesh and Aksai Chin as its territory in maps of the country on

their new e-passports, India has retaliated by issuing visas, containing Indian maps including these regions as part of it. NOTE:- The move came after the Chinese government started issuing new e-passports, carrying pages with watermark Chinese showing these territories as part of China. Taking note of this, India through its embassy in Beijing is issuing visas to Chinese nationals with a map of India including these places as part of its territory. 9. International film festival of India kick started in Goa Goa Chief Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar has said hosting of the International film festival of India annually has boosted states economy along with helping it grow as a brand. NOTE:- At the ongoing film festival in Panaji yesterday he said whatever the state spends on IFFI, most part of it reverted to the state coffers besides getting employment opportunities to many. 10. Rating Agency Fitch downgraded the Debt Rating of Sony Corp. and Panasonic Corp. Fitch, the rating agency in 3rd week of November 2012 downgraded the debt rating of Japans Sony Corp and Panasonic Corp to Junk status. NOTE:- The ranking of the two corporations were downgraded because of the weakness measured in their TV Operations and Consumer Electronics and the low demand that these brands suffered due to the tough competition faced by the competing brands Apple Inc. and Samsung. 11. BBC Appointed Tony Hall as its New Director General Royal Opera House chief executive Tony Hall appointed as director general of the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). 12. Autar Kaw, a professor of Indian Origin won US Professor of the Year Award-2012 Indian Born Academic, Autar Kaw, a mechanical engineering professor at University of South Florida (USF) on 15 November 2012 was declared winner of the prestigious 2012 US Professor of the Year award. NOTE:- Autar Kaw was conferred with the award in the category of Outstanding Doctoral and Research Universities Professor of the Year- for his abilities of providing solutions of complex mathematical equations to students making it simple by providing logical solutions to it beyond the classroom through his website, twitter account and lectures available on You Tube Video. 13. Rafael Benitez Appointed as the New Manager of Chelsea Football Club Chelsea Football Club officially announced the appointment of Rafael Benitez as their new interim manager. Rafael Benitez who is the former Liverpool manager is going to replace Roberto Di Matteo who was sacked on 21 November 2012. NOTE:- Rafael Benitez is 52 Years old and became Chelsea's ninth manager since Roman Abramovich was the first owner in 2003. 14. UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav Announced 1650 Crore Rupees Agri Loan waiver Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav announced an agricultural loan waiver worth 1650 crore Rupees which is supposed to benefit about half a million small and marginal farmers. NOTE:- The agricultural loan waiver is applied to farmers who had taken up to 50000 rupees of loan from the UP Sahkari Gram Vikas Bank (UPSGVB) against farm land as security. The provision is that the borrower should have repaid at least a tenth of the principal amount by March 31, to be eligible. The waiver would include both the principal due and interest on it.
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13.

DAILY GK Updates November 23, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 22ND NOVEMBER 1. Ranjit Sinha appointed as the New Director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Government appointed Director General of Indo-Tibetan Border Police Mr Ranjit Sinha as the New Director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a period of two years. NOTE:- A Home Ministry official said that Mr Sinha, a 1974 batch Bihar Cadre IPS officer will succeed present CBI Director A P Singh who will be retiring on 30th of this month.
2. 3 Indian Writers Shortlisted for DSC South Asian Literature Prize 2013 3 Indian writers- Uday Prakash, Amitav Ghosh and Jeet Thayil were shortlisted for the US Dollar 50,000 DSC South Asian Literature Prize 2013. Amitav Ghosh has been chosen for River of Smoke, Jeet Thayil for the debut novel Narcopolis and Uday Prakash for The Walls of Delhi. NOTE:- The names of shortlisted candidates were announced on 21 November 2012 in London. Others who were shortlisted for the prize include Pakistani novelists Jamil Ahmad and Mohammed Hanif as well as Tahmina Anam of Bangladesh. 3. Cabinet approved National Pharmaceutical Policy Cabinet today approved National Pharmaceutical Policy. Now 348 essential durg will come over price control of the goverment and the cost of essential drugs are likely to drop. Group of Ministers headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had on Wednesday finalised the Drug Pricing formula. 4. Government cleared disinvestment of 9.5 per cent of its stake in the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) The government has cleared disinvestment of 9.5 per cent of its stake in the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). NOTE:- The decision was taken in a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), in New Delhi this evening. 5. Former Brazilian President Lula Da Silva was conferred with the 2010 Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development President Pranab Mukherjee today presented the 2010 Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development to former Brazilian President Lula Da Silva. NOTE:- In a glittering ceremony held at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi today, President Lula was honoured for his outstanding contribution to the cause of eliminating poverty and promoting inclusive growth in Brazil. 6. First International textile & Apparel Fair Vastra 2012 kicks off in Jaipur First International textile and Apparel Fair Vastra 2012 has begun from today in Jaipur. Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot inaugurated the 4 days fair. He said that the state government has initiated many steps to create atmosphers of investment in the state. NOTE:- The best and latest in textiles from fibre to fashion and from infrastructure to technology is being showcased at the exposition.the fair is being jointly organized by Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (RIICO) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). 7. Trinamool Congress's No Confidence Motion against the UPA Government rejected An attempt by former UPA ally Trinamool Congress to bring a no-confidence motion against the government over FDI in retail failed on Thursday in the Lok Sabha for want of requisite numbers. 8. Gov. to set up 5 Universities under the Maulana Azad Education Foundation

The government is considering a proposal to set up 5 universities under the Maulana Azad Education Foundation across the country for the minority communities. NOTE:- Initially, 3 universities will be set up, one each at Bengaluru, Karnataka, Ajmer in Rajasthan and at Kishanganj in Bihar. This information was given by the Minority Affairs Minister K. Rahman Khan in the Lok Sabha today. In a written reply, he said this is being done in pursuance of the Sachar Committee's recommendations. The government is also proposing to set up institutions on the model of Kendriya Vidyalayas in districts where the minorities are in large numbers, he said. 9. Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) to be rolled out in 51 districts across 16 states from 1st January next year in the first phase. Addressing a press conference after a meeting with south zone Chief Ministers in Bangalore, Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram said representatives from states and banks as well as top officials who took part in the interaction, were sensitised on the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) which will be rolled out in 51 districts across 16 states from 1st January next year in the first phase. NOTE:- All cash and subsidy are proposed to be transferred to beneficiaries under the EBT. 10. Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) established tele-medicine network Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has established tele-medicine network in various states and regions to provide access to specialized health care facilities to remote rural areas. Minister of State in the PMO, V Narayanasamy, in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha said that at present, the tele-medicine network of ISRO covers 382 hospitals with 60 specialty hospitals connecting to 306 rural hospitals and 16 mobile units.
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14. DAILY GK Updates November 23, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 21ST NOVEMBER 1. RBI and the State Bank of Vietnam signed a Memorandum of Understanding Reserve Bank of India (RBI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) for promoting greater co-operation and sharing supervisory information, between the two supervisors. NOTE:- The MoU between the two banks was signed at Hanoi, Vietnam in the Headquarters of State Bank of Vietnam.
2. Ajmal Kasab hanged and buried in Pune's Yerwada Jail In a secret operation, LeT terrorist and 26/11 attacks accused Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab was hanged in the high-security Yerwada Jail in Pune at 7:30am today after a four-year-long trial. Maharashtra chief minister Prithviraj Chavan said he was buried inside the Yerwada Jail at 9.30am. NOTE:- The lone surviving terrorist in the Mumbai attack of November 26, 2008 was shifted to the Yerwada Jail following the rejection of his mercy petition by the President earlier on November 5. 3. India signs $70 mn loan pact with World Bank for Ktaka Health Systems Development, Reform Project India has signed a 70-million Dollar loan agreement with the World Bank for additional financing of Karnataka Health Systems Development and Reform Project. The main objective of the project is to improve the health services delivery, public-private collaboration and financing for the benefit of underserved and vulnerable groups in Karnataka.

NOTE:- The Agreement was signed by Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Prabodh Saxena and World Bank's India Operations Advisor, Michael Haney in New Delhi yesterday. 4. India Added 22 New Items to promote Indo-Myanmar Border Trade Indian Government in the month of November added 22 commodities such as agricultural tools, bicycle, coal and garments in the list of items for border trade with Myanmar to boost the two-way commerce between the neighbours. The new items added and revised in the list of 40 tradable items was confirmed in a public notice by Director General of Foreign Trade which now make the list of 62 Consolidated items. 5. President of India released a Commemorative Postage Stamp on late Ramgopal Maheshwari President of India Pranab Mukherjee released a Commemorative Postage Stamp on late Ramgopal Maheshwari. The stamp was released in the Rastrapati Bhavan on the occasion of Maheshwaris birth centenary year celebration. NOTE:- Ramgopal Maheshwari was a freedom fighter and a social worker is also regarded as a doyen of Journalism in India. He was a person who worked for promotion of Hindi Language. 5. "Yuvi"- A Book on Cricketer Yuvraj Singh authored by Makarand Waingankar Released A book on Indian Cricketer Yuvraj Singh named "Yuvi" was released in third week of November 2012. NOTE:- The book on Yuvraj Singh is published by Harper Sport and written by Makarand Waingankar. The book illustrates the brilliance of cricket shown by Yuvraj Singh in his career as a cricketer and the way he recovered from Cancer. 6. Gavaskar conferred with BCCI's Col C K Naidu Lifetime Achievement award Former India captain and legendary opener Sunil Gavaskar was conferred with the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the BCCI's prestigious Col C K Naidu Lifetime Achievement award at a function in Mumbai yesterday. Gavaskar described the award as the biggest in Indian cricket and said that he was honoured to receive it. The award comprises a trophy, citation and a cheque for 25 lakh rupees. Gavaskar has represented India in 125 Tests from 1970-71 to 1986-87. NOTE:- He was the first batsman to score 10,000 runs in Tests, and the first to play 100 consecutive Tests. He was the first batsman to surpass Sir Don Bradman's tally of 29 Test centuries. He has led India in 47 Tests. Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli were also awarded for their achievements in the international arena during the past season. 7. NAK Browne released a book Victory India-A Key to Quality Military Leadership Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne released a book titled "Victory India - A Key to Quality Military Leadership" authored by Colonel Vinay B Dalvi (Retd) at the Air Headquarters. NOTE:- The book has tried to present the process of identification, selection and training of the youths for moulding them into effective and inspiring military leaders of the nation. 8. LIC, EPFO to subscribe Air India's Rs 7400-crore bond Life Insurance Corporation of India ( LIC) and the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) have agreed to fully subscribe to the Rs 7,400 crore bond sale of national carrier Air India. NOTE:- Life Insurance Corporation and the EPFO have agreed to purchase the entire Rs 7,400 crore Nonconvertible debentures (NCDs) being sold by Air India. This issue has a coupon of 9.08 per cent and will fetch 9.27 per cent for LIC and the EPFO on maturity after 19 years. LIC has subscribed to bonds worth Rs 3,000 crore and the remaining have been purchased by the EPFO. 9. Pranab Mukherjee Inaugurated the Mannam International Socio-Cultural & Charitable Centre Pranab Mukherjee, the President of inaugurated the Mannam International Socio-Cultural and Charitable Center at Rashtrapati Bhavans Auditorium. NOTE:- At the inaugural ceremony, the Indian President described Mannath Padmanabhan, the founder of NSS (Nair Service Society) as a visionary and social reformer, who stood against the social evils and worked for economic upliftment for the people of Kerela.

10. Nokia India Introduced Rebranded Map Service named "HERE" Nokia India yesterday launched its re-branded mobile map services in the Indian market. NOTE:- The new cloud computing-based map service is called as HERE and offers maps and locationbased services across multiple devices and operating systems. The main aim of the service is to inspire a new generation of location services and devices that make the mobile experience more personally significant for people everywhere. 11. Tongariro Volcano erupted in the North Island region of New Zealand Tongariro Volcano in Mount Tongariro at Tongariro National Park, New Zealand erupted today. NOTE:- This volcano left behind massive plume of ash billows up to 3 kilometers in the skies of Tongariro National Park in the North Island of New Zealand.
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15. DAILY GK Updates November 21, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 20TH NOVEMBER 1.President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf chosen for Indira Gandhi Peace Prize 2012 Liberian President and Nobel laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf was chosen for 2012 Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for being an inspiration to women and ensuring return of peace and democracy in her country. NOTE:- The award is set up by Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust with an international jury chaired
by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. 2.Moody's downgrade France credit rating credit ratings agency Moody's has downgraded France from its top rating. The country's debt has been reduced from AAA to AA1 and has kept its negative outlook, meaning it could be downgraded again. NOTE:-In a statement, Moody's blamed the risk of a Greek exit from the euro, stalled economic growth and the chances that France will have to contribute to bailing out other countries. Rival agency Standard & Poor's downgraded France in January. 3. Anil Dev Singh became the new Chairperson of IOA Election Panel Anil Dev Singh, the former Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court on was appointed as the new Chairperson of the Election Commission of The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) after S.Y. Quraishi resigned from his post on 17 November 2012. NOTE:-This appointment was done by Vijay Kumar Malhotra, the Acting President of IOA at present. 4. Asian under 10 Girls Chess Champion N Priyanka Won World Youth Chess Championship Asian under 10 girls chess champion Nuthaki Priyanka bagged the world youth chess championship at Maribor, Slovenia on 18 November 2012. She completed with 9.5 points of 11 rounds. 5. 43rd edition of International Film Festival of India starts in Goa 43rd edition of the International Film Festival of India began at Panaji in Goa this evening. NOTE:- Noted cine-actor Akshay Kumar inaugurated the 10-day cinematic extravaganza by lighting a traditional lamp in the distinguished presence of Goa Governor Mr. Bharat Vir Wanchoo, Chief Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar, Union minister for Information & Broadcasting Mr. Manish Tiwari, and I&B secretary Mr. Uday Kumar Verma. 6. Govt campaign Swabhimaan helps create banking services in 74,000 habitations

The financial inclusion campaign of Central Government, called Swabhimaan has helped create banking services in 74,000 habitations with a population of over 2000 in the country. Under the campaign about 3.16 crore new bank accounts were opened till March this year. NOTE:- In India, only 58 percent of total population is availing banking facility. 7. India with 39 countries voted against a UN General Assembly draft resolution India was among the 39 countries that voted against a UN General Assembly draft resolution which called for abolishing the death penalty. The non-binding resolution called for a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty. It was adopted yesterday at the General NOTE:-Assembly's Third Committee, which deals with social and humanitarian issues. 110 nations voted in favour of the resolution while 36 abstained.The draft resolution expresses its "deep concern about the continued application of the death penalty and calls on states to establish a moratorium on executions, with a view to abolishing the practice. 8. India beat England by 9 wickets in Ahmedabad Cricket Test India broke through England's resistance with a morning burst of 5 wickets by surging to a comprehensive 9 wickets victory in the opening Test at Motera in Ahemdabad on Monday. India now lead 1-0 in the 4 match series. Needing 77 runs to record their first win at this venue in 7 years, India achieved the target when they made 80 for the loss of one wicket in 15.3 overs 9. Govt plans more Centers of Excellence for sports Government plans to increase the numbers of Centers of Excellence for different sports in the country. Addressing a function to mark 25 year of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, NYKS, in New Delhi today, NOTE:- Sports minister Jitendra Singh said, recognition of talent at an early age and proper grooming in the areas of interest is a must for further development of sports in the country. He said youth clubs under NYKS will be computerized soon to provide up-to-date information about its programmes in the country. He called for further strengthening such programmes in Jammu and Kashmir, North-East and Naxal affected areas. 10. Airtel Completed Largest Network Transformation in Africa Bharti Airtel, a leading telecommunications services provider with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, in the month of November completed a network transformation programme across its mobile operations in 16 African countries in partnership with Ericsson. NOTE:- The programme involved upgradation and expansion of network elements on all of Airtel's African operations, including switching, radio, network management, data, charging, and consumer-services platforms and systems, the company said in a statement. 11. China State Broadcaster Auctioned Prime Time Slot at a Record Price Chinas main state broadcaster, China Central Television (CCTV) in the month of November raised a record 15.88 billion Yuan (US$2.5 billion) by selling prime-time advertising spots for year 2013. 12. Death of Savita Halappanavar Ignited Strong Reactions for Change in Irish Abortion Law Indian origin dentist Savita Halappanavar died in Ireland on 28 October 2012 at the University College Hospital Galway after the doctors refused her abortion despite hers body being sick and weak due to 17 weeks of pregnancy. The doctors had refused her abortion on the basis of catholic tenets. Eventually it led to septicemia or blood poisoning that led to her death. NOTE:-Savita suffered miscarriage and when she went to University College Hospital Galway, she was refused abortion saying that there was still the fetal heartbeat. 13. Visiting Adi Godrej led India biz delegation sees investment opportunities in Lanka Indian business delegation led by CII President Mr Adi Godrej sees a number of investment opportunities in Sri Lanka in the pharma, automobile, consumer goods, infrastructure and hospitality sector. NOTE:- The delegation had interactions with a cross section of businessmen and top government functionaries in Colombo yesterday and will meet Economic Development Minister Mr Basil.
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16. DAILY GK Updates November 21, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 19TH NOVEMBER 1.Reserve Bank of India asked Banks not to Provide Loans for Purchase of Gold The Reserve Bank of India, in its notification released directed banks not to provide loans to its customers for purchase of all types of gold, which includes primary gold, jewellery, bullion, gold coins, units of Gold Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) and units of gold mutual funds. The order was directed for discouraging people from getting involved in
speculative activities. NOTE:- The notification from the Reserve Bank of India also directed the banks not to grant advances against gold bullion to traders or dealers, as such advances would be utilised with the purpose of offering finance for gold purchase at auctions and speculative holding of stocks and bullion. This notification allowed the banks to provide finances to the jewelers for their general working capital requirements. 2. Malala Yousafzai awarded with Bravery Award by World Peace and Prosperity Foundation Malala Yousafzai, on 19 November 2012 awarded by World Peace and Prosperity Foundation for her bravery and commitment to education for girls in adverse conditions in Swat, Pakistan. NOTE:- She was shot in the head by Taliban, and had become the face of Pakistans struggle against the Taliban. She is now being treated and on the road to recovery at a Queen Elizabeth Hospital, England. 3.Scott Flemming Became the New Indian Basketball Team Coach Scott Flemming was appointed as the head coach of the mens National Basketball Team in the third week of November 2012 by the Basketball Federation of India (BFI). NOTE:- Flemming has served as the assistant coach in NBA Development League of Texas Legends, often working as the head coach for present as well as future NBA players. He was also designated as coach and athletic director at Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Ohio. Flemming has a total record of 397226 with the Cougars. 4. Davis Cup 2012: Czech Republic defeated Spain in the Finals The Czech Republic on 18 November 2012 won the 100th Davis Cup 2012 finals, after defeating Spain by 3-2 in the finals. Radek Stepanek of Czech Republic outclassed Nicolas Almagro of Spain with 6-4, 7-6 (0), 3-6, 6-3 in the 3 hours and 52 minutes game, on the hard court of Pragues O2 Arena, during the final fifth rubber of the Davis Cup. 5. M. Mahalakshmi and R. Vaishali won Gold at the World Youth Chess Championship M. Mahalakshmi and R. Vaishali from Chennai on 19 November 2012 won Gold at the World Youth Chess Championship in Slovenia. Arvindh Chithambaram (Under-14 Open) from Madurai and Girish A. Koushik (Under-16 Open) from Mysore won Silver Medals in the championship. G.K. Monnisha (under-14) and Savant Riya (Under-12) secured Bronze at the Championship for India. 6. Bangladesh Opted out of D-8 Summit Scheduled to be Held in Pakistan Bangladesh opted out of the key summit known as D-8 Summit in Pakistan which is scheduled to be held later in November, 2012. Bangladesh opted out because Pakistan refused to apologise for the deeds committed during 1971 war which eventually led to Bangladeshs independence. 7. Maldivian Airlines Signed Pact with Apollo Hospital Maldivian Airlines in the month of November had signed a pact with the Chennai-headquartered Apollo

Hospitals to give discounts to each others clients. The deal that came with signing of pact is that from now onwards, the Apollo Hospitals is going to give a discount on its service charges for those who fly the airline, and the airline in turn will give similar discounts to the hospitals patients on the airfare. 8. CEOs from the World Came Together to Combat Deadly Cancer More than 100 iconic CEOs from all over the world joined hands in order to make accessible cheap cancer care, especially in China and India under the alliance known as CEO Cancer Gold Standard Programme. These CEOs are from renowned companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi, Johnson and Johnson, AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly and Novartis. 9. CORP-NE-Sahara Moved to SAT to Seek More Time for Document Submission Sahara Group on 19 November 2012 moved to Securities Appellate Tribunal (SAT) against SEBI asking for some more time for submission of the documents in context with around 3 crore investors in a case which involves two companies- Sahara Housing Investment Corporation (SHICL) and Sahara India Real Estate Corporation (SIRECL). 10. WADA Proposed Four-Year Ban for Felony Athletes under New WADA Code World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) proposed that athletes found guilty of the serious doping felonies will be suspended for 4 years from 2015. However no specific rules were made for banning the wrong-doers from Olympics.
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17. DAILY GK Updates November 18, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 18TH NOVEMBER 1. India ranked 7th largest player in Global Services Trade India has been ranked by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as the 7th largest player in the global services trade with value of exports and imports aggregating 261 billion dollars in 2011. NOTE:- According to a WTO report, with exports at 137 billion dollar and imports at 124 billion dollar, India is among the 5 countries out of the top 10 players which ended the year 2011
with a surplus of trade in commercial services.The Indian economy is mainly driven by services with the sector contributing over 55 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). 2. Mysore gets countrys First Intelligent Transport System Cultural capital of Karnataka, Mysore now will be known for countrys first Intelligent Transport System, launched yesterday with the help of central government. NOTE:- At present 500 buses, 105 bus stops and six major bus stands with 45 platforms are covered under the system in Mysore city. It is implemented in Mysore as a pilot project at a cost of Rs. 23 crore.Once successful, the project will be replicated in other cities of the country. 3. 21st ASEAN Summit opened in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh 21st Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit opened in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh today, bringing together leaders from 10 ASEAN member countries. India and ASEAN holded negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement in Services and Investment with ASEAN and are keen to conclude during the summit.This will ultimately pave the way for comprehensive

economic partnership agreement with ASEAN grouping. India's trade volume with ASEAN has crossed 94 billion dollars. NOTE:- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is a geo-political and economic organization of 10 countries located in Southeast Asia, which was formed on 8 August 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.Since then, membership has expanded to include Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Its aims include accelerating economic growth, social progress, cultural development among its members, protection of regional peace and stability, and opportunities for member countries to discuss differences peacefully. 4. 7th East Asia Summit to be held in Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh East Asia Summit is the foremost forum for promoting peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific region. The 7th East Asia Summit will focus on 3 main topics including environment, labour standards and urbanization which are pressing challenges facing the region. NOTE:- The East Asia Summit (EAS) is a forum held annually by leaders of, initially, 16 countries in the East Asian region. Membership expanded to 18 countries including the United States and Russia at the Sixth EAS in 2011. EAS meetings are held after annual ASEAN leaders meetings. 5. Decks cleared for setting up 6 more forensic labs in UP U.P. Govt. has cleared the decks for setting up 6 more forensic laboratories in the state, by approving the expenditure worth Rs. 294.43 crore towards police modernisation. NOTE:- Currently there are two 'Forensic Science Laboratories (FSL) in the state, one each at Lucknow and Agra. Chief Secretary has instructed officials to send the approved proposal to the Centre for ratification. 6. NTPC to start Skill Development Programme for J&K youth under the Centre's UDAAN initiative National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC), will start a skill development programme for 144 youngsters from Jammu and Kashmir next week. The 36-week training programme in thermal power plant engineering will be under the Centre's UDAAN initiative which is aimed at imparting skills to the youth from the state. NOTE:- The trainees would be given a monthly stipend of Rs. 2,500. The company would also assist them in getting placements. Under the programme, NTPC aims to train 200 youths from Jammu and Kashmir every year for a period of 5 years. 7. Coal Ministry issued Order for Deduction of Bank Guarantees and de-allocation of 8 Coal Blocks Coal Ministry of India issued orders for deduction of bank guarantees of the D B Power and decided on de-allocation of 8 coal blocks following a decision made by an Inter Ministerial Group. NOTE 1 :- The Inter ministerial Group after its decision recommended a deduction of the bank guarantee of D B Power to an extent of 5.1 crore rupees. The calculated bank guarantee of the coal controller is to be deducted and deposited with the government. NOTE 2:- Among the companies affected by the de-allocation are Grasim Industries, Gujarat Ambuja Cement, Lafarge, Electrotherm and Kesoram Industries. The blocks were deallocated by the government as they were not developed within a stipulated timeframe and for which satisfactory explanations were not given. 8. Dalit colony in Andhra Pradesh renamed after Myanmar leader Suu Kyi A Dalit Colony in a remote village of Papasanipalli in Ananthapur district of Andhra Pradesh has been named after the visiting Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi to mark her visit. NOTE:- The Nobel laureate has visited the tiny village yesterday to examine the implementation of the Rural Development programmes at grass roots level. 9. Indian-American NASA astronaut Sunita Williams returned to Earth Record-setting Indian-American NASA astronaut Sunita Williams along with two other cosmonauts returned to Earth today, after four months in orbit.

NOTE:- Williams ceremonially handed over the command of the International Space Station to fellow NASA astronaut Kevin Ford on the eve of her departure from the complex yesterday. 10. Chinese Film "11 Flowers" won NETPAC Award at Kolkata Film Festival Chinese film, 11 Flowers won the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) Award at 18th Kolkata International Film Festival. The film won the best film award in Asian Select category-the only competitive category in Kolkata International Film Festival. A total of 13 films from 12 12 Asian Countries were selected to compete for the award of this category. NOTE:- The film directed by the acclaimed filmmaker Wang Xiaoshuai describes the backdrop of the Cultural Revolution in form of a semi-autobiographical story of the rural Guizhou Province. Wang Jinchun and Wenqing Liu are the lead stars of the film. NETPAC award is now a part of 44 film festivals of 28 different countries across five continents. 11. Assam Tribunes Chairperson Tulsi Govinda Baruah passed away Tulsi Govinda Baruah, the Chairman of Assam Tribune Group of Newspapers passed away on 17 November 2012 at his residence in Rajgarh. He was 87 year old. 12. US Lifted the Ban Imposed on Imports from Myanmar US Lifted the Ban Imposed on Imports from Myanmar, before President Obamas Visit to the Nati The decade old ban on most of the imports from Myanmar in the third week of November was scrapped by the United States. The step of scrapping the bans on import of most of the products from Myanmar came ahead of the landmark visit of the U.S. President Barack Obama scheduled on 20 November 2012 to the long isolated nation. With this visit to Myanmar, Obama would turn-up to be the first sitting President of U.S. to visit the country. NOTE:- The ban on imports from Myanmar was imposed in 2003 by the U.S. Congress and this scrapping of the ban by worlds largest economy may bring back a huge growth in the Garment industry of Myanmar, as U.S. at a point of time remained one of the largest buyers of cloths from Myanmar. 13. Tobacco Board went Hi-Tech, Launched e-auction in Karnataka Tobacco Board becoming Hi-Tech launched the first tobacco e-auctioning platform located at Periyapatna in Mysore district in Karnataka.The Tobacco Board plans to introduce e-auctioning in all the 11 auction platforms in Karnataka by the by the end of November 2012. NOTE:- The e-auctioning system is going to provide farmers an assured and remunerative price for their crop through a transparent bidding process. 14. India's retail industry to grow to $1.3 trillion by 2020: FICCI The size of India's retail industry is expected to more than double to $1.3 trillion by 2020, led by an estimated 25 percent average annual growth in organised retail if overseas investment is permitted in the sector, industry body FICCI said. R.V. Kanoria, president of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said "With the current market size estimated at $500 billion, this translates to an additional $800 billion in the next eight years." NOTE:- The country's traditional retail industry is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 5 percent over the next year, while the organised retail is estimated to register a growth rate of around 25 percent during this period. Currently, almost 94 percent of India's retail industry is unorganised or traditional. 15. RBI must enter Forex market to support Rupee, curb inflation: BoA-ML Leading US brokerage Bank of America-Merrill Lynch (BofA-ML) has called upon the Reserve Bank to enter the forex market and buy dollars to recoup the rupee and thus arrest the imported inflation, which is the main reason for the continued price spiral. NOTE:- Stating that lending rate cuts and higher forex reserves hold keys to the market and growth recovery, a BoA-ML India report authored by its chief economist Indranil Sen Gupta said, "The rupee will remain volatile till RBI recoups the forex reserves of $ 65 billion, including the forwards which it had sold

since the 2008 global credit crisis following the fall of Lehman Brothers." 16. GAAR amendments finalised: Finance Minister P Chidambaram Finance Minister P Chidambaram disclosed today that amendments to GAAR, the controversial law against tax avoidance through foreign investments, have been finalised, He said, "I have finalised the amendments to the Chapter 10A of the Income Tax Act. Now it will go to the PMO and then we should be ready with the amendments and then the GAAR rules will reflect the amended Chapter 10A. NOTE:- Chapter 10A of the Income Tax Act deals with taxation of investments.
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18. DAILY GK Updates November 18, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 17TH NOVEMBER 1. Four- day long festival of Sun worship Chhath Puja began today with full faith and enthusiasm. Four- day long festival of Sun worship Chhath Puja began today with full faith and enthusiasm. On first day called Nahai Khai, devotees are having a ritualistic bath in Ganga and other rivers. The Administration has made all arrangements for maintaining the cleanness of Ganga
Ghat. People are busy decorating the Ganga Ghat and also road sides. 2. Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray passed away Shiv Sena patriarch Balsaheb Thackeray is no more. He died Mumbai at 3 30 P.M. NOTE:- 86 years old Bal Thackeray was suffering from multiple organ failure. Since Wednesday his health has been deteriorating. He is survived by sons Jaidev and Uddhav, who is the Executive President of the party. 3. Eminent Kuchipudi dancer Vedantam passed away Eminent Kuchipudi dancer Vedantam Satyanarayana Sarma died at a hospital in Vijayawada today following an illness. He was 77. NOTE:- Sarma, a famous male exponent of female roles in the Kuchipudi dance tradition, was known for his acts as Satyabhama and Usha. 4. PM leaves for Cambodia tomorrow to attend ASEAN, East Asia Summits Strengthening maritime security and enhancing trade with ASEAN countries will figure prominently in the 10th India-ASEAN and 7th East Asia Summits in the Cambodian capital Phonem Phen. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is leaving New Delhi on Sunday to participate in the three-day summit.India is likely to push for widening Free Trade Area (FTA). The trade between India and ASEAN remained at 79 Billion dollars in 2011-12. 5. Chief Minister of Jharkhand Arjun Munda announced Tablet Computers for Students Chief Minister of Jharkhand Arjun Munda on the 13th Foundation Day of the State announced tablet computers for students who will pass matriculation. The Chief Minister made this announcement to prepare students of the states against the challenges that they would face in the tough competitive world

of 21st Century. 6. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Inaugurated New Helpline Service for Women Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav at his official residence in Lucknow inaugurated the New Hepline service 1090 for women. NOTE:- The much-hyped Women's Power phone helpline '1090' is basically a pilot project of Uttar Pradesh Police as it was stewarded by Navneet Sikera, the Lucknow deputy inspector general of police (DIG). The helpline is largely aimed at counseling first-time offenders and if the offences continued, police would initiate legal measures against repeat offenders. 7. Iran is further expanding its nuclear capacity Iran is further expanding its nuclear capacity by installing more centrifuges at an underground enrichment plant. NOTE:- This was stated in the UN nuclear watchdog's latest report. Nearly 2,800 centrifuges have been installed at the Fordow fuel enrichment plant, buried deep inside a mountainous region, near the city of Qom, an increase of about 644 centrifuges compared to the previous report released in August. 8. India summons Irish Ambassador to convey its concern over the death of an Indian dentist who was refused abortion in Ireland India today summoned Irish Ambassador Feilim McLaughlin in connection with the death of an Indian national, who was refused abortion in a Dublin hospital. NOTE:- According to a statement by External Affairs Ministry, Secretary (West) M Ganapathi, in his meeting with Irish Ambassador, expressed India's concern and angst in the society over the untimely and tragic death of 31-year-old dentist Savita Halappanavar hailing from Karnataka. 9. Selvarasa Pathmanathan or KP, the former LTTE leader, now in protective custody of Sri Lanka Selvarasa Pathmanathan or KP, the former LTTE leader, now in protective custody of Sri Lanka, says he was interrogated twice by the CBI in 2010 and 2011 in connection with the murder of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. NOTE:- India has put Pathmanathan on INTERPOLs wanted li st. In an interview published today in a Sri Lankan newspaper, the Daily Mirror, Pathmanathan claims that the CBI had seemed satisfied with the information that he gave them, pleading innocence in the murder of Rajiv Gandhi. 10. 2-day international conference on Equitable Access to Justice-Legal Aid and Legal Empowerment, held in New Delhi today. Law and Justice Minister Dr Ashwani Kumar has said that India is in harmony with the aspirations of the democratic world that strives for establishing principles of liberty, equality and fraternity. Dr Kumar said in India, efforts are being made on improving legal empowerment, which ranges from law clinics run through law universities, para-legal programmes and legal awareness programmes. 11.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh leaves for Cambodia tomorrow to attend the ASEAN and East Asia Summits. He is expected to pitch for increased trade and investment between India and ASEAN countries. The Prime Minister is also expected to update the ASEAN leaders on the progress made on revival of the centre of learning at Nalanda, Bihar. India and ASEAN are holding negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement in Services and Investment and are keen to conclude these before the Summit on November 19. The two sides have already signed an FTA in Goods. The Prime Minister, who was initially scheduled to visit Japan also before it was cancelled, will be in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh for three days. The three-day visit to Japan from November 15 was cancelled just a day ahead in view of sudden political developments there. that the trade between India and ASEAN countries has been increasing at rapid pace over the last few years and has already crossed the USD 70 billion target set for 2012. It currently stands at USD 79 billion. India's trade with ASEAN was over USD 50 billion in 2011-12 after a 30 per cent jump over the previous financial year.

12. Japans Lower House of Parliament the House of Representatives, dissolved The Japanese Lower House of Parliament-the House of Representatives was dissolved and paved the way ahead to general elections scheduled on 16 December 2012. Takahiro Yokomichi, the Speaker of the House of Representatives read out the imperial decree signed by Emperor Akihito to parliament, which proclaimed the dissolution of the government. 13. International News Agencies Boycotted India England Test Series International news agencies boycotted the high-profile Test series between India and England which began with its first test in Ahmedabad to protest against the restrictions imposed by the BCCI on some photo agencies covering the tour.
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19. DAILY GK Updates November 18, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 16TH NOVEMBER 1. Urdu Scholar Gopi Chand Narang Awarded Mootidevi Award for 2010The Vice President of India M. Hamid Ansari presented the Moortidevi Award for 2010 to eminent Urdu scholar Gopi Chand Narang for his outstanding work on Urdu Ghazal aur Hindustani Zehan wa Tehzeeb at a function organized by Bhartiya Jnanpith. NOTE:- Gopi Chand Narang revived Urdu language in India through his writings and he is one
of the foremost theorist, literary critic and Urdu scholar of our country. His perceptive writings have helped Urdu criticism becoming more contemporary. 2. India and Japan Signed Earths Pact on Rare Earth Minerals India and Japan signed an Earths Pact that will enable the latter to import the rare Earth minerals from India. These rare minerals are very important for the Tech-savvy industries of Japan. The pact came as a conclusion despite postponement of India-Japan annual summit. NOTE:- As per the signed pact, Japan will be able to import 4000 tonnes rare Earth minerals for a year from India. By signing the pact, Japan has branched out its supply from China for metals which are used in their industries. 3. Katherine Boo won US National Book Award for Mumbai Book Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and writer Katherine Boo won the National Book Award for nonfiction for Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity, which sheds light on the lives of India's poor as well as government corruption. 4. Worlds Largest Marine Reserve to Protect Ocean Environment lies in Australia Australia created the world's largest network of marine reserves, protecting more than 2.3 million square kilometres of ocean environment. NOTE:- The announcement came after years of planning and consultation. The Marine reserve created is going to expand the protection of creatures such as the blue whale, green turtle and the critically endangered populations of grey nurse sharks, and dugongs. The plan extension cover six marine regions and it was first made public in June 2012. 5. Ami Bera became 3rd Indian-American to win US Congressional Election California-based, Indian-American Ami Bera, 47, has become the only 3rd of the community to win

Congressional election, making it to US House of Representatives by defeating Republican Dan Lungren with just 184 votes lead. 6. Volvo Group announced to Invest Rs. 2000 Crore in India The President and Chief Executive Officer of Volvo Group Olof Persson announced that the Volvo Group is going to Invest Rs. 2000 crore in India over the next couple of years to expand its truck, bus and construction equipment business. NOTE:- The Proposed Investment is directed towards massive modernisation of Eicher product range, exporting the products and setting up of new engine and bus body plants, paint shop and new test facility. 7. Oman Banned Import of Eggs and Chicken from India The Sultanate of Oman issued an official decree banning the import of eggs and chicken from India. Oman that is the biggest egg export market of India issued the ban following the recommendations of the World Organisation for Animal Health about the outbreak of bird-flu was confirmed by the Government run Turkey Farm at Hesaraghatta, Karnataka in the month of October. 8. Lacoste Acquired by Swiss Company Maus Freres French apparel company Lacoste that bear Crocodile symbol was bought by Swiss family-held group Maus Freres in a deal which was valued at 1 billion euros ($1.3 billion). The deal came after Lacoste family conflict over management. The deal basically aims to ensure the longevity of the Lacoste brand. NOTE:- Lacoste was founded in 1933 by French tennis champion Rene Lacoste, the brand have its logo The Crocodile from the nickname of Tennis champion Rene Lacoste which he earned for his tenacity on the court. 9. Kamala Sadagopan the eminent Tamil Novelist and Writer Died The eminent Tamil writer and novelist Kamala Sadagopan passed away. She is survived by her husband Sadagopan who is also a screenplay writer known by the name of Chitralaya Gopu and four sons. 10. Parupalli Kashyap crashed out of the Li Ning China Open Badminton tournament Indian shuttler Parupalli Kashyap has crashed out of the Li Ning China Open Badminton tournament in Shanghai. NOTE:- In his quarterfinal match yesterday, Kashyap lost to Zhengming Wang of China, in straight games, 17-21, 7-21. With this, India's campaign in the tournament has come to an end.
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20. DAILY GK Updates November 17, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 15TH NOVEMBER 1. Ningol Chakouba festival being celebrated in Manipur Manipur, Ningol Chakouba festival is being celebrated today with cultural gusto and traditional flavor. NOTE:- In this festival, married women visit their parental home in their customary attire and dine together with their parents, brothers and sisters. 2. FM asks RBI to finalise guidelines for new bank licences
Finance Minister P Chidambaram has said that he has asked RBI to finalise guidelines for new bank licences and start accepting applications for the same, pending passage of the Banking Laws

(Amendment) Bill. He exuded confidence that the amendment bill will be passed in the Winter Session of Parliament and if not,then in the Budget Session. Mr Chidambaram was addressing a press conference after a meeting with heads of public sector banks in New Delhi yesterday. He said that the government proposes to inject 15,000 crore rupees of capital in PSU banks. NOTE 1:- The Finance Minister also said that all Kisan Credit Cards will be converted into ATM Cards by March 2014 to provide easy access for farmers to agricultural credit. He said, banks have been asked to strictly adhere to the time frame. NOTE 2:- Referring to the filling of vacancies in banks, he said 63,200 people will be recruited by the end of this fiscal providing an opportunity to young men and women. 3. Madhav Chavan Awarded the Education Nobel Prize Dr Madhav Chavan was awarded the 'WISE Prize", which is known as the Nobel prize for Education. He was felicitated on 13th November 2012 at the WISE summit in Doha, the capital of Qatar. NOTE:- The international award not only felicitated the person himself, but also recognized his efforts to provide lessons in literacy and numeracy for less fortunate and disadvantaged children and adults in India 4. UAE announces Amnesty for illegal residents to leave country without paying fines UAE Government has announced amnesty for illegal residents to leave the country without paying fines. It will be in effect for a 2 month period beginning December 4 this year. NOTE:- The Ministry of Interior notification said it applies only to those who have entered UAE illegally and overstayed. It has stated that this would be the last chance for illegal migrants to leave the country without punishment and no extension will be allowed beyond the two month period. 5. Rahul Gandhi to head Congress coordination committee for LS polls Rahul Gandhi has been made the head of the Congress Coordinaton Committee for 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Senior leaders Ahmed Patel, Janardan Dwivedi, Digvijay Singh, Madhusudan Mistry and Jairam Ramesh are members of the Election Coordination Committee headed by Rahul Gandhi. 6. Omnishables selected as the UK Word of the Year by Oxford English Dictionary The Oxford English Dictionary has chosen "Omnishables" as the UK Word of the Year 2012. The neologism was first time used in the BBC TVs political satire The Thick of It- to describe the badly mismanaged situation and gaffes. NOTE:- The word exactly is defined as the situation that has been mismanaged comprehensively and is characterized by a string of blunders and miscalculations. The word was compounded using the Latin prefix omni- that means the entire/all and a word shambles that mean a situation of complete disorder. 7. Income Ceiling for LIG raised by Union Government of India Union Governmentof India decided to raise cap on the annual income which is required for qualification for the benefits under the present housing schemes for the Low Income Groups (LIG) as well as Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). NOTE:- This step on the part of the government will provide benefit to 20 lakh people. 8. The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 came into Force The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 came into force on 14 November 2012. The Act was passed in the Indian Parliament in May 2012. NOTE:- The Act under its ambit defines child as a person below the age-group of 18 and is gender neutral and have a clear definition for all types of sexual abuses like sexual harassment, penetrative or non-penetrative sexual abuse, and pornography. 9. Golconda Diamond was auctioned at a Record Price of 118 Crore Rupees A rare 76 carat diamond named after the Austrian owner Archduke Joseph August that was mined from the erstwhile Golconda Kingdom was auctioned at a record price of Euros 16.9 million or approximately Rs.118 crore at the auction, which was held at Geneva. The diamond has been described as the cushion shaped, internally flawless, of superb quality as well as

colourless. NOTE:- Christies International Jewellery Department said that this was the world record for the Golconda diamond and also the world record amount per carat for any colourless diamond. Black, Starr & Frost, the American jeweler sold this rare diamond. 10. Former Def Min Krishna Chandra Pant passed away Former Defence Minister and deputy chairman of Planning Commission Krishna Chandra Pant passed away in New Delhi today. He was 81.
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21. DAILY GK Updates November 16, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 14TH NOVEMBER 1. Nation remembers first PM Nehru on his 123rd birth anniversary Nation pays tribute to the first Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his birth anniversary today. A number of functions are being organised to mark the occasion. A host of dignitaries paid floral tributes to Pandit Nehru at his Samadhi Shanti Van in New Delhi. NOTE:- The day is also celebrated as Children's Day throughout the country. Pandit Nehru, also
known as the architect of modern India, had immense love for children and they used to call him Chacha Nehru. 2. EU approves over 6 million dollars support package for Egypt European Union has approved a 5 billion-Euro that is 6.4 billion dollars financial support package for Egypt, Egyptian officials say. A statement by President Mohammed Mursi's office said the European Investment Bank, EIB, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, EBRD, would each provide two billion Euro. The remaining one billion Euros would come from EU member states. The announcement came after Mr. Musi held talks with the EU's foreign policy-chief, Catherine Ashton, in Caior. In a statement , the presidency said the packages was a strong sing of the EU's support for Egypt's path to development. 3. Marcel Granollers & Marc Lopez won the ATP World Tour Final 2012 The Spanish pair of Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez defeated the Indian duo of Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna in the Men's Doubles title clash of the ATP World Tour Finals in London. In the final match, the fifth seeded Indian duo went down fighting in a tight three-set game, 5-7, 6-3, 3-10. 4. Indira Raisom Goswami to be conferred with Asom Ratna Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi announced to confer Eminent litterateur Dr Indira (Mamoni) Raisom Goswami with the prestigious Asom Ratna posthumously NOTE:- Goswami would be conferred with the award for her outstanding contribution to literature, art and culture and social service. 5. France recognised the New Syrian Opposition Coalition France recognized the new Syrian Opposition coalition. France has become the first major nation to recognise the newly formed Syrian National Coalition of opposition and Revolutionaries as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people.

NOTE:- Arab League has granted Observer status to the bloc while the six nation Gulf Co-operation Council has already recognized it. Britain and European Union have stopped short of recognizing the bloc. Britain stated that it wants to see more evidence that the opposition grouping has strong support inside Syria. 6. China unveils new leadership; Xi, Li elected as members of CC China's ruling Communist Party unveiled a new generation of younger leadership, including Xi Jinping and Li Keqiang, as members of the key Central Committee to lead the world's largest political party and the second largest economy in the next decade. NOTE:- The 18th CPC Central Committee will in turn elect the Politburo, the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau and the General Secretary of the party at its first plenary session in Beijing on Thursday. 7. 2G spectrum auction ends, less than Rs 10K cr bids received The much talked about 2G mobile phone spectrum auction ended with half of the airwaves on offer remaining unsold and government getting just about one-third of the targeted revenue. According to preliminary estimates, the government received bids worth "much-less" than Rs 10,000 crore in an auction that ended in two days, a far cry from the 35-day bidding for the 3G spectrum in 2010 that got Rs 67,719 crore. NOTE:- The government was targeting Rs 28,000 crore from the sale of 2G spectrum in the GSM band. 8. Growth of 7 pc feasible next fiscal: Assocham A majority of corporate honchos feel that reviving India's overall economic growth to 7 % will be feasible in the next fiscal, a survey by industry body Assocham. According to Assocham's confidence Index, "After a subdued Diwali this financial year, India Inc will certainly see a sparkle in the festive season of 2013-14 on the back of manufacturing and exports returning to growth". 9. Inflation eases to 7.45 % The annual rate of WPI (wholesale price index)-based inflation eased a tad to 7.45 per cent in October from 7.81 per cent in the previous month even as select food commodities continued to rule at higher levels. NOTE:- Although the inflation level this October was markedly lower as compared to the high of 9.87 per cent during the same month a year ago, the fact that it remained sticky at over 7 per cent at a time when the CPI (consumer price index)-based retail inflation has been hovering near the 10 per cent-mark may bring hardly any comfort to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for easing interest rates during the midquarter review of its monetary policy on December 18. 10. Belarus Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich sought more Indian investments Belarus Prime Minister Mikhail Myasnikovich today sought more Indian investments in his country, asking business leaders to increase cooperation in sectors like heavy engineering goods and fertiliser to boost economic ties. NOTE:- Accompanied by a business delegation, Myasnikovich, said both sides can increase engagement in sectors like pharmaceuticals,biotechnology and information technology. He was addressing captains of industry in New Delhi today. He is on a day-long trip to India. 11. Nokia Slips to Seventh in Smartphone Market Nokia Corp. sank to seventh place in the booming global smartphone market in the third quarter, as Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. maintained their hold on a segment once dominated by the Finnish company. NOTE:- Nokia accounted for 7.2 million, or 4.3%, of the 169.2 million smartphones sold world-wide in the latest quarter, taking the company down from 3rd place in the prior three-month period, research firm Gartner Inc. said.
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22. DAILY GK Updates November 15, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 13TH NOVEMBER 1. Diwali, festival of lights being celebrated across country with gaiety Earthen diyas dotted houses and fireworks illuminated the evening sky as people celebrated Diwali decorating their homes with colourful rangolis and twinkling electric bulbs and also exchanging sweets. There was bonhomie between Indian and Pakistani guards at border posts as they exchanged sweets and gifts in the morning.
NOTE:- It was fun and frolic for children and youth as they burst crackers and lit fireworks while families visited their neighbours, exchanged 'Happy Diwali' greetings and sweets. 2. ATP World Tour Tennis: Djokovic bags Men's Singles Title beating Federer. Serbia's World Number One Novak Djokovic has bagged the Men's Singles trophy of the ATP World Tour Finals in London. Djokovic defeated World Number Two Roger Federer of Switzerland in straight sets, 76, 7-5, in the final match played early this morning. NOTE:- The Indian duo of Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna lost the Men's Doubles title clash of the ATP World Tour. 3. Nobel Laureate and Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi arrived in New Delhi on a 5 day visit Chairperson of the National League of Democracy of Myanmar Ms Daw Aung San Suu Kyi arrived in New Delhi today on a five day visit to India. She was received at the airport by the Foreign Secretary Mr. Ranjan Mathai. NOTE:- Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi has said that the businessmen of her country are keen to invest in India. This will help further widen the bilateral trade. During her stay in Delhi, she is scheduled to deliver the Nehru Memorial Lecture on the occasion of the birth Anniversary of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru tomorrow. 4. Punjab Govt. announced to launch the biggest ever state wide door-to-door campaign Punjab government is launching the biggest ever state wide door-to-door campaign next month for early detection of cancer and its subsequent treatment. The survey would involve 50,000 personnel . Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, Vinni Mahajan told that the government has taken several initiatives for ensuring that no one remains unchecked. 5. US to become World's biggest Oil Producer by 2017: International Energy Agency International Energy Agency said, by 2017 the United States is likely to overtake Saudi Arabia as the world's biggest oil producer. The Paris-based energy agency said in its annual forecast that the U.S. is drilling more crude oil through increased use of hydraulic fracturing of underground shale formations. NOTE:- The IEA said it expects the increased production could eventually make the world's largest economy nearly energy self-sufficient. The organization, which is made up of 28 nations, said the U.S. now imports enough oil to meet 20 percent of its energy needs. 6. 32nd India International Trade Fair to be held in New Delhi 32nd India International Trade Fair will kick start at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi tomorrow. The 14-day annual fair will be inaugurated by President Pranab Mukherjee. NOTE:- Prime Minister of Belarus Mikhail V Myasnikovich will be the Guest of Honour at the ceremony. This year's theme of the fair is "Skilling India" which focuses on the initaitives undertaken by various government departments and private participants for the skill development of the youth. 7. Literary Critic and Educator Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak Got Kyoto Prize

Renowned literary critic and educator Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak was awarded the prestigious Kyoto Prize in Kyoto. Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, is professor at Columbia University in the U.S. She won the award in the Arts and Philosophy category for her deep thinking on humanities against intellectual colonialism in relation to globalisation. NOTE 1:-Kyoto Prize was instituted by the Inamori Foundation. It honours those personalities who had significantly contributed to the scientific, cultural and spiritual betterment of mankind. 8. Karishma Kapoor Appointed Brand Ambassador of McCain Food McCain Foods India Pvt Ltd, the makers of frozen French fries and potato specialty products, appointed Karisma Kapoor as its first brand ambassador in India. NOTE:- Karisma Kapoor is going to endorse the entire range of McCains Indian and International product portfolio. 9. India, Afghanistan Signed Four Cooperation Pacts India and Afghanistan signed 4 agreements to cooperate in areas of social welfare, fertilizer, coal mining and youth affairs during President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzaifour day visit to India from 9 November 2012 to12 November 2012. 10. Mirabai Chanu claimed 3 Bronze Medals at Asian Jr Weightlifting Female Weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu won three bronze medals for Indian Team on the opening day of the 19th Junior Women Asian Weightlifting Championships in Yangon in Mynamar. NOTE:- To win and secure medals she lifted 168kg in the 48kg weight category -- one each in snatch (74kg), clean and jerk (94kg) and total (168kg). 11. Mahatma Gandhi's Grandson Elected to Kansas State Assembly Shanti Gandhi, a grandson of Mahatma Gandhi was elected to a State Assembly in the United Stated during the general elections. 72 Years old Shanti Gandhi contested as a Republican Party candidate and had defeated his Democratic rival Theodore Ted Ensley by nine percentage point for the Kansass 52nd Assembly District. NOTE:- Shanti Gandhi is son of late Saraswati Gandhi, wife of Mahatma Gandhis grandson - the late Kanti Lal.
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23. DAILY GK Updates November 13, 2012

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24. DAILY GK Updates

November 13, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 12TH NOVEMBER 1. President, Vice President, PM greet nation on Diwali President and Vice President have greeted the nation on the occasion of Diwali. In his message, the President Pranab Mukherjee has said, Diwali is a time for festivity and happiness cutting across all faiths and cultures. It is an occasion to share joy with those who are needy and deprived. Mr. Mukherjee urged people to try and celebrate a
pollution free Diwali. 2. Public Service Broadcasting Day being observed today. Public Service Broadcasting Day is being observed today in the country. This day is observed on November 12 every year to commemorate Mahatma Gandhis visit to All India Radio studio at the Broadcasting House in New Delhi. NOTE:- It was on this day in 1947, that Gandhiji spoke on radio to the refugees from Pakistan, stationed at a camp in Kurukshetra, Haryana. 3. 2G auction: Govt receives bids over Rs 9,280 crore on Day 1 In response to the online auction for 2G telecom spectrum,the government received bids worth about Rs. 9,280 crore at the end of five rounds on Day 1. NOTE 1:- Telecom Secretary R Chandrashekhar said, in 176 blocks of spectrum in 22 telecommunications zones in the country that were put on auction, bids were received only for 98. Telecom Secretary said, the spectrum reserve price exceeded in UP (West) and UP (East) circles. Gujarat and Bihar received bids for all 8 blocks (of 1.25 MhZ each) that were put for auction. The government had set a bid starting price of 14,000 crore rupees for 5 megahertz of GSM airwave space in all the zones. NOTE 2:-The government had hoped to raise about 40,000 crore rupees in revenue. Two key circlesDelhi and Mumbai-did not receive any bids on the first day. At the end of the fifth round there had been bids for 98 blocks across 18 circles of the total 176 blocks in 22 circles that were up for grabs. 3. South Africa Ranked 1st in latest ICC test rankings South Africa leads the International Cricket Council, ICC test rankings table followed by England and Australia. India is placed fifth behind Pakistan. NOTE:- Srilankas Kumar Sangakkara is the number one among the batsmen while Dale Steyn leads the pack of bowlers. None of the Indian players figure in top ten in test cricket ratings. The latest ICC rankings were released in Dubai today. 4. Indian industry disappointed over poor IIP shows Indian Industry today Expressing disappointment over poor show by industrial production in September. Indian Industry pressed for rate cut by the RBI to boost production and further revive the economic growth. 5. India reaffirms vision of strong, stable Afghanistan India has reaffirmed its commitment towards a stable, strong, united and prosperous Afghanistan. Both the countries also decided to intensify their cooperation, especially in the economic sector as 4 pacts were signed, including one on cooperation in development of coal and mineral resources and Indian aid for implementation of small development projects in Afghanistan. NOTE:- Addressing a joint press conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in New Delhi Prime Minister reiterated India's commitment to support Afghanistan in its development efforts. He said the development assistance commitment to Afghanistan currently stands at approximately 2 billion dollars. 6. Exports dip 1.63% to $23.2 billion in Oct

India's exports in October contracted 1.63 per cent year-on-year, for the sixth month in a row, to 23.2 billion US Dollars, mainly due to demand slowdown in the US and European markets. Exports in October 2011 stood at 23.6 billion Dollars. NOTE:- However, imports grew by 7.37 per cent to 44.2 billion US Dollars in October, leaving a trade deficit of 20.96 billion Dollars. 7. Pinki Pramanik is male :medical report Asian Games gold medal winner woman athlete Pinki Pramanik has been found to be a male after a medical test done by a board of doctors at the state-run SSKM hospital in Kolkata. NOTE:- A medical report submitted today by the police in a court at Barasat in West Bengal confirms this. Based on the report, police filed a charge sheet against Pinki, now on bail, charging the athlete with rape and cheating as well as charges of holding out threats. 8. Majlis Ethehadul Muslimeen (MIM) today withdrew its support to the UPA Government The Majlis Ethehadul Muslimeen (MIM) today withdrew its support to the UPA Government at the centre and Kiran Kumar Reddys Government in Andhra Pradesh. NOTE:- MIM President and Hyderabad Lok Sabha member Asaduddin Owaisi announced the withdrawal of support to both the Governments at a press conference in Hyderabad today. Owaisi said that an emergency meeting of the party Polit Bureau held in Hyderabad this morning decided to pull out of the UPA and a letter to this effect has been faxed to the President of India. He also said a similar letter will also be handed over to Governor of Andhra Pradesh. 9. Inflation moved closer to the double digit mark at 9.75 per cent in October The retail inflation moved closer to the double digit mark at 9.75 per cent in October due to rising prices of food items such as sugar, pulses and vegetables. NOTE:-According to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) data released today, it was 9.73 per cent in the previous month. The highest rise in prices during the month was recorded by sugar, up 19.61 per cent, year-on-year basis. It was followed by edible oil which turned expensive by 17.92 per cent, while pulses were dearer by 14.89 per cent on the annual basis. Vegetable rates during the month increased by 10.74 per cent while meat, fish and egg rates rose by 12.18 per cent. At the same time, clothing and footwear also witnessed an increase in prices at 10.47 per cent on an annual basis. 10. "EKUVERIN 2012" an India-Maldives joint military training exercise begins in Belgaum The 4th joint military training exercise between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) - EKUVERIN 2012 - is being held in Belgaum from November 12 to 25 to enhance the close military cooperation between the two countries. A total of 45 personnel from the MNDF are taking part in the exercises along with the personnel from the Indian Army. NOTE:- The bilateral annual exercises, which commenced in 2009 in Belgaum, are alternately held in India and Maldives. The aim of the exercises is to enhance the close military cooperation between the two countries. 11. Two Indian-Americans in Forbes' education innovators list Two Indian-Americans have been featured in the Forbes' top 15 education innovators list. Indian-origin Datawind CEO and the man behind Indias low-cost tablet Aakash, Suneet Singh Tuli, along with MIT professor of science Anant Agarwal, who reinvented the concept of online learning called edX by combining online offerings of Harvard, MIT, the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Texas have been featured on Forbes'list. NOTE:- These classroom revolutionaries were featured for using innovative technologies to reinvent education for students and teachers alike. 12. Citigroup to pay Pandit, Havens more than $15 million each Citigroup said it will pay $15.5 million to Vikram Pandit, its former chief executive who resigned from company last month, as well as to his top deputy.

The bank said on Friday the payments to Pandit and former Chief Operating Officer John Havens reflect the progress the bank made in 2012 and work they did in some earlier years. 13. Economic growth will be less than 6 percent: Survey India's economic growth will be less than 6 % while inflation will remain in the range of 6-8% next year, according to chief financial officers of leading Indian firms. NOTE:-The Eurozone crisis followed by slowdown in the US and increasing oil prices are expected to have the biggest impact on the Indian economy, according to a survey conducted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and McKinsey & Co among other CFOs (chief financial officers) of India. 14. Tata's Kalinganagar plant to start production by 2014 Tata Steel, the world's eighth-largest steelmaker, is expecting to commission the 1st phase of its proposed 6 -million-tonne per annum (mtpa) greenfield plant at Kalinganagar, Odisha in the 2nd half of 2014. NOTE:- Tata Steels Vice President, Anand Sen said "In the first phase, the steel plant would start with 3 million tonnes per annum capacity. It is expected to be commissioned during the second half of 2014, that is anytime between July to December. 15. Nepal postponed plan to introduce budget Nepal Government has decided to postpone its plan to introduce the budget. This follows a meeting the Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun had with president Dr, Ram Baran Yadav today in Kathmandu. NOTE:Mr. Pun has briefed the President about the budget ordinance that the government was planning to recommend to the President. The Finance Minister said President Yadav had requested to hold the ordinance until after the Tihar holidays and asked the government to bring it only after forging consensus.
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25. DAILY GK Updates November 13, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 11TH NOVEMBER 1.Floral tributes paid to eminent freedom fighter Maulana Azad Parliamentarians led by Lok Sabha speaker Meira Kumar, Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj have paid floral tributes to eminent freedom fighter Maulana Abul Kalam Azad on his 124th birth anniversary.The parliamentarians paid their tributes in the central hall of Parliament house today.
NOTE:- The birthday of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad i.e. 11th November of every year is celebrated as National Education Day without any holiday on the day. 2. President Pranab Mukherjee Unveils Aakash Version 2.0 Tablet on National Education Day President Pranab Mukherjee took the occasion of National Education Day to release and dedicate to the nation, the innovative and modestly-priced Aakash Version 2.0 tablet in New Delhi today. NOTE:- Aakash Version 2.0 is a full-fledged tablet computer. IIT Bombay along with the Ministry of Human Resource Development has created several useful educational applications for the tablet. Teachers and students in the remotest corners of India can join a classroom and benefit from lectures delivered by the best teachers. 3. MENA region economies to grow up by 5.1 percent: IMF

The International Monetary Fund , IMF has predicted that the economies of the Middle East and North Africa, MENA region will grow up by 5.1 per cent this year from 3.3 per cent in 2011-12. The report says that the biggest challenge in the post Arab Spring countries is how to manage the rising expectations of the people and stabilize an ailing economy where the margin for policy maneuver is limited. 4. Uttarakhand topped Planning Commission's green ranking Uttarakhand has been rated top in the Planning Commission's green ranking based on quality of air and water, waste management, forest cover and climate change. The panel lists Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Sikkim and Andhra Pradesh as the other top four states on its Environmental Performance Index, which will serve as a measure of a state's green initiative and be linked to financial assistance from the Centre. NOTE:- The index was prepared after the government in 2010 decided to rework the Gadgil-Mukherjee formula for determining central assistance to states to include an environmental parameter. 5. Government to approve the proposal to set up the National Investment Board (NIB) Government is likely to approve in the next two to three weeks, the proposal to set up the National Investment Board (NIB) to speed up clearance for large infrastructure projects. This was disclosed by Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia at a function in Mumbai. He said, there is a draft Cabinet note proposing the NIB. 6. Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai to meet PM Manmohan Singh Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai reached New Delhi this evening on the second leg of his 4 day state visit to India. Mr. Karzai will hold talks with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh tomorrow. Various issues including regional situation, safety of Indian nationals and Indian projects in Afghanistan are likely to figure in their discussion. A range of key issues of mutual interest including the India-Afghanistan strategic dialogue on bilateral and regional issues are also expected to come up for discussion in the meeting. NOTE:- Four pacts are likely to be signed between the two countries, including one in the mining field. Other agreements include in the field of youth affairs, small development projects and fertilizers. India last week cleared a 100-million Dollar aid for the third phase of Small Development Projects in the war torn country. The projects implemented through local Afghan agencies and community organisations over a period of four years will directly benefit local communities across Afghanistan. 7. BBC director-general resigns over Newsnight fiasco BBC was on Sunday likened by one of its veteran broadcasters to a rudderless ship heading towards the rocks after its new Director General George Entwistle was forced to resign over his handling of a report falsely implicating a former adviser to the former Tory Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, in a child abuse scandal. NOTE:- Mr. Entwistle, who had been in office for just 54 days, quit after Prime Minister David Cameron warned against a witch-hunt over sex abuse allegations and Chris Patten, chairman of the BBC Trust, called the report shoddy journalism amid calls for his own resignation. 8. T.S. Eliot's widow died at 86 Valerie Eliot, the widow of T.S. Eliot and zealous guardian of the poets literary legacy for almost half a century, has died. She was 86. 9. Maharashtra, Gujarat invite textile investments Maharashtra and Gujarat governments have come out with textile policies to encourage investment in their States. The features of the policies were explained to textile mill owners here at a meeting organised by the Southern India Mills. 10. Bharti Airtel shuts network to SMSes from subscribers of Aircel & Reliance Communications Country's largest mobile phone company, Bharti Airtel, closed its network to incoming text messages from subscribers of two other operators, Aircel and Reliance Communications.

NOTE:- Bharti Airtel executives said the company was forced to do this after the two companies started flooding its network with what they described as "free spam messages", a charge that has been vehemently denied by RCOM and Aircel. 11. Gujarat tops states in number of Muslim policemen Gujarat, which faced one of the worst anti-Muslim riots in the country barely 10 years ago, has emerged as the state with the largest number of Muslim cops posted in police stations, beating states with a higher proportion of the community in their population. The data, shared by the home ministry in response to an RTI query filed by TOI, shows that 10.6% of Gujarat's cops posted in police stations are Muslims. This is higher than the proportion of Muslims in the state's population, which is 9.1% (2001 census). NOTE:- The state has 5,021 cops from the community out of a total of 47,424 in its 501 police stations. On an average, Gujarat has 10 Muslim cops per police station higher than any other state which shared data with the Centre.
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26. DAILY GK Updates November 12, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 10TH NOVEMBER 1. November 10 Declared as Malala day by United Nation The United Nations declared November 10 as Malala Day in honour of Pakistani teenage rights activist Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by the Taliban in October 2012 for advocating girls education. NOTE:- The day 10 November marks the 30-day anniversary of the Taliban attack on the 15-year-old Malala ...See More
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27. DAILY GK Updates November 11, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 9TH NOVEMBER 1. British Govt announced to stop giving aid to India by 2015 British Government has announced that UK will stop giving aid to India by 2015. Support will be cut by about 200 million a year between 2012 and 2015 before being wound up, International Development Secretary Justine Greening said. 2. Putin dismisses Russia's Chief of Armed Forces Russian President Vladimi...See More
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28. DAILY GK Updates November 9, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 8TH NOVEMBER 1. India, UK to enhance cooperation in cyber security, counter-terrorism & civil nuclear energy India, UK have decided to enhance cooperation in cyber security, counter-terrorism & civil nuclear energy. Security situation in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other parts of the region and cooperation in key areas, including civil nuclear energy, defence, counterterrorism and ...See More
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29. DAILY GK Updates November 8, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 7TH NOVEMBER 1. President Barack Obama Re-elected President of United States of America Baracka Obama has been re-elected for a second term as President of the United States. The race was decided when he secured the crucial swing state of Ohio giving him the 270 votes needed to win the Electoral College which picks the President. 2. Nepals EC Commissioner appointed as Acting Chie...See More
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30. DAILY GK Updates November 7, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 6TH NOVEMBER 1. RBI may ease monetary policy Reserve Bank of India (RBI), may ease monetary policy as early as January as price pressures ease in Asia's third-largest economy in the first part of next year on the back of slower growth. NOTE:- Growth in India has slumped to around 5.5 percent a year, far below the 9 percent rate it was clocking before the 2008 global financial cri...See More

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31. DAILY GK Updates November 6, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 5TH NOVEMBER 1. World Bank sanctioned 320-million dollar loan to India for road projects in Assam India has signed a 320-million dollar loan agreement with the World Bank for road projects in Assam. The agreement was inked by Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Prabodh Saxena and Country Director of World Bank, Onno Ruhl in New Delhi. NOTE:- The Assam State Roads proj...See More
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32. DAILY GK Updates November 5, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 4TH NOVEMBER 1. Teledensity increases to over 77 per cent The teledensity in the country has been increased to over 77 per cent at the end of August this year. It was around 74.96 per cent in August last year, thus registering a growth of over 4 pc in Telephone users base. NOTE:- The data released by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) shows that the user base stood at 899....See More
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33. DAILY GK Updates November 5, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 3RD NOVEMBER 1. Vice President Releases Series of Books Granthavali Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari today released a collection of writing and works -Granthavali of late Dr Dineshnandini Dalmia in New Delhi. Speaking on the occasion Mr. Ansari said that she was an outstanding literary figure -

an author of prose and poetry, a social reformer and a philanthropist. 2. Meira K...See More
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34. DAILY GK Updates November 3, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 2ND NOVEMBER 1. Ashish Kumar Chauhan appointed as New MD & Chief Executive of BSE Ashishkumar Chauhan appointed as the Managing Director and Chief Executive of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) today. NOTE:- He was Group Chief Information Officer of Reliance Industries Ltd prior to joining BSE. Chauhan, holds a mechanical engineering degree from IIT Bombay and has also done a post-gradu...See More
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35. DAILY GK Updates November 3, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 1ST NOVEMBER 1.Debt funding: RBI wants govt to remove FDI sectoral limits, seeks preference for long-term investor The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has urged the government to further liberalise foreign direct investment (FDI) norms by doing away with most sectoral caps in order to cut reliance on debt flows to fund India's record high current account deficit. 2. CCEA approved MSP...See More
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36. DAILY GK Updates shared a link. November 1, 2012

Download FCI Admit Card: North Region(Delhi) SSC has uploaded Admit Card for Delhi Region

http://sscnr.net.in/newlook/AdmitCard_CRAGIII_FCI_2013/CheckRoll.aspx

STAFF SELECTION COMMISSION [SSCNR] - Department of personnel & training sscnr.net.in

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37. DAILY GK Updates November 1, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 31ST OCTOBER 1. Ashok Tomar appointed Indias ambassador to Brazil Ashok Tomar has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Brazil. NOTE:- Mr. Tomar is presently Special Secretary at the headquarters. 2. India assumes Presidency of UNSC India will assume the month-long rotating Presidency of the UN Security Council beginning Thursday before its term as non-permanent membe...See More
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38. DAILY GK Updates October 31, 2012

1. RBI cuts CRR by 0.25%, keeps key rates unchanged Reserve Bank of India released the second quarter review of monetary policy 2012-13. In order to release liquidity into the system to support growth and credit lending to productive sectors the RBI has reduced the Cash Reserve Ratio(CRR) by 25 basis points

from 4.50 per cent to 4.25 per cent. NOTE:- The CRR is the amount of money that banks have...See More
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39. DAILY GK Updates October 30, 2012

1. Which Indian female shuttler gave India its first-ever medal in Olympic Games badminton? (1) Saina Nehwal (2) Jwala Gutta (3) Parupalli Kashyap (4) Aditi Mutatkar (5) None of these 2. What is the current number of notified Eco-Sensitive Zones in India? (1) 12 (2) 15 (3) 17 (4) 21 (5) 26 3. Which of the following bank won the prestigious Asian Banker Achievement Award 20...See More
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40. DAILY GK Updates October 30, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 29TH OCTOBER 1. RBI Survey lowers GDP growth projection to 5.7% from 6.5% for current fiscal Reserve Bank has said despite high inflation it would take steps to support growth in the half- yearly review of monetary policy tomorrow. RBI said the Survey of Professional Forecasters has lowered the GDP growth projection to 5.7 per cent from 6.5 per cent for the current fiscal. Average...See More
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41. DAILY GK Updates October 30, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 28TH OCTOBER 1. Reallocation of Portfolios announced, Salman Khurshid --New External Affairs Minister, Ashwani Kumar--- New Law Minister, Rehman Khan ---- New Minority Affairs, Ajay Maken-------New Housing and Urban Development, Veerappa Moily --- NewPetroleum Ministry and Manish Tiwari -----New Information & Broadcasting Ministry. 2. Union Council of Ministers reshuffled, 16...See More
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42. DAILY GK Updates October 30, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 27TH AUGUST 2012 1. Eid-al-Azha is being celebrated across the country today with religious fervour and gaiety. Eid-al-Azha is being celebrated across the country today with religious fervour and gaiety. It is a festival of 'Offering' or 'Qurbani' and is observed by Muslims on the tenth day of the last month of the Islamic calender 'Zil-hijja'. The President, the Vice President ...See More
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43. DAILY GK Updates October 28, 2012

1) Expand the term UIDAI ? a) Unique Identification Authority of India b) Universal Identification Authority of India c) Unilateral Identification Authority of India d) None of these 2) Who among the following has bee appointed as Chief Economic Advisor in Finance Ministry ? a) Kaushik Basu b) Raghuram G. Rajan

c) C Rangarajan
...See More
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44. DAILY GK Updates October 28, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 26TH OCTOBER 1. Eid- Al- Adha being celebrated in Dubai & West Asia region Eid Al Adha is being celebrated with joy and festivities in Dubai and most of the West Asia region today. Millions of faithfuls offered prayers at the mosques . The prayers are followed by the sacrifice rituals. 2. External Affairs Minister S M Krishna resigned External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has resi...See More
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45. DAILY GK Updates October 26, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 25TH OCTOBER 1. China appointed New Army Chief of Staff China appointed New Army Chief of Staff along with several other top officers today. Gen Fang Fenghui appointed as the Chief of the Headquarters of the General Staff of the 2.3 million strong People's Liberation Army, (PLA). He succeeded Gen Chen Bingde. 2. Mukesh Ambani richest Indian: Forbes Mukesh Ambani has retained his ...See More
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46. DAILY GK Updates October 25, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 24TH OCTOBER 1. Vijaya Dashami and Dusshera being celebrated with great pomp and gaiety; President, Vice President and Prime Minister greet the nation.

Vijayadashmi marking the culmination of the 10 day Dushera festivities was celebrated with gaiety and devotion. Effigies of demon king Ravana, his son Meghnad and brother Kumbhakaran crackled in fiery splendour marking the triumph ...See More
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47. DAILY GK Updates October 24, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 23RD OCTOBER 1. Manju Seth appointed as New Ambassador of India to Madagascar Manju Seth has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Madagascar. She is presently Consul General of India in Reunion Island, which is a French-administered territory in the Indian Ocean between Mauritius and Madagaskar. An External Affairs ministry release said, Ms Manju is expected to take u...See More
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48. DAILY GK Updates shared a link. October 23, 2012

View Result Status of CWE RRB (Officers) held on 2nd Sept 2012
http://ibpsresults.sifyitest.com/rrbosoct12/login.php

http://ibpsresults.sifyitest.com/rrbosoct12/login.php ibpsresults.sifyitest.com

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49. DAILY GK Updates shared a link. October 22, 2012

Scores of CWE POs / MTs-II Held on 17thJune 2012

http://ibpsresults.sifyitest.com/cweresoct12/login.php

WELCOME TO INSTITUTE OF BANKING PERSONNEL SELECTION ibpsresults.sifyitest.com

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50. DAILY GK Updates October 22, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 21ST OCTOBER 1. Durga Puja being celebrated across country with religious fervor & festivity Durga Puja is being celebrated in several parts of the country with traditional pomp and show. In West Bengal, people from all walks of life are visiting Durga Pandals to see idols on the Maha Saptmi day today, the first day of the four day long festival. The festivities kicked off Maha Sa...See More
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51. DAILY GK Updates October 22, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 20TH OCTOBER 1.Nation payed homage to 1962 India-China war heroes Nation today payed homage to those soldiers who lost their lives in 1962 Indo-China war. NOTE:- The main function to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the day is being organised at Amar Jawan Jyoti near India Gate in New Delhi. Defence Minister A K Antony, Chiefs of the three services and other dignitaries paid t...See More
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52. DAILY GK Updates

October 20, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 19TH OCTOBER 1. Five New Non-Permanent Member Countries Elected to UN Security Council UN General Assembly elected five new non-permanent members to the Security Council. The New Members are South Korea, Luxembourg, Argentina, Australia and Rwanda. The newly elected member countries are going to serve a two-year term in the powerful UN body that will begin on 1 January 2013. NOTE:...See More
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53. DAILY GK Updates October 19, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 18TH OCTOBER 1. Ravi Narain Elected New Chairman of Working Committee of World Federation Exchanges National Stock Exchanges (NSE) chief and Managing Director Ravi Narain elected as New Chairman of the working committee of the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE). He is also the chairman of the National Securities Clearing Corporation and a board member of the National Commodity a...See More
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54. DAILY GK Updates October 18, 2012

IBPS CLERK batch is starting from 22nd October MONDAY....

DAILY GK Updates DAILY GK Updates by IPS Competition classes,Alwar Page: 212 like this 1Like Share

55. DAILY GK Updates October 18, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 17TH OCTOBER 2012 1. Pranay Sahay appointed as New DG of CRPF Pranay Sahay, a 1975-batch IPS officer of Manipur-Tripura cadre, has been appointed as New Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). NOTE:- Mr. Sahay is presently working as Director General of Sashastra Seema Bal and is also holding the additional charge of Director General of CRPF. 2.British writer...See More
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56. DAILY GK Updates shared a link. October 18, 2012

885 Jobs in Indian Railways : Apply Before 12-11-2012 For Free Job Alerts Like IPS Competition Classes Share this Jobs News with All of your Friends ! ...See More

Railway Recruitment 2012 : RRB 885 Jobs in Para Medical Staff | Government Jobs | Recruitment 2012-2 www.recruitmentportal.in Government Jobs | Recruitment 2012-2013 | IBPS|SSC|UPSC|Railway etc: Railway Recruitment 2012 : RRB 885 Jobs in Para Medical Staff

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57. DAILY GK Updates October 17, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 16TH OCTOBER 1.World Food Day being observed today. The day is celebrated every year around the world in honour of the date of the finding of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations in 1945. NOTE:- This year's theme - Agricultural cooperatives - key to feeding the world, has been chosen to highlight the role of cooperatives in improving food security and contr...See More
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58. DAILY GK Updates October 16, 2012

General Studies Quiz 1.A plant with green leaves placed in red light will appear (a)black (b)green (c)red (d)violet 2.Electromagnetic radiation s emitted by (a)x-rays(b)electrons (c)ultrasonic (d)protons 3.The common refrigerant used in the domestic refrigerator is (a)neon (b)freon/ammonia (c)spirit (d)none of these 4.fuse wire is characterized by
(a)high resistance and high melting point (b)low resistance and high melting point (c)high resistance and low melting point (d)low resistance and low melting point 5.Who said, A body will remain at rest unless an external force acts on the body?

(a)newton (b)einstein (c)Archimedes (d)galileo 6.Which metal is commonly used as an electromagnet? (a)copper (b)iron (c)nickel (d)cobalt 7.When ice melts in a beaker of water, the level of water in the beaker will (a)increase (b)decrease (c)remain the same (d)first increase and then decrease 8.Which of the following does not admit any division? (a)atom (b)molecules (c)compound (d)none of these 9.The dynamo converts (a)mechanical energy into electrical energy (b)electrical energy into mechanical energy (c)mechanical energy into magnetic energy (d)none of these 10.The M.K.S unit of electric charge is (a)volt (b)ampere (c)watt (d)coulomb
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59. DAILY GK Updates shared a link. October 16, 2012

Apply Online for IBPS Clerk 2012 The Common Written Examination (CWE Clerk-II) for selection of personnel for Clerical cadre posts in the Public Sector Banks will be conducted online by the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) te...See More

http://ibpsreg.sifyitest.com/cweclkoct12 ibpsreg.sifyitest.com

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60. DAILY GK Updates October 16, 2012

Indian Overseas Bank Specialist officer Job Indian Overseas Bank, a leading Public Sector Bank with headquarters in Chennai having geographical presence all over India and abroad invites Online applications from Indian Citizens for recruitment against 387 vacancies for various Specialist Officers positions, who have taken the Common Written Examination (CWE) for Recruitment of Specialist Officers...See More
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61. DAILY GK Updates October 16, 2012

NOBEL PRIZE 2012 WINNERS LIST OF NOBEL PRIZE 2012 WINNERS:NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSIOLOGY OR MEDICINE - Sir John B. Gurdon and Shinya Yamanaka - For- "the discovery that mature cells can be reprogrammed to become pluripotent" NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSICS -- Serge Haroche and David J. Wineland -- For- "groundbreaking experimental methods that enable measuring and manipulation of individual quantum systems"
NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY -- Robert J. Lefkowitz and Brian K. Kobilka -- For --"studies of G-proteincoupled receptors" NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE -- Mo Yan --For-- "who with hallucinatory realism merges folk tales, history and the contemporary" NOBEL PEACE PRIZE -- European Union (EU) -- For-- over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe" NOBEL PRIZE IN ECONOMICS (also known as Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel) --- Alvin E. Roth and Lloyd S. Shapley -- For "the theory of stable allocations and the practice of market design"
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62. DAILY GK Updates October 16, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 15TH OCTOBER 2012 1. International Day of Rural Women observed today across the globe International Day of Rural Women being observed today across the globe. NOTE:- The day recognizes the role of rural women, including indigenous women, in

enhancing agricultural and rural development, improving food security and eradicating rural poverty. 2. Today is Mahalaya, the beginning of Devi Paksha
Today is Mahalaya, the beginning of Devi Paksha, the greatest festival of Bengalees, Durga Pooja. NOTE:- Mahalaya marks the end of Pitra Paksha and beginning of Devi Paksha. It is believed that Maa Durga begins her journey to the earth on Devi Paksha. On this day, people offer prayers betterly known as Tarpan to their ancestors. 3. Roth and Shapley of US won the 2012 Nobel Prize for Economics The US duo Alvin Roth and Lloyd Shapley have won the Nobel Prize for Economics this year for the theory of "stable allocations and the practice of market design". 4. Ali Zidan elected as the New Prime Minister of Libya Libya's National Congress today elected Ali Zidan as the new Prime Minister. NOTE:- Mr Zidan, an independent, won 93 votes, a majority among those present. He beat a candidate favoured by the Justice and Construction party which is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. 5. India, Russia agreed to accelerate economic ties India and Russia today decided to accelerate their economic ties and agreed to factor in New Delhi's liability concerns in their techno-commercial negotiations for units III and IV of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. 6. Scottish independence referendum agreed for 2014 British Prime Minister David Cameron and Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond signed an agreement today to hold a referendum in 2014 on Scottish independence. NOTE:- The referendum agreement has been signed following talks in Edinburgh between Cameron and Salmond, who leads the pro-independence Scottish National Party. 7. Ex Cambodia King Sihanouk passed away in China Former King of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk passed away in China, where he had been receiving medical treatment. He was 89 years old. NOTE:- Norodom Sihanouk played a crucial role in the life of Cambodia for more than 60 years. 8. SC refuses to stay Centre's FDI policy in retail sector Supreme Court today refused to stay the Centre's FDI policy in retail sector. The Apex Court asked RBI to amend FEMA regulations within two weeks to allow implementation of FDI in this sector. 9. Inflation rises to 7.81 per cent in September, from 7.55 percent in August. Inflation rose to its highest level this fiscal at 7.81 per cent in September as prices of wheat, cereals and diesel soared. Inflation, as measured by the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), was 7.55 per cent in August. 10.Australia is likely to enter into civil nuclear cooperation with India. Australia is likely to enter into civil nuclear cooperation with India. It is expected to offer the sale of uranium to India during Prime Minister Julia Gillard's 3-day visit to the country beginning this evening. NOTE:- Despite supporting the move by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in 2008 to allow India to conduct nuclear commerce, Australia continued to deny uranium to India for not having signed the NPT. Now, it is likely to enter into civil nuclear cooperation with India. The core of this cooperation is the safeguards agreement that will allow Australia to bypass opposition from various groups, which are opposing the Labour government's decision to overturn the ban on uranium sale to India. 11. International Telecom Union Conference, ITU -2012 held in Dubai The global leaders and ICT experts have expressed concern at the growing threat to the internet world. Cyber security is in focus at the International Telecom Union Conference, ITU -2012 in Dubai. Telecom and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal has emphasised the need to protect the security

of the networks as per globally accepted standards. 12. 13th round of Home Secretary level talks between India and Bangladesh will begin tomorrow in Dhaka Home Secretary Mr. R.K. Singh arrived in Dhaka this morning to participate in the 13th round of Home Secretary level talks between India and Bangladesh. He is leading a 10-member Indian delegation to hold talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart CQK Mustaq Ahmed. 14. Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek won the Shanghai Masters men's Doubles Title. Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek won the ATP Shanghai Masters men's Doubles Tennis Title at Shanghai, China. The fourth seeded Indo-Czech pair yesterday defeated the Indian duo of Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna 6-7, 6-3, 10-5, in the final, to lift the title. NOTE:- In Men's singles, Novak Djokovic beat Andy Murray to win the Shanghai Masters Tennis Title. 15. Government to conduct random audit to check corruption in MGNREGA Projects. Expressing concern over complaints of corruption in the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme (MGNREGA) projects, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said that the government has decided to conduct audit of ten per cent of villages on a random basis every year. NOTE:- The Minister said the Comptroller and Auditor General was checking the MGNREGA accounts in various states and is likely to prepare a state-wise report by December. 16. Villages across the country to be connected through Broad Band by the 2013. Telecom and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal today while addressing, the International Telecom Union Conference, ITU-2012 in Dubai said, the government is working to ensure accessible and affordable modes of energy and communication for all in this regard. He also informed that the Villages across the country will be connected through the Broad Band by 2013 and the government is investing more than 4 billion dollars through Bharat Broadband to lay the fibre optic network for this purpose. The Telecom Minister also said that 4G applications are expected to be in place on a wider scale in the country by 2014.
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63. DAILY GK Updates October 16, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 14TH OCTOBER 2012 1. Union Rural Development Ministry launched Nirmal Bharat Campaign: Creating awareness about hygiene Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh recently launched the Nirmal Bharat Campaign in Sevagram, Maharashtra. NOTE:- The aim of the campaign is to create public awareness about cleanliness and hygiene through various programmes. 2.West Bengal government announced Single Window clearance in agriculture sector for the benefit
of farmers. West Bengal Government announced to introduce single window system in the agriculture sector for the benefit of farmers. It will be set up on the line of industrial sector where farmers will get all necessary helps and information under one umbrella. NOTE:- The system will be launched in all 341 blocks in the state by this month.

3.FIIs invest 10,000 crore rupees in Indian stock market in October so far following recent economic reforms measures. Foreign institutional investors (FII)s poured in over Rs. 10,000 crore in the stock market this month so far enthused by reforms initiatives taken by the government to boost economic growth and investor sentiment. NOTE:- As per data available with market regulator SEBI, during October 1-12, overseas investors were gross buyers of shares worth 30,605 crore rupees, while they sold equities amounting to 20,223 crore, translating into net inflow of over 10,000 crore rupees. FIIs investment in the country's equity market has reached 92,713 crore rupees so far this year. 4. Defence Minister A K Antony on a three-day visit to Indonesia Defence Minister A K Antony will be on a three-day visit to Indonesia beginning tomorrow to participate in the first ministerial-level defence dialogue between the two countries. NOTE:- The defence dialogue mechanism at the highest level was agreed upon during the visit of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to India in January last year. 5. Noted Film Writer Saleem Khan with the National Kishore Kumar Award Madhya Pradesh, Culture and Public Relations Minister Laxmikant Sharma faciltated noted film writer Saleem Khan with the National Kishore Kumar Award at a function held in Khandwa. NOTE:- The award carrys a cheque worth two lakh rupees and a shawl. Addressing the function, Mr. Sharma said that the National Kishore Kumar Award will also be given for playback singing from the next year. So far, it is given for film direction, acting, and lyrics writing. 6. Union Minister of Tourism, Subodh Kant Sahai will inaugurate the India Tourism Roadshow in Omans capital Muscat. Union Minister of Tourism, Subodh Kant Sahai will inaugurate the India Tour ism Roadshow in Omans capital Muscat tomorrow. The roadshow will showcase Indias tourism potential and tap the growing tourist market from Oman to India. NOTE:- The number of foreign tourist arrivals in India fromOman has been on the rise. In the year 2010 around 35,500 tourists from Oman visited India, a 10 percent rise over the previous year. 7. International Telecom Union World-2012 Conference started in Dubai. International Telecom Union World-2012 Conference got underway in Dubai today. The 5 day event from October 14-18 will discuss the road ahead for the Information and Communication Technology sector since its radical transformation over the past decade. 8. Sebastian Vettel won the Korean Grand Prix Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel won the Korean Grand Prix today to move ahead of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso in the Formula One championship standings by 6 points with four races remaining. Vettel, who also won the previous races in Singapore and Japan, is moving within sight of a third straight title - something only previously achieved by Juan-Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher. 9. NIA requests for installation of CMS for secured work flow National Investigation Agency (NIA) has approached Department of Telecom requesting for installation of Central Monitoring System (CMS). Officials of National Investigation Agency, which was set up in the aftermath of 26/11 Mumbai attacks, had a series of meetings with Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT), an organisation which has been tasked by the government to build the CMS project. NOTE:- The C-DoT's CMS provides call interception, monitoring, analysis of social networking of the target data and ensures end-to-end secured work flow as per the requirements of law enforcement agencies to address threats and unlawful activities of anti-social elements 10.Turkey banned Syrian planes from Turkish air space Turkish Foreign Ministry has announced that Syrian planes have been banned from Turkish air space. The ban follows similar restrictions imposed by Syria, after a Syrian plane alleged to be carrying Russian

munitions was intercepted by Turkey. It applies to civilian aircraft, as military aircraft were already de facto banned.
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64. DAILY GK Updates October 16, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE: 13TH OCTOBER 2012 1. Justin Rose wins World Golf Final Justin Rose of England beat European Ryder Cup teammate Lee Westwood by a stroke to win the eight-player World Golf Final in Belek, Turkey and earn a career-best $1.5 million. 2. Corporation Bank denied giving overdraft to Vadra Corporation Bank today insisted that it did not advance an overdraft to any of Robert Vadra's companies, adding a twist to the controversy swirling around the remarkable rise in the riches
of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law. Ajai Kumar, CMD of Corporation Bank said "No such transaction with us as per our records so far, adding that he had sought full facts on the issue. NOTE:- In its annual report for 2007-08 financial year, Vadra's firm Sky Light Hospitality claimed an overdraft of Rs 7.94 crore from the bank. It was the first year of operation for the company, which had a paid-up capital of just Rs 1 lakh. By the end of the year, the company claimed it had Rs 7.95 crore worth of fixed asset. 3. ECB President Mario Draghi urges euro zone to keep up reforms European Central Bank President Mario Draghi pressed euro zone countries on Saturday to make progress with economic reforms as part of a drive towards greater integration among the bloc's 17 members. NOTE:- The ECB has taken some of the heat out of the Euro Zone debt crisis by last month unveiling its new bond-purchase programme - dubbed "Outright Monetary Transactions", or OMT - but Draghi urged governments not to become complacent with reforms. 4. AP Govt introduced new Sand Mining Policy Andhra Pradesh Government introduced a new Sand Mining Policy under which the old system of auctioning has been dispensed with and a lottery arrangement put in place. NOTE:- Based on the recommendations made by a Group of Ministers, which reviewed the sand mining policy in the light of the Supreme Court's verdict banning indiscriminate quarrying, the Industries Department issued an order today framing the revised policy guidelines. 5. Santosh Kashyap resigned from the post of Mohun Bagan Coach Mohun Bagan's merry-go-round with their coaches continued for yet another season with Santosh Kashyap resigned from the post of Teams Coach. 6. Kingfisher extended lockout till 20th Oct Ailing Kingfisher Airlines today extended its lockout till the next weekend, apparently after failing to convince its striking staffers, protesting delay in salaries, to return to work. 7. Anand shocked by Carlsen in Final Masters World Champion Viswanathan Anand suffered a shocking loss at the hands of Norwegian Magnus Carlsen

in the 9th and penultimate round of 5th Final Chess Masters in Bilbao, Spain. 8. Gary Collins, actor and TV host, died at 74 Gary Collins, an actor who was the longtime host of the syndicated TV show Hour Magazine and a former master of ceremonies for the Miss America Pageant, died early Saturday in Biloxi, Miss. He was 74. 9. Rajasthan Govt. appointed Vice Chancellors of two New Universities Rajasthan Governor Margaret Alva has appointed journalist Sunny Sebastian as the vice chancellor of upcoming Haridev Joshi University of Journalism in Jaipur. The Governor also appointed former IPS officer M L Kumawat as the first vice chancellor of Haridev Joshi University of Journalism to be set up in Jodhpur. 10. FDI in multibrand to be implemented in Delhi next fiscal: CM Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit said FDI in multibrand will be implemented in the national capital by next financial year and accused BJP of trying to halt India's economic growth by opposing the move. 11. Centre to continue fund sharing pattern for model schools Government gave nod to continue the fund sharing pattern between the Centre and States during this fiscal for setting up of model schools at block level as benchmark of excellence. 12. Sibal layed foundation stone of NIT in Mizoram Union Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal laid the foundation for setting up of the first ever National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Mizoram at Lengpui area, near the lone airport in the state. 13. Debt-ridden Deccan Chargers termination stands After a month long legal battle, the cash-strapped Deccan Chargers has lost its status as an IPL team after the Bombay High Court stayed the order of Arbitrator for maintaining status quo on the matter till further hearing. NOTE:- The beleaguered owners of Deccan Chargers failed to produce a Rs 100-crore bank guarantee before the Bombay High Court, a condition that had been set for the struggling team's survival in the league. They later approached the Court-appointed Arbitrator who had passed the order of status quo.
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65. DAILY GK Updates October 16, 2012

DAILY GK UPDATE:12TH OCTOBER 2012 1. European Union (EU) wins 2012 Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize for the year 2012 was awarded to the European Union, an institution currently wracked by crisis but is credited with bringing more than a half century of peace to a continent ripped apart by World War II. 2. Global Hunger Report 2012: India ranked at 65th position The report on Global Hunger Index for 7th year was released by the International Food Policy
Research Institute (IFPRI), Welthungerhilfe, and Concern Worldwide. The basic theme of the report for the 2012 Global Hunger Index -- The Challenge of Hunger: Ensuring Sustainable Food Security under Land, Water, and Energy Stresses. As per the report, India instead of its fast paced economic growth in past two decades has lagged behind

in improving its record in Global Hunger Index chart. In the list of 79 countries in the global Hunger Index, India was ranked 65th behind China that was placed at 2nd place position, Pakistan at 57th and Sri Lanka at 37th position. 3. Union Govt. sanctioned Rs. 4200 cr to UP under NRHM scheme for 2012-13 Govt has sanctioned Rs. 4200 crore to Uttar Pradesh under National Rural Health Mission(NRHM), for the current financial year 2012-13. NOTE:- A proposal for sanctioning 350 crore has also been sent to the Centre for Action Plan-2 under NRHM. 4. Rangarajan Committee recommended deregulation of sugar sector Rangarajan Committee has recommended deregulation of the sugar sector, by giving freedom to mills to sell sugar in the open market. It also suggested revising the existing arrangement for providing better Fair and Renumerative Price (FRP) to sugar cane farmers at the time of cane purchase and payment of cane arrears accumulated over the years. NOTE:i) The Panel headed by C. Rangarajan in its report released in New Delhi today recommended that farmers would be entitled to a 70 per cent share in the value of sugar and sugarcane by-products while the Sugar Mills would be entitled for 30 per cent. Mr. Rangarajan said, the FRP can be revised on a halfyearly basis and the revenue sharing mechanism should be based on that. ii) The Panel has suggested the scrapping of State Advised Price (SAP) for sugarcane. Mr. C. Rangarajan also said, the existing subsidies will continue and the 30,000 crore rupees of Sugar subsidy will be given to the State Governments. The Panel has suggested the scrapping of State Advised Price (SAP) for sugarcane. Mr. C. Rangarajan also said, the existing subsidies will continue and the 30,000 crore rupees of Sugar subsidy will be given to the State Governments. 5. Anil Kumble Appointed as New Chairman of ICC Cricket Committee Former Indian cricketer and captain Anil Kumble was named the New head of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) cricket committee, replacing former West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd. NOTE:- The International Cricket Council's (ICC) cricket committee is a 16-member committee which meets twice a year to consult on playing matters and offer recommendations to the ICC on technical aspects and rules of the sport. 6. L&T Finance Acquired Indo-Pacific Housing L&T Finance Holdings Limited, the Non Banking Financial (NBFC) arm of the engineering giant Larsen & Toubro,successfully completed the acquisition of Indo Pacific Housing Finance Limited (IPHF) for Rs. 110 crore. NOTE:- The L&T Finance Holdings company earlier on 12 March 2012 had announced the signing of the definitive agreement for same acquisition. 7. Union Cabinet Approved Amendment of Indecent Representation of Women Act The Union Cabinet approved the introduction of Amendments to the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 in Parliament under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The amendments proposed are as follows: (a) Broaden the scope of the law to cover the audio-visual media and material in electronic form which includes Internet, satellite-based communication, multi-media messaging and cable television, among others. (b) Penalties to be enhanced to a maximum of three years of imprisonment and fine of between 50000 to 100000 Rupees for first conviction, and imprisonment of not less than two years, but which may extend to seven years, and a fine between 100000 Rupees to 500000 Rupees for second conviction. (c) Police officers not below the rank of Inspectors authorized to carry out search and seizure, in addition

to State and Central Government officers authorized by the State or Central Government. 8. Japan and India Launched Research Project to Study LNG Pricing Japan and India launched a joint research project into pricing structures in LNG markets. NOTE:- Japan is the worlds top importer of liquefied natural gas. Asian buyers pay far more than those in North America because the price is index-linked to oil on the continent. Under the present pricing structures in LNG markets, the price in North America is determined on the basis of supply and demand. 9. 3 Dutch Hockey Stars announced their retirement Floris Evers, Roderick Weusthof and Teun Floris de Nooijer, the 3 Dutch Hockey stars announced their retirement from International Hockey. 10. Pilot Projects for development of People Friendly Roads approved Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, C.P. Joshi, approved two pilot projects for development of People Friendly Roads. NOTE:- This project will involve construction of National highways on corridor redevelopment and spot improvement concepts. This will help in reducing the financial burden from the government making it public friendly.
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