Notes For Bank Exams

Current Affairs: Daily GK Update 09th December 2017

1. India Declared Free from Trachoma, an Infection of Eye

i. India has been declared free from infectious Trachoma which is a contagious bacterial infection of the eye. It causes inflamed granulation on the inner surface of the lids.
ii. Health Minister J P Nadda released the National Trachoma Survey Report (2014-17) in New Delhi. The Survey results indicate that active Trachoma is no longer a public health problem in the country.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

Amrit Kaur was the first health minister of independent India.

2. Suresh Prabhu in Argentina to Attend 11th Ministerial Conference of WTO

i. Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu is in Buenos Aires, Argentina to attend the 11th Ministerial conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
ii. Trade in Services remains an area of key interest to India and other developing countries.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

WTO is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations.
WTO Director-General- Roberto Azevêdo, Established- 1 January 1995, Headquarters- Geneva, Switzerland.

3. India to Achieve ‘Electricity for all’ by Early 2020s: IEA

i. Half a billion people have gained access to electricity in India since 2000, almost doubling the country’s electrification rate, according to the World Energy Access report released by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
ii. This “remarkable” growth puts India on course to achieving access to electricity for
all in the early 2020s, the report added.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

IEA Executive Director- Fatih Birol, Established in- 1974, Secretariat- Paris, France.

4. Giriraj Singh Launches Public Procurement Portal for MSEs - MSME Sambandh

i. A Public Procurement Portal ‘MSME Sambandh’ was launched by Shri Giriraj Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for MSME in New Delhi.
ii. The objective of the portal is to monitor the implementation of the Public Procurement from MSEs by Central Public Sector Enterprises.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

A.K. Panda- Secretary, MSME.
MSME- Micro Small and Medium Enterprises.

5. India's GDP Growth to Rise to 7.5 pc in 2018: Morgan Stanley

i. The Indian economy is expected to witness cyclical growth recovery, with real GDP growth likely to accelerate from 6.4 percent this year to 7.5 percent in 2018 and further to 7.7 percent in 2019, says a report of Morgan Stanley.
ii. According to global financial services major Morgan Stanley, corporate return expectations and balance sheet fundamentals are improving, and a strengthening financial system should be able to meet investment credit demand.

6. Sarvesh Tiwari Appointed as President Para Sports Foundation

i. On the occasion of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, a renowned communication expert, Sarvesh Kumar Tiwari, was appointed as the President of Para-Sports Foundation (PSF), India.
ii. The announcement was made at the National Award for Divyangjan 2017 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. Para Sports Foundation is a non-profit organization working towards the social welfare of persons with disabilities.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

The PSF is founded by Pradeep Raj, an international athlete with a disability and a national youth awardee from the President of India.

7. Mahesh Sharma Inaugurates ‘Bodhi Parva: BIMSTEC Festival of Buddhist Heritage’

i. Minister of State for Culture (Independent Charge) Dr. Mahesh Sharma has inaugurated the three days ‘Bodhi Parva: BIMSTEC Festival of Buddhist Heritage’ in New Delhi.
ii. India is hosting the the Parva from 8 to 10 December as part of celebrations of 20th anniversary of BIMSTEC.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

BIMSTEC- The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation.
This sub-regional organization came into being on 6 June 1997.
The BIMSTEC member states are India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

8. FIFA Lifts Kuwait Football Ban

i. The international football federation, FIFA, has lifted a two-year suspension against Kuwait’s football association that has prevented the country from participating in international tournaments.
ii. FIFA president Gianna Infantino confirmed the move in a video posted on the Instagram account of Kuwait’s minister of trade and industry and acting minister of youth affairs Khaled Al-Roudhan.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

Kuwait Capital- Kuwait City, Currency- Kuwaiti dinar.
FIFA President- Gianna Infantino.

Source BA

Current Affairs: Daily GK Update 08th December 2017

1. Time Magazine Names 'Silence Breakers' As Person Of The Year

i. “The Silence Breakers”, the vanguard of a global movement by millions of women to share their stories of sexual harassment and abuse, was revealed to be Time magazine’s Person of the Year.
ii. Time Magazine has recognized the women who came forward with sexual assault allegations as its 2017 Person of the Year, calling individuals such as Ashley Judd and Rose McGowan, “the voices that launched a movement.”

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

TIME magazine founded in- 1923.
2. 1st Intl. Conference on Sports Medicine & Sports Sciences SAICON 2017 Inaugurated in Delhi

i. The First International Conference on Sports Medicine and Sports Sciences SAICON 2017 was inaugurated in New Delhi by the Minister of State (I/C) Youth Affairs and Sports Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore.
ii. SAICON 2017 will promote scientific temperament in the country and inspire students, researchers and educationists alike to take up sports science and research to the next level.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

Delhi CM- Arvind Kejriwal, Lt. Governor- Anil Baijal.
3. International Conference on Groundwater Organized

i. An International conference is being organized on the Groundwater issues in the country with a theme of “Groundwater Vision 2030- Water Security, Challenges, and Climate Change Adaptation”.
ii. The conference has been organized by the National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee and Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) under the aegis of Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

Minister of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation- Nitin J Gadkari.
4. Kacheguda Becomes India’s First Energy-Efficient Railway Station

i. Kacheguda Railway Station in Hyderabad under the South Central Railway (SCR) has earned the unique distinction of being the first Energy Efficient ‘A1 Category’ Railway Station on Indian Railways.
ii. The station has achieved 100% energy efficiency by replacing 1,312 conventional lights with light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, among other steps.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

Kacheguda Railway Station- Situated in Hyderabad.
Built-in 1916 by the Nizam’s Guaranteed State Railway during the reign of Mir Osman Ali Khan, the seventh Nizam.
5. Kerala to Raise Minimum Liquor Drinking Age from 21 to 23

i. The Kerala government lead by the Left Democratic Front (LDF) has decided to raise the legal drinking age from 21 to 23 years. The State Cabinet in a meeting decided to introduce a new ordinance raising the minimum age for liquor consumption from 21 to 23.
ii. The Ordinance will amend the Abkari Act. The previous UDF regime had adopted a policy in favour of prohibition by shutting down bars and closing doors on state-run liquor vending outlets.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

Kerala CM- Pinarayi Vijayan, Governor- P. Sathasivam.
6. Taj Mahal Named Second-Best UNESCO World Heritage Site

i. The Taj Mahal, India's iconic ivory-white marble mausoleum in Agra, is the second best UNESCO world heritage site in the world, according to a new survey by online travel portal TripAdvisor.
ii. The Taj Mahal is rated after Cambodia's Angkor Wat. Other popular heritage sites on the survey include the Great Wall of China (Third) built by Xu Da of Northern Qi Dynasty in 1368 AD. Machu Pichu in Peru in South America has bagged the fourth spot.

News in-a-line:
Taj Mahal- second best UNESCO world heritage site in the world- acc. to a survey of TripAdvisor- Cambodia's Angkor Wat is best.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

Taj Mahal was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.
7. USA Now Recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's Capital

i. President of USA Donald Trump has announced that the US now recognizes Jerusalem as Israel's capital, overturning decades of official US policy.
ii. The fate of the ancient city is one of the thorniest issues between Israel and the Palestinians. Israel called Donald Trump's move "historic" but there has been sharp international criticism. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called Donald Trump's announcement "deplorable".

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

USA President- Donald Trump (45th), Capital- Washington D.C.
Israel President- Reuven Rivlin.
8. Wassenaar Arrangement Decides to Make India its Member

i. In a significant development, elite export control regime Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) decided to admit India as its new member. This would raise New Delhi’s stature in the field of non-proliferation besides helping it acquire critical technologies.
ii. The decision was taken at the two-day plenary meeting of the grouping in Vienna. India’s entry into the export control regime would enhance its credentials in the field of non-proliferation despite not being a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

About the Wassenaar Arrangement in Brief-
The Wassenaar Arrangement (WA), the first global multilateral arrangement on export controls for conventional weapons and sensitive dual-use goods and technologies, received final approval by 33 co-founding countries in July 1996 and began operations in September 1996.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

Wassenaar Arrangement Secretariat- Vienna, Austria.
The current Head of Secretariat- Ambassador Philip Griffiths (New Zealand).
9. Kerala's Alappuzha in Top 5 UN Clean City List

i. The waste management system being implemented in Kerala's coastal town of Alappuzha has been recognized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as one of the five models across the world for fighting the pollution menace.
ii. Alappuzha has been listed in the UNEP environment report entitled, 'Solid approach to waste: how five cities are beating pollution' alongside cities like Osaka in Japan, Ljubljana in Slovenia, Penang in Malaysia and Cajica in Colombia.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

Kerala CM- Pinarayi Vijayan, Governor- P.Sathasivam.
10. Axis Securities Gets NCDEX Membership

i. Axis Securities, a subsidiary of Axis Bank, has become the first-ever broking arm of a bank to take membership of a commodity exchange by registering itself with NCDEX.
ii. In September, Reserve Bank of India allowed banks wishing to undertake commodities derivatives clearing to set up a separate subsidiary for the purpose and adhere to the membership norms laid by market regulator Securities Exchange Board of India.

News in-a-line:
Axis Securities- become the first-ever broking arm of a bank to take membership of a commodity exchange by registering itself with NCDEX.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

NCDEX- National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange,
Samir Shah- Managing Director, NCDEX,
Arun Thukral- Managing Director, Axis Securities.
11. All About the Star Screen Awards 2017 Held in Mumbai

i. Star Screen Awards, the annual film awards recognises the best of talent in Hindi films. Vidya Balan bagged the award for Best Actress (Critics) for Tumhari Sulu, Irrfan won the Best Actor Award for his performance in Hindi Medium.
ii. Rajkummar Rao won the Best Actor Award (Critics) for Newton & Best Actor in a Supporting Role Award for Bareilly Ki Barfi as well.

Find Complete List Here

12. Azar A.H.Khan Appointed Next Ambassador of India to Turkmenistan

i. Shri Azar A.H.Khan, presently Consul General in the Consulate General of India, Istanbul has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Turkmenistan.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

Turkmenistan Capital- Ashgabat, Currency- Turkmenistan manat.
13. London Mayor Names Deepak Parekh as First International Ambassador

i. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has named noted Indian businessman, Deepak Parekh, as 'International Ambassador' who will be tasked with championing the UK capital across the globe.
ii. Parekh, is one of the first of a network of international ambassadors, that would
include high-level business and cultural figures based in London or overseas. Parekh is the chairman of India's premier housing finance company HDFC Ltd.

News in-a-line:
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan- named Indian businessman, Deepak Parekh- as 'International Ambassador'.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

UK Capital- London, Prime Minister- Theresa May.
14. Kanchanmala Pande Wins India’s 1st World Para Swimming Championship Gold

i. Nagpur’s Kanchanmala Pande created history as she became the first Indian to secure pole position at the World Para-Swimming Championship in Mexico.
ii. The 26-year-old Reserve Bank of India employee won gold in the 200 meter medley event in the S-11 category and was also the only Indian to qualify for the women’s category.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

Mexico Capital: Mexico City, Currency: Mexican peso
15. Cristiano Ronaldo Wins Ballon d'Or, Equals Lionel Messi's Record

i. Cristiano Ronaldo (from Portugal) has won the Ballon d'Or for a fifth time to move level with rival Lionel Messi. The Real Madrid forward was named the winner of France Football's prestigious award at a ceremony in Paris, France.
ii. The award caps a year in which Ronaldo has won LaLiga, the Champions League and the Spanish Super Cup with Real Madrid, as well as helping Portugal qualify for the 2018 World Cup. Messi, the only other player to have won the award since 2008, finished second.

News in-a-line:
Cristiano Ronaldo (from Portugal)- won the Ballon d'Or for a fifth time- Equals Lionel Messi's Record, Messi was second- Nemar third.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

Ronaldo previously won the award in 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2016.
Messi is from Barcelona.

Source BA

ADB Funds $583 Million for Reliance’s Bangladesh Power Plant Project

The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Board of Directors has approved debt financing and partial risk guarantees totaling $583 million to develop the Reliance Bangladesh Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Power Project.

The financing package of ADB includes loans and partial risk guarantees for the power generation facility, as well as for the LNG terminal and the power project, being set up for $1 billion.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

Founded on 19 December 1966 ADB has its Headquarter in Manila, Philippines.
President of ADB is Takehiko Nakao.

Source BA

3rd DRC-NITI Aayog Dialogue Held in China

The 3rd edition of the Dialogue between the NITI Aayog and the Development Research Council of China, the DRC- NITI Aayog Dialogue was held in Beijing. The meeting was co-chaired by Vice Chairman NITI Aayog, Dr. Rajiv Kumar, and Mr Li Wei, President (Minister), DRC.

The two sides agreed that the 4th NITI Aayog - DRC Dialogue will be convened in India in 2018. The dialogue took place under the MOU between NITI Aayog and the Development Research Centre (DRC), State Council of the China.

Static/Current Takeaways Important for RBI Assistant Mains 2017 Exam-

The 2nd Dialogue was held in New Delhi in November 2016.

Source BA