Daily GK UPDATES-29th June 2017

. All You Need to Know About PM Modi’s Three-Nation Visit

i. PM Modi in Portugal-

The Journey of PM started on 24th June. In the first leg of his tour, he reached Portuguese capital, Lisbon. Over there, India and Portugal have signed eleven MOUs for cooperation in areas including double taxation avoidance, science and technology, trade and investment, nanotechnology, space research, administrative reforms and culture.

So the visit of Portugal was more oriented and focused towards development in the areas of Space, Science and Technology. 

About Portugal-

• Lisbon is the capital of Portugal.
• The Prime Minister of Portugal is Antonio Costa.
• The currency of Portugal is Euro.

ii. PM Modi in The USA-

In the second leg of his three-nation tour PM arrived in US capital Washington D.C. India and the United States agreed to enhance cooperation in fighting the menace of terrorism, extremism and radicalisation. According to the PM, the two countries will enhance intelligence exchange in respect of terrorist organizations.

So the PM visit to the USA was more focused towards combating Terrorism.

About The USA-

• Washington D.C. is the Capital of USA.
• Mr. Donald Trump is the 45th President of the USA.
• The Currency of the USA is American Dollar.

iii. PM Modi in The Netherlands-
In the final leg of his three-nation tour, PM Modi arrived in Amsterdam, the capital of Netherlands, after concluding his visit to the US. PM Modi described the Netherlands as India’s “natural partner” in its economic development. India and Netherlands also signed three MOUs on water management, cultural cooperation and on amending social security arrangement. Mr. Modi also interacted with the CEOs of Dutch companies inviting them to utilize the vast opportunities provided by his ‘Make in India’ initiative.

So the visit in the Netherland was broadly focused on the Environmental and Economic Development of the Nation.

About The Netherlands-

• The Capital of Netherland is Amsterdam.
• Mr. Mark Rutte is the Prime Minister of the Netherlands.
• The Currency of Netherland is Euro.

2. Romanian President appoints Mihai Tudose as Prime Minister

i. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis appointed Social Democrat Mihai Tudose as the Prime Minister and mandated him to form a new government. Mihai Tudose, the outgoing economy minister of Romania, has been appointed as prime minister, days after the ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD) removed its own government following an internal power row.

ii. The 50-year-old Tudose now has 10 days to gain the vote of confidence in his government and his program.

Important Takeaways From Above News-

• The Capital of Romania is Bucharest.
• Its Currency is Romanian leu.

3. Google fined record 2.42 billion euros by European Commission

i. Google has been fined 2.42 billion euros ($2.7 Billion) by the European Commission after it ruled the company had abused its power by promoting its own shopping comparison service at the top of search results.

ii. It is the biggest fine the EU has ever imposed on a single company in an antitrust case, exceeding a 1.06-billion-euro sanction handed down to U.S. chipmaker Intel in 2009.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Alphabet Inc. is the parent company of Google.
• Sundar Pichai is the CEO of Google.
• It is the USA based Company.

4. ‘War room’ set up to deal with GST crises

i. Equipped with multiple phone lines and computer systems and manned by tech-savvy youngsters, a “mini war room” has been set up in the finance ministry to deal with crises related to the implementation of GST.
ii. The unit will act as a quick resource centre for central and state government officials to address their queries on the historic tax reform scheduled to be implemented from July 1. The action room will function from 8 am to 10 pm.
iii. It will provide prompt response to queries raised by states and central government officials. The room will act as a single-window for anything and everything related to the GST.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The GST Council is headed by the Finance Minister of India Mr. Arun Jaitley.
• GST will roll out from July 1st.

5. UP govt signs pact with ADB for strengthening of roads

i. Uttar Pradesh Government has signed an agreement with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for a loan of 1950 crore rupees for strengthening of roads in different district. The agreement was signed at Lucknow in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and ADB President Takehiko Nakao.

ii. As per agreement, ADB will provide the loan amount for Uttar Pradesh Main District Roads Development Project of 2782 crore rupees cost. State government will spend 832 crore rupees form its own resources on the project.
iii. Project is scheduled to be completed by 2024 and ADB will provide the loan for the period of 25 years on the interest rate of 2 percent.

Static Takeaways from Above News-

• Takeshi Watanabe was ADB’s first President.
• Takehiko Nakao is the current President of ADB.
• ADB is headquartered in Mandaluyong, Philippines.
• The Asian Development Bank was conceived in the early 1960s.

6. Priyanka Chopra appointed as ambassador for Government’s Skill India campaign

i. Actress Priyanka Chopra has been appointed as the ambassador for government’s flagship Skill India campaign, with the National Skill Development Corporation.

ii. Priyanka will use her celebrity status to motivate youngsters to hone their abilities through a media campaign.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The Skill India campaign was launched by Prime Minister Modi in July 2015.
• The government aims to train 40 crore people by 2022 through its skilling initiatives.
• The MD and CEO of National Skill Development Corporation is Manish Kumar.

7. Scientists create the brightest light ever produced on Earth

i. Scientists have created the brightest light ever produced on the Earth, shining a billion times stronger than the surface of the sun. The researchers discovered that it could be used as a new type of X-ray, capable of taking higher resolution images than the traditional kind.

ii. These could be used in hospitals but also by engineers, scientists and for security purposes. Normally an electron scatters just one photon of light at a time but the light beam produced in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Extreme Light Laboratory saw nearly 1,000 photons scattered at a time.

8. MSME Ministry launched ‘Digital MSME Scheme’, exchanged MoUs with SAP India, Intel and HMT

i. MSME Minister Mr. Kalraj Mishra has launched the Digital MSME Scheme and also exchanged three MoUs with SAP India, Intel and HMT. The United Nations has recently declared 27th June as the UN Day for MSMEs.

ii. It has been celebrated for recognizing the importance of the crucial role that the sector plays both in terms of job creation and contribution towards economic growth. The MSME has a total budget of Rs. 85.705 Crore including Government of India’s contribution of Rs. 58.105 crore during 2017- 18 to 2019-20.

iii. International Trade Centre (ITC) has celebrated the first International MSME Day on June 27, 2017. The theme of MSME is ‘Small business – big impact’.”

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• The move is in accordance with the government’s ‘Digital India’ initiative.

9. ISSF Junior World Championship: India finish second in Junior Shooting World Championship

i. The Indian shooting squad has finished a creditable second at the ISSF Junior World Championship with three gold, two silver and three bronze medals in Suhl, Germany. India picked up a gold and silver in the team and individual sections of the 25m pistol junior men’s event.

ii. Anish Bhanwala won three medals, one of each colour. On day one, Anish had claimed gold in the 25m standard pistol men’s event. He also won another gold teaming with Anhad Jawanda and Shivam Shukla for the 25m pistol event.
iii. China topped the tally in the rifle/pistol tournament with 19 medals, including eight golds.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Full form of ISSF is International Shooting Sport Federation.
• Olegario Vazquez Rana is the President of ISSF.
•  ISSF Junior World Championship 2017 was held in Germany.
• China topped with total 19 Medals and India was second with total 8 Medals.

10. Federer lifts ninth Halle Open title, defeated Alexander Zverev

i. Swiss legend Roger Federer has clinched his ninth Halle Open title after beating Alexander Zverev 6-1, 6-3 in the final. The top seed Roger Federer showed no mercy with fourth seed Alexander Zverev after wrapping up his ninth title in his 11th Halle final.

ii. The final took place at the Gerry Weber Stadion in Halle, Germany. The match was the quickest final in the history of the Halle Open.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

• Roger Federer is from Switzerland.
• Alexander Zverev is from Germany.
• The Halle Open also called as the Gerry Weber Open, is a tennis tournament held in Halle, North Rhine-Westphalia, German

More Current affairs
1. Goods and Service Tax rehearsal to take place tonight

• In an attempt to ensure a smooth launch, the Centre has scheduled a mega rehearsal of the Goods and Services Tax rollout at the Parliament’s Central Hall on Wednesday night before its official launch on June 30.
• The government will stick to its plans to roll out the Good and Services Tax on July 1 despite requests for a deferment from several quarters.
• GST is expected to bring about a uniform system of indirect taxation and only electricity, real estate and alcohol will be exempt from the GST.

2. Last day to file nominations for Presidential Polls

• Opposition Presidential candidate Meira Kumar filed her nomination papers today, which was the last day to file nominations.
• Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu also filed another set of nomination papers on behalf of the NDA’s presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind.
• Meira Kumar said “caste identification” should not play a role in election to the high office. She said the contest is a battle of ideologies and questioned the society’s mindset for portraying it as a Dalit vs Dalit fight.

3. Aadhaar-PAN linking must from July 1

• The government has made it mandatory to link existing Aadhaar numbers with PAN of taxpayers with effect from July 1.
• The government has made quoting of the 12-digit biometric Aadhaar or the enrolment ID a must at the time of application of permanent account number (PAN).
• Finance Minister Arun Jaitley through an amendment to tax proposals in the Finance Bill for 2017-18 had made Aadhaar mandatory for filing income tax returns.

4. Mustafa Dossa, a convict in the 1993 Bombay blasts case, dies

• Mustafa Dossa, who was among the six convicted for the Bombay 1993 blasts, died today. Dossa had been admitted to JJ Hospital in Mumbai after complaining of chest pain.
• Dossa was found guilty of conspiracy, murder and terror activities in connection with the case. He had been held responsible for acquiring weapons used in the attacks, from Pakistan.
• On March 12, 1993, at least 257 people were killed in 12 powerful blasts across Mumbai, which the Central Bureau of Investigation claimed were planned after the riots following the Babri Masjid demolition.

5. First batch of pilgrims leaves Jammu for Amarnath amid tight security

• The first batch of Amarnath pilgrims left the Jammu base camp for the cave shrine in the Kashmir Valley amid tight security arrangements on Wednesday morning, ANI reported.
• The 40-day-long Amarnath Yatra begins on Thursday. Border Security Force Director General KK Sharma had warned of a high threat of militant attacks ahead of the Amarnath Yatra on Tuesday.
• A total of 2,280 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here for the Himalayan cave shrine in Anantnag district in 72 vehicles at 5.22 am

International News

1. Pakistan condemns designation of Syed Salahuddin as a Global Terrorist

• The Pakistan Foreign Office on Tuesday strongly condemned the United States’ decision to designate Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist.
• The designation of individuals supporting the Kashmiri right to self-determination as terrorists is completely unjustified,” Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said in a statement, without naming Salahuddin or the US.
• Hours before the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, US State Department designated Hizbul Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist, a move that was much appreciated and welcomed by India.

2. Cyber attack that hit Ukraine spreads to other countries

• A massive cyber attack, which began with Ukraine’s government offices and airports, appears to have spread to other countries, including India, the United Kingdom, Russia and Spain.
• Cyber security experts believe that the virus, named Petrwrap or Petya, could be a ransomware attack, similar to the WannaCry breach in May that had affected more than three lakh people.
• Several firms in Britain, including advertising agency WPP, reported the hacking. Russian oil producer Rosneft and Danish shipping company Maersk said work at their UK and Ireland offices were disrupted by the breach.

3. Police helicopter used to attack Supreme Court, claims President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro

• Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday said militants in stolen police helicopter had targeted the country’s Supreme Court in Caracas with grenades and its interior ministry with gunfire.
• No injuries were reported.
• The administration accused investigative police pilot Oscar Perez, who had announced a rebellion against the Maduro, of perpetrating the incident.

Business News

1. Reliance Industries’ Mukesh Ambani keeps annual salary unchanged at Rs 15 crore

• Mukesh Ambani, the richest Indian, has kept salary, perquisites and allowances, and commission at Rs 15 crore since 2008-09, forgoing almost Rs 24 crore per annum.
• “The chairman and managing director’s compensation has been set at Rs 15 crore as against Rs 38.75 crore as approved, reflecting his desire to continue to set a personal example for moderation in managerial compensation levels,” RIL said in its annual report for 2016-17
• Ambani voluntarily capped his compensation at Rs 15 crore in October 2009 amid a debate over right-sizing of CEO salaries.

2. Alibaba to Invest USD 1 Billion in Lazada to Speed Asian Drive

• Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. will invest another USD 1 billion to raise its stake in online mall Lazada Group SA to 83 percent, securing control of a fast-growing startup at the vanguard of its Southeast Asian expansion.
• Alibaba — which despite its sheer scale still derives most of its revenue from China — has been the most aggressive so far.
• Lazada itself covers six countries — Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam — and runs about a dozen warehouses and scores of distribution centers from which it conveys goods directly to buyers.

3. Google’s parent Alphabet dips USD 17 billion in value on USD 2.7 billion fine

• The market capitalisation of Google’s parent company Alphabet tanked by 2.47% or nearly USD 17 billion in a day after the European Commission handed it a record fine of USD 2.7 billion on Tuesday
• Google was hit with the biggest fine for a single company in an EU antitrust case for abusing its dominance as a search engine to promote own services.

4. Flipkart only Indian firm in MIT’s Smartest Companies 2017

• E-commerce major Flipkart has debuted on MIT Technology Review’s 50 Smartest Companies list for 2017, making it the only Indian company on the list.
• MIT cited Flipkart’s competitiveness against Amazon and its use of artificial intelligence to improve product search on its website the main reasons for this place.
• Flipkart is the highest valued startup in India, with a valuation of USD 11.6 billion.

Sports News

1. Virat Kohli retains top spot in T20I rankings, Jasprit Bumrah rises to second

• India pacer Jasprit Bumrah has risen to second in the latest ICC Twenty20 rankings.
• Pakistan’s ICC Champions Trophy-winning side’s member Imad Wasim has become the number-one ranked T20 bowler
• There is no change in the top three of the all-rounders’ table which is headed by Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh.

2. Novak Djokovic number 2 in Wimbledon seedings

• As per seedings, released by the All England Club on Wednesday, three-times champion Novak Djokovic has been bumped up to second seed for next week’s Wimbledon championship despite slipping to fourth in the ATP world rankings.
• Wimbledon’s seeding is different from other Grand Slams because previous two years’ record at grasscourt is counted.
• Top seed in men’s singles will be Andy Murray and Angelique Kerber in the women’s singles.
• Rafael Nadal will be seeded fourth while Federer will be third seed.

3. Telangana’s Sindhuja Reddy selected for US women’s national cricket team

• Sindhuja Reddy, hailing from Amangal village in Nalgonda district of Telangana, is set to be a part of the USA women’s cricket team in the World Twenty20 Qualifiers in Scotland.
• The 26-year-old wicketkeeper-batswoman, who captained Hyderabad’s under-19 cricket team, studied B Tech and MBA before moving to the United States after her marriage.