GS-Times-January-201

GS TIMES

Current Affairs News Quick Revision January 2018

1. Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited (IREDA) and Rewa Ultra Mega Solar Limited (RUMSL) signed an agreement on 31st January, 2018, for financing the shared infrastructure of two large Solar Parks in Madhya Pradesh. 2. Dennis Peron, the activist who fired up the movement to legalise medical marijuana in California (USA) died on 27 January in a San Francisco hospital. Also a prominent figure in San Francisco’s gay community, Peron was credited as a pioneer in recognising the health benefits of pot during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s. 3. According to some reports, the German auto industry has conducted diesel exhaust tests on both monkeys and humans. The tests were reportedly carried out by a research group funded by major German auto companies. 4. Vijay Keshav Gokhale, an Indian Foreign Service officer of the 1981 batch, and an expert on China and East Asia, took charge as the foreign secretary on January 29, 2018. Gokhale succeeds S Jaishankar, who was the foreign secretary for three years. Gokhale served as secretary (economic relations) in the ministry of external affairs (MEA) earlier. Gokhale was India’s ambassador to China from January 20, 2016, to October 21, 2017 and has served as India’s envoy to Malaysia and Germany. He had played a key role in negotiations to resolve the 73-day-long Doklam standoff last year. 5. 44 new cases of leprosy was detected during survey in Kerala. 6. The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, launched the Pulse Polio programme for 2018 by administering polio drops to children less than five years old, at the Rahstrapati Bhawan on the eve of the National Immunization Day, which is observed on 28 January. More than 17 crore children of less than five years across the country will be given polio drops as part of the drive of Government of India to sustain polio eradication from the country. 7. The legendary Indian tradition of ‘teacher-and-student’, referred to as the “Guru-Shishya Parampara” will be celebrated in grand style at the Opening Ceremony of the inaugural Khelo India School Games (KISG) at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium on January 31. 8. According to a report published by National Law University in Delhi, Maharashtra has overtaken Uttar Pradesh as the state with the most prisoners on death row. 9. Renowned French Chef Paul Bocuse died in Lyon, France at the age of 91 years. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a proponent of "nouvelle cuisine", a healthier form of cooking. 10. A US Republican senator, Rand Paul, has introduced a bill to block civilian aid to Pakistan. Paul’s bill proposes diverting $1.28 billion from the state department and $852 million from USAID meant for Pakistan towards building highways in the US. 11. Veteran Bengali film actress Supriya Devi died on 26 January, 2018. She was 85. Born in 1933, Supriya Devi was known for her work over five decades. She had made her debut in Uttam Kumar-starrer Basu Parivar in 1952 and never looked back after Sonar Harinopposite Uttam Kumar in 1959. Chowringhee, Bagh Bandi Khela and Meghe Dhaka Tara were among her classics. She received the Padma Shri and West Bengal government's highest civilian award Banga Vibhushan, besides the Filmfare East Lifetime Achievement Award. 12. American journalist Elizabeth Hawley, whose fifty years chronicling summits and tragedies in the Himalayas earned her the moniker "the Sherlock Holmes of the mountaineering world", died on 26 January, 2018 aged 94 in Kathmandu. She built a reputation as one of the most authoritative voices on Himalayan mountaineering after moving to Nepal in 1959 as a journalist, where she continued to live up to her death. 13. Paul Romer stepped down as the World Bank’s chief economist on 24 January, 2018, after he came under fire for saying that Chile’s rankings in a closely watched “Doing Business” report may have been deliberately skewed under socialist President Michelle Bachelet. 14. Delhi lifted their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy after defeating Rajasthan by 41 runs. The final match was played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. 15. India and the United States are expected to hold the inaugural edition of the simultaneous meetings of their defence and external affairs ministers — called two-by-two — in Washington DC in April, 2018. 16. Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh on 26 January, 2018 hoisted one of the ‘tallest’ and biggest illuminated national flags in Northeast India as part of the Republic Day celebrations. The Tricolour, measuring 20 ft by 30 ft, was hoisted on a 100ft pole on the premises of Imphal International Airport, 7km south of Imphal on 26 January, 2018. 17. China on 26 January 2018, outlined its ambitions to extend President Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road Initiative to the Arctic by developing shipping lanes opened up by global warming. Releasing its first official Arctic policy white paper, China said it would encourage enterprises to build infrastructure and conduct commercial trial voyages, paving the way for Arctic shipping routes that would form a Polar Silk Road. 18. A 10-year-old Indian-origin boy Mehul Garg, nicknamed Mahi, in the UK has become the youngest applicant in a decade to get the highest score in Mensa IQ test, beating geniuses like Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. He scored the maximum score of 162 to become a member of Mensa, the High IQ Society. His score is two points higher than Einstein and Hawking and places him in the top one per cent of people in the world who achieve this distinction. 19. According to a study by scientists from New Delhi’s International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), two Siddha medicines (Amukkara Churanam and Nilavembu Kudineer) commonly used in south India can prevent the dengue virus from replicating and the chikungunya virus from entering the body, resulting in no or very mild symptoms,. 20. Visiting Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte showed keen interest in Aadhaar, India’s unique identity number programme, in a bilateral meeting with PM Narendra Modi. 21. Actor Kamal Haasan has named his statewide political tour starting February 21 as ‘Naalai Namathey’ (Tomorrow is ours) after the title of the film starring MGR. 22. The tiger population at Rajasthan’s Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve is now the highest in the park’s history at 67, with the numbers becoming more than what the park can handle, leading to tigers straying out into nearby areas. 23. The results of underwater surveys by the Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute (SDMRI), Tuticorn, revealed that rising sea temperatures caused by climate change, which killed corals in different parts of the world during the third and longest global coral bleaching event between 2014 and 2017, also destroyed coral reefs in the Gulf of Mannar (GoM) and Konkan coast. A rise of 2-3 degrees Celsius in sea-surface temperatures killed 16% of corals in GoM between March and October 2016. An increase of one degree Celsius killed 8% corals around the Sindhudurg island fort in the Malvan Marine Sanctuary (MMS), in December 2015. 24. Gujarati bus driver Sheikh Salim Gafur, who braved terrorists’ bullets and saved 48 Amarnath pilgrims on July 10 last year, will be awarded the Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak, the second highest honour given to civilians for gallantry. 25. A dozen animals have been disqualified from Saudi Arabia’s annual camel beauty contest because their owners used botulinum toxin or Botox injections to make their lips and faces look more alluring. 26. The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI), an advisory body that recommends vaccines for India’s Universal Immunization Programme (UIP), has given the green signal to the introduction of the Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in the Universal Immunisation Programme. 27. Odisha chief minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik on 24 January, 2018, suspended MP Baijayant Jay Panda from primary membership of the party for 'antiparty activities'. 28. No team competing in the Google Lunar XPRIZE challenge will make a launch attempt to reach the moon by March 31. 29. US fantasy and science fiction author URSULA K LE GUIN died in Portland, Oregon, aged 88. She is best remembered for the global bestselling Earthsea series, in which an apprentice sorcerer fights against the powers of evil. In a career that spanned decades, she published more than 20 novels, wrote children’s books, dozens of short stories, volumes of poetry and collections of essays. 30. SARAS PT1N (14 seater) designed and developed by CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL), a frontline aerospace research laboratory, has successfully made its maiden flight on January 24, 2018. The primary objective is to evaluate the system performance in about 20 flights and the data collected from this shall be used to freeze the design of production version aircraft. The production version aircraft will be of 19 seat capacity and will undergo civil / military certification. 31. A Bengal variety of juvenile monitor lizard (Varanus Bengalensis) found mostly in the Indian subcontinent, was seize at Heathrow airport London. Monitor lizards take several years to reach adult size but once fully grown they can be up to two metres long. 32. Secretary, Ministry of Women and Child Development, Shri Rakesh Srivastava launched the Management Information System (MIS) portal for Anganwadi Services Training Programme in New Delhi on January 23. The Ministry of Women and Child Development in collaboration with National Informatics Centre (NIC), has developed a Management Information System (MIS) portal for submitting applications/estimates by NGOs for carrying out Anganwadi Services (ICDS) Training through AWTCs/MLTCs. 33. Election Commission of India (ECI) on 24 January, hosted a one-day International Conference on the subject ‘Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the Election Process’ in New Delhi. 34. As per a progress report, over 6 crore toilets have been built across rural India under the Swachh Bharat Mission. Two independent surveys by the Quality Council of India in 2017, and National Sample Survey Organization in 2016, have pegged the usage of these toilets at 91% and 95% respectively. As an outcome, over 3 lakh villages and 300 districts have been declared Open Defecation Free (ODF), across ten States and Union Territories, namely, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh and Daman & Diu. 35. For the first time ever, the BSE Sensex closed above the 36,000-point level and the National Stock Exchange’s Nifty breached the 11,000 mark on 23 January, 2018. 36. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO) the Asia-Pacific region will add 23 million jobs between 2017-19, aided by employment growth in South Asian nations, including India, . But many of the jobs being created are of poor quality despite strong economic growth and some 77% of workers in India will have vulnerable employment by 2019. The report says that of the 535 million labour force in India in 2019, some 398.6 million will have poor quality jobs. The bigger concern in India is while the overall unemployment rate hovers between 3.4% to 3.5% between 2017- 19, the unemployment rate in the 15-24 age group is much higher— increasing further from 10% in 2014 to 10.7% in 2019. 37. A data from the Union health ministry revealed that unexplained side effects to vaccines led to 10,612 child deaths nationally in 10 years since 2008. Nationally, Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI) caused these deaths, with Andhra Pradesh (including Telangana) reporting the most cases (5,857), followed by Odisha (1,087), Bihar (752), Uttar Pradesh (561), and Karnataka (439). Maharashtra was eighth. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines AEFI as any untoward medical occurrence after immunisation and which does not necessarily have a causal relationship with the usage. 38. According to the finance minister Arun Jaitley, India may become one of the three largest economies of the world in the next 25 years as it has demonstrated its capacity to grow even during times of adversity. 39. US President Donald Trump on 22 January signed into law a short-term spending bill which would fund the federal government till February 8, ending a shutdown that overshadowed the first anniversary of his presidency. 40. Mr Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the Prime Minister of Vietnam, called on the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 24, 2018. 41. Legendary South African trumpeter, jazz singer and composer Hugh Masekela has died at the age of 78 on January 23, 2018 at Johanesberg. He was Often called the Father of South African jazz'. He was affectionately known locally as 'Bra Hugh.' 42. Around one lakh conventional air-conditioners will be replaced by super-efficient appliances that will consume 30% less power, said Union environment minister Harsh Vardhan on 23 January, 2018. 43. The Minister of State (IC), for AYUSH, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik laid the foundation stone for Central Research Institute (CRI) in Jaipur on 22nd January 2018. This will be the third CRI under the aegis of Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH), an autonomous body of Ministry of AYUSH for undertaking scientific research in Homoeopathy, with 23 institutes across the country. 44. The Government has decided to install super-efficient air-conditioners in 2, 500 of its buildings for the first time in the country. Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Harsh Vardhan said that one lakh conventional air conditioners will be replaced by super-efficient ACs that will consume 30% less power and will be environment-friendly. 45. Wildlife Conservation Trust, has launched a mobile-based application, ‘Roadkills’, on January 21, that will help citizens to report wildlife deaths by uploading geo-tagged photographs to a public forum. This can be used to identify crucial road or rail stretches that urgently require mitigation measures. 46. Ministry of Railways has directed all Zonal Railway & Production units to achieve Zero scrap balance by end of March 2018. General Managers of all the Zonal Railways/PUs have been advised to regularly monitor this activity and to intensify supervision at senior officers’ level so as to promptly identify scrap and offer it for e- auction. 47. According to the China’s National Bureau of Statistics, a total of 17.23 million babies were born in 2017, declining from 17.86 million in 2016 in China. In percentage terms, the birth rate dropped from 12.95% to 12.43%. Chinese birth rate declined despite marking two years of the end of the strictly enforced one-child policy. 48. According to the World Economic Forum's Global Risk Report, the number of people in India impacted by flooding of rivers may increase five times in next 25 years. India was hit by at least 19 extreme weather events in 2017, says a report by India Meteorological Department. 49. One of India’s most wanted criminals, the alleged co-founder of terror group Indian Mujahideen (IM) and the suspected mastermind behind the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts, Abdul Subhan Qureshi, alias Tauqeer has been arrested by Delhi police. 50. To double farm income by 2022, the Modi government is working on training farmers so as to increase their income from secondary sources, and also not accounting for part-time farmers in its calculations 51. Puducherry CM V Narayanasamy has accused Tamilnadu for denying Puducherry its share of Varaha river in Villupuram district. According to him, TN government was disrespecting an inter-state agreement for releasing water from the Veedur dam in Villupuram. 52. The United Arab Emirates has launched a smartphone app for Indians seeking work visas that is aimed at streamlining the process and completing most of the procedures in India so that applicants can make a hassle-free entry into the workforce. The UAE is home to an Indian expatriate community of more than 2.6 million, the largest in the country. Professionally qualified workers make up about 20% of the community, followed by 20% white-collar non-professionals and the remainder are blue-collar workers. 53. India and China, along with South Korea, will co-host a meeting of energy ministers from 60 countries in New Delhi in April 2018. The meeting, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will see ministers discuss global energy security and transition to renewables at the biennial International Energy Forum (IEF) on April 10-12. It will have representation from all major energy producers and consumers in the world. 54. According to London mayor Sadiq Khan, Indian and other non-EU students, who typically pay at least three times the annual fee paid by British or EU students for academic courses, contribute £4.6 billion to London’s economy annually. 55. According to the World Economic Outlook released by International Monetary Fund (IMF) India is forecast to grow 7.4% in FY19 against 6.7% this year, gaining pace to 7.8% in FY20,. India's growth will pick up in FY19. That will see the country regain the tag of fastest-growing major economy, backing the government's revival theme. The IMF also said 2017 saw the best global growth in seven years. The report was released with title, 'Brighter Prospects, Optimistic Markets, Challenges Ahead'. 56. The National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) has made its First investment on 22 January, 2018. NIIF has partnered with DP World to create an investment platform for ports, terminals, transportation and logistics businesses in India. The NIIF is being operationalized by establishing three Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) under the SEBI Regulations. The proposed corpus of NIIF is Rs. 40,000 Crores (around USD 6 Billion). GOI’s contribution to the AIFs under the NIIF scheme shall be 49% of the total commitment. 57. The Government of India, the Government of Uttarakhand and the World Bank Board on 22 January, 2018 signed in New Delhi, a $120 million Loan Agreement which will help increase access to improved water supply services in peri-urban areas in the State of Uttarakhand. 58. Lakhs of people across Bihar formed a 14,000-km long human chain on 21 January, 2018 to spread awareness against social evils like child marriage and dowry, which have a high prevalence in the state, and to build an atmosphere against these practices. 59. The N. R. Narayana Murthy committee of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has recommended suitable tax as well as regulatory framework for alternative investment industry. 60. IPS officer Sudeep Lakhtakia was appointed as the new director general of National Security Guard (NSG) on on 19 January 2018. Lakhtakia is a 1984- batch IPS officer of Telangana cadre. 61. A new report released by the NGO Toxics Link, says that the dry-cleaned clothes contains Perchloroethylene - a toxic chemical which also acts as a carcinogen and affects the kidney, liver and central nervous system. Perchloroethylene which is also known as PERC is a chemical used in the process of dry cleaning and is recognized globally as toxic to the human health and the environment. 62. Ashok Lavasa has been appointed the Election Commissioner of India. Lavasa is the former Finance Secretary. 63. According to the researchers from Australia, the building blocks of the Pentagon and the Empire State Building contain ancient microbes that lived long before the dinosaurs walked our planet. They found that a common building material known as oolitic limestone is made up of tiny spheres of mineralized microbes, dating back as far as 340 million years ago. The findings also debunk the popular ‘snowball theory,’ which argued the millimetre-sized carbonate ‘ooids’ were formed as grains rolled across the sea floor. 64. The fourth edition of the India International Science Festival will be held in Lucknow. The exact dates and other details will be decided later. The decision to hold the Festival in Lucknow was taken at the first preparatory meeting for the 4th India International Science Festival (IISF) chaired by Union Minister for Science & Technology, Environment, Forest & Climate Change and Earth Sciences. 65. Ministry of home affairs on January 20, launched the official anthem for the “Bharat Ke Veer” initiative, a corpus fund to help the families of paramilitary troopers killed in the line of duty. The anthem is, sung and composed by singer Kailash Kher. 66. The Government of India has entered into an agreement with ONGC on 20 January, 2018 for the strategic sale of its 51.11% equity share-holding in HPCL at a consideration of Rs. 36,915 crore 67. Manisha Singh, an Indian American lawyer, was sworn in as assistant secretary of state of USA for economic and business affairs on January 19, returning to head a department where she had once served in a junior position. The 45-year-old earlier served as the deputy to then department head Dan Sullivan, now Republican senator from Alaska. 68. India won the fifth edition Blind Cricket World Cup 2018 defeating Pakistan by 2 wickets in Sharjah (UAE) on January 20, 2018. India chased the massive 308 run targets in 40 overs. Ajay Tiwari is the captain of Indian Blind Cricket team. India is defending champion of Blind Cricket Cup. 69. Farmers protested under 'Wir haben es satt' (we are fed up) demonstration in Berlin, Germany on January 20, 2018. They were calling for more eco-logical agriculture. 70. The Vice President of India, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu received the first copy of the book “Home at Last: A Journey to Higher Consciousness”, from the author Smt. Sarada Chiruvolu, on 20 January. 71. Smoke billows out of the polluted Bellandur Lake in Bengaluru on 20 January. 72. The BJP's new headquarters will be inaugurated at Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg in New Delhi. Currently it is situated at Ashoka Road in New Delhi. 73. Shri Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State (I/C) for Housing and Urban Affairs along with the Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Manohar Parrikar on 20 January, 2018 launched the ‘Protocol for Star Rating of Garbage-Free Cities’ in Goa. The star-rating initiative, developed by the Swachh Bharat Mission – Urban will be rating cities on a 7-star rating system based on multiple cleanliness indicators for solid waste management, which will include Door to Door Collection, bulk generator compliance, source segregation, sweeping, scientific processing of waste, scientific land filling, plastic waste management, construction and demolition management, dump remediation & citizen grievance redressal system etc. 74. The US astronaut Jeanette Epps has been removed from her upcoming mission to the International Space Station (ISS) just months before launch. Dr Epps was to have been the first African-American astronaut assigned to the space station crew. 75. Shri Hardeep S. Puri , Minister of State (I/C) for Housing & Urban Affairs has announced the Round 4 winning cities of National Smart Cities Challenge. Addressing a Press Conference on January 19, the Minister informed that Silvassa from Dadar & Nagar Haveli has topped the list of winning cities in this round of competition. 76. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) celebrated its 13th Raising Day in New Delhi on 19 January, 2018. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), a specialized multi skilled, humanitarian force of the country, came into existence on January 19th, 2006 has been playing a vital role in Disaster Management and Community awareness for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in the country. 77. In a path breaking initiative to empower Persons with Disabilities, 100 Accessible websites of various State Governments/UTs under Accessible India Campaign were launched by the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Shri Thaawarchand Gehlot on the occasion of ‘National Conference on Improving Accessibility’ in New Delhi on January 19, 2018. Accessible Websites are those websites into which Persons with Disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web. The Accessible India Campaign has three important components viz Built Environment; Transport and Information and Communication Eco-system accessibility. 78. Patna will soon be amongst the few major cities along river Ganga to have 100 percent sewage treatment capacity to ensure that no waste water gets discharged into the river. The National Mission for Clean Ganga has put in place a comprehensive sewage management plan for the city, that will replace its existing, defunct system with one that will take care of its sewage treatment requirements till 2035. 79. The veteran Kannada actor and director K. Kashinath passed away on 18 January. He has not only acted but also directed and produced several Kannada films. Kashinath was recently seen in Chowka, released last year. 80. Nishagandhi Puraskaram 2018, instituted by Kerala Tourism for artistic excellence, presented to the legendary dancing duo, V.P. Dhananjayan and Shanta Dhananjayan, at the inaugural ceremony of the seven-day Nishagandhi Dance Festival. The award, carrying a cash prize of Rs. 1.50 lakh, a statuette of Sage Bharatha, and a citation. 81. Dr Sharmeen Mushtaq, a medical professional, became the first Kashmiri woman to participate the risky snow car rally in Gulmarg. 82. World Cup and 2005 Ballon D’Or winner Brazil's Ronaldinho confirmed on January 17 his retirement from football. The 37-year-old’s last professional football match was in 2015 for Brazil’s Fluminense. 83. The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on 17 January tendered an apology for posting a picture of an 'ISKCON temple' as 'Puri Jagannath Temple' at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) in Mumbai. 84. Indian Naval Ship Vikramaditya, the largest ship in the Navy and the country’s only aircraft carrier was formally affiliated to The Bihar Regiment on January 18, 2018. The glittering ceremony was held onboard INS Vikramaditya in the Karwar Naval Base which is nestled amongst the picturesque Western Ghats. 85. According to the latest State of Environment Report, published by the West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB), in 17 major rivers of the State, including the Ganges, the levels of Total coliform bacteria Count-TCC (found mainly in human faeces) are much higher than the permissible limit of MPN (most probable number) per 100 ml. The permissible limit as per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guideline is 500. 86. Over eight lakh pilgrims paid obeisance at the cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas in the past three years, the J&K Assembly was informed on Wednesday. In a written reply to a question raised by National Conference MLA Mian Altaf Ahmad, health minister Bali Bhagat said while the highest number of 3,52,771 pilgrims visited the cave shrine in 2015, the number fell to 2,20,490 in 2016. However, he said the number rose to 2,60,003 last year. 87. Starting February 1, public will be allowed to take a boat ride through Thane creek (Mumbai) mangroves to watch flamingos and other wetland birds. The areas covered by the trip were declared a 1,690 hectare flamingo sanctuary in August 2016 to protect its bird population, including the flamingos that come there to feed during winter. 88. In Russia’s remote Yakutia region, temperature hit minus 67 degrees Celsius in some areas on 16 January. 89. British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor donated $1 million to five charities working with refugees worldwide on January 17, in a bid to alleviate the global crisis. Kapoor, born to an Indian father and Iraqi Jewish mother, won the Genesis Prize — dubbed the Jewish Nobel — last year, for his commitment to Jewish values. 90. Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong, 21, who became the face of the 2014 Umbrella Movement, was on 17 January, handed a three-month sentence on a contempt charge for obstructing clearance of a major protest encampment, to which he pleaded guilty. He was already on bail pending an appeal over a six-month sentence for another protest-related offence. 91. India’s most-valued lender HDFC Bank Ltd on January 17 crossed Rs5 trillion market capitalisation for the first time, making it only the third Indian company and the first Indian Bank to achieve this milestone. Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS) and Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) are the other two companies which crossed market capitalisation of Rs5 trillion. 92. Moving to limit the fiscal slippage in 2017-18 ahead of the February 1 budget presentation, the finance ministry on January 17, pared its additional borrowing requirement before March 31 to Rs. 20,000 crore from Rs. 50,000 crore. 93. The Jewish community marked Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Mumbai visit with the launch of Namaste Shalom, a regular monthly magazine on bilateral relations between the two friendly nations. The magazine was launched at the Magen David synagogue at Byculla in south Mumbai on January 17. 94. The Royal Mail of United Kingdom will issue a stamp featuring Sophia Duleep Singh to mark 100 years since women, albeit over the age of 30, were allowed to vote in the UK. It is the first time a person of Sikh background has been featured on a Royal Mail stamp (she was born a Christian and died identifying as one too). Sophia was the daughter of Maharaja Duleep Singh and granddaughter of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the leader of the Sikh empire. She was born in England, in exile, after her father settled there. 95. A mobile application for scheduling ECHS appointment in Telangana and Andhra Sub- Area — TASAECHS — was launched by Major General N. Srinivas Rao on January 16, 2018. The app allows veterans to book online appointment with doctors/physiotherapists of all ECHS polyclinics in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. 96. A signed wooden box, containing a set of 24 cigars from the personal collection of Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro, has been sold for $26,950 at an auction in the US. The Trinidad Fundadores cigar box retains its "Republica de Cuba" cigar warranty seal, which has been re-adhered to the cover. 97. M Arkadij Naiditsch from Azerbaijan wins the Delhi GM Open 2018 chess title, on 16 January, 2018. 98. Scientists have found that many of the genes that aid in the natural repair of injured spinal cord in the lamprey fish are also active in the repair of the peripheral nervous system in mammals, a finding that may eventually be harnessed to reverse spinal cord damage, even paralysis in humans. Lampreys are jawless, eel-like fish that shared a common ancestor with humans about 550 million years ago. 99. Dolores O’Riordan, the lead singer of the Irish rock band the Cranberries, died on 15 January, 2018 in London. She was 46. 100. People jumps over the burning haystacks with their cattle during Kichchu Haiisod on the occasion of Sankranti to celebrate the harvest season in Karnataka . It is 100 year old tradition followed throughout Karnataka to prepare the cattle to work on fields during summer. 101. According to a new study, humans - and not rats - could have been the cause for the spread of plague during the Black Death. The Black Death was one of the worst pandemics in human history. It devastated European populations from 1346 to 1353 and resulted in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people. It has long been thought that the plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, which lasted in Europe until the early 19th century, was spread by rats. 102. Sri Lanka's president Maithripala Sirisena on 14 January, 2017, reimposed a four-decade-long ban on women buying liquor just days after his finance minister lifted the restriction. Mr Sirisena said he had ordered finance minister Mangala Samaraweera to revoke the decision to overturn the 1979 law prohibiting the sale of any type of alcohol to women. 103. FrogFest, a first-of-its-kind exhibition at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), inaugurated on January 15, 2018 in New Delhi,“celebrates frogs in art and nature” to “build awareness on the need for conservation of these species and highlight their role in the natural world”. The exhibition has over 400 amphibians personally collecting these frogs from last 30 years, and over 40 countries. The exhibition will be open till April 2018. 104. According to a study by researchers associated with the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR), India loses agricultural produce worth over $11 billion — more than the Centre’s budgetary allocation for agriculture for 2017-18 — annually to weeds. At $4.42 billion, the actual economic losses due to weeds were found to be highest in rice, followed by wheat ($3.376 billion) and soybean ($1.56 billion). However, the average yield loss is the lowest in rice – 14 per cent in transplanted rice and 21 per cent in direct-seeded condition. 105. The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the International Workshop on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (IWDRI) in New Delhi on 15 January, 2018. The two-day workshop was organised by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) in collaboration with United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR). 106. Tthe Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on January 15, unveiled the Khelo India Anthem for the Khelo India School Games Commencing on January 31, 2018. The anthem is conceptualized by Ogilvy, composed by Louis Bank and the film has been produced by Nirvana Films. Khelo India School Games will be held at multiple venues across Delhi 107. A health worker from Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh, Geeta Verma Verma has featured in the World Health Organization (WHO) calendar for the year 2018. Hailing from Sapnot village of Karsog Tehsil, Verma found mention in the WHO calender for her efforts to ensure hundred per cent coverage of her area of operation under the measles and rubella programme. 108. Scientists have created a potent antibacterial agent called SAAP-148, that killed drug-resistant microbes and even eradicated stubborn pathogens growing in biofilms, which can be 10 to 1,000 times more tolerant to antibiotics than free-living bacteria. They say the compound, a short protein fragment , could be a promising drug candidate in the ongoing battle against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 109. NASA scientists have spotted the farthest known galaxy in the universe, a primitive cluster of stars just 500 million years old. An intensive survey deep into the universe by NASA's Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes has yielded the image of the galaxy named SPT0615-JD, stretched and amplified by a phenomenon called gravitational lensing. 110. Hyper-reactive brain networks could play a part in the hypersensitivity of fibromyalgia, a condition characterised by widespread, chronic pain. A new study finds that patients with fibromyalgia have brain networks primed for rapid, global responses to minor changes. This abnormal hypersensitivity, called explosive synchronisation (ES), can be seen in other network phenomena across nature. 111. According to a new study, a fibre-rich diet can have a positive influence on chronic inflammatory joint diseases, leading to stronger bones. 112. Researchers at Delhi’s CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB) have for the first time identified a calcium sensor protein (STIM1) that independently regulates both skin cancer and pigmentation. The STIM1 protein does so by activating two independent signalling pathways. 113. A cross-sectional study by Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR- IITR) of over 400 kitchen workers in Lucknow and Coimbatore showed that almost 50% of them suffered from poor lung functions and microalbuminuria. 114. Preet Kaur Gill, who was the first Sikh woman elected to the House of Commons in the June 2017 election, has been appointed a junior minister for international development in Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s team. Gill, 45, will shadow the work of international development secretary Penny Mordaunt. 115. French President Emmanuel Macron on 12 January joined calls by bakers for France’s traditional baguette to be recognised as one of the world’s cultural treasures on UNESCO’s list of “intangible heritage”. 116. The third Science Film Festival of India (SFFI) will be held in Goa from January 16 to 19. The film festival is organised by Vidnyan Parishad, Goa, with an aim to boost the science film making culture of India. 117. The fossilised remains of a giant burrowing bat that lived in New Zealand millions of years ago have been found on the country's South Island. 118. To showcase farmers’ culture and traditions, the Karnataka government held ‘Sankranti Suggi-Huggi Habba’ on January 14. 119. In keeping with the government’s Digital India initiative, the Ministry of Tourism on Friday unveiled the Incredible India Digital Calendar 2018. 120. Scientists using images from from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter have detected eight sites where huge ice deposits near the Martian surface are exposed on steep slopes, a potential source of water that could help sustain future human outposts 121. According to the Travel Hacker Guide of travel search engine Kayak, Srinagar and Port Blair are this year’s most wallet-friendly destinations, recording significant drops in average flight prices. And Bangkok has overhauled Dubai as the most popular destination amongst Indian holidaymakers. 122. The amphibious warship USS Portland (USA) is set to get a radical new version of the Navy's laser weapon fitted for a historic test. The laser weapon will be fitted to the ship. It paves the way for laser weapons to be integrated across the Navy fleet. 123. To celebrate the idea of unity in diversity, the Ministry of Culture is organising the 7th edition of the Rashtriya Sanskriti Mahotsav under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat matrix in Karnataka beginning January 14, 2018. 124. The Centre for Transportation Research and Management (CTRAM), an autonomous body of Transport Professionals in the country, organized a National Rail Transport Seminar with the theme “Railways for Sustainable Development” in New Delhi on 13th January, 2018 125. For the first time in history, a crowdsourced team of amateur citizen scientists has discovered a multi-planetary system. Located 620 light years away, the system contains five exoplanets, and possibly a sixth, the majority of which are super- Earths. It’s called K2-138, where “K2" signifies that it was discovered by the Kepler Space Telescope during its K2 mission—an exoplanet-hunting mission that’s been ongoing for the past three years. 126. US Ambassador to Panama John Feeley, a career diplomat and former Marine Corps helicopter pilot, has resigned, telling the State Department he no longer feels able to serve President Donald Trump. 127. Shahrukh Khan along with Hollywood star Cate Blanchett and legendary musician Sir Elton John will get the Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos. Khan will get the award for "his leadership in championing children's and women's rights in India. 128. Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat inaugurated a workshop and an Exhibition on CBRN Defence Technologies to showcase the Products and Technologies developed towards CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) threats at DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi on January 12. 129. Saksham (Sanrakshan Kshamta Mahotsav) is an annual flagship event of Petroleum Conservation Research Association (PCRA) under the aegis of Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, Govt. of India. 130. According to the Pew research, Muslims are expected to surpass Jews as the second-largest religious group in the United States of America by 2040. 131. The World Information Technology and Services Alliance (WITSA) is hosting its international conference, World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT), along with Nasscom, in Hyderabad from February 19 to 21. Touted to be the ‘Olympics of the IT industry’, the conference is coming to India for the first time. 132. Ecuador has granted citizenship to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after more than five years of living in asylum at the nation's embassy in London 133. India’s crude steel production rose nearly 6% to hit an all-time high of 101.28 million tonnes (MT) in 2017. India is the third largest producer of crude steel in the world after China and Japan. The country is now aiming to grab the second spot. 134. Renowned wrestler and coach Sukhchain Singh Cheema (68), who was a Dronacharya Awardee, died in a road accident on 10 January. Cheema, who was a bronze medallist in the 1974 Tehran Asian Games, is the son of ‘Rustum-e-Hind’ title winner and Olympian Kesar Singh Cheema. 135. Newly-found fossils suggest moths and butterflies have been on Earth for at least 200 million years - at least 70 million years longer than previously thought. Scales from the wings of at least seven species of 'Lepidoptera' - the group that includes moths and butterflies - were found in a sample of ancient rock in Germany. 136. A turkey-sized dinosaur that once roamed the Australian-Antarctic rift valley 113 million years ago has been discovered. It appears the plant-eating dinosaur became trapped in a log jam where it died in pain and became immortalised. The new find sheds light on the diversity of the small, bipedal herbivorous dinosaurs called ornithopods. The partial skeleton named Diluvicursor pickeringi or Pickering's Flood- Running dinosaur was found in sea cliffs near Cape Otway in the south eastern Australian state of Victoria. 137. Scientists are planning to launch a small telescope into the Earth’s orbit that will monitor the flares and sunspots of small stars to assess how habitable the environment is for planets orbiting them. The spacecraft, known as the Star-Planet Activity Research CubeSat, or SPARCS, is a new NASA-funded space telescope and will be launched in 2021. 138. Telecom operator Reliance Jio is rumoured to step into the cryptocurrency game with its own digital currency called JioCoin. 139. The Supreme Court on January 11, 2018 set up a three-member special investigation team (SIT) headed by former Delhi High Court judge Justice SN Dhingra to supervise further probe into 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases. 140. Ministry of Railways on January 11, 2018 launched Smart Freight Operation Optimisation & Real Time Information (SFOORTI) App for Freight Managers which provides features for monitoring and managing freight business using Geographic Information System (GIS) Views and Dashboard. 141. An expert team of IAF mountaineers had successfully scaled highest peaks of six different continents earlier and had recently embarked upon its culminating expedition to Mt Vinson in Antarctica to complete Mission Seven Summits. A five member team led by Gp Capt RC Tripathi VM(G) was flagged off by Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa PVSM AVSM YSM VM ADC, Chief of Air Staff, on 08 Dec 17. 142. A minor fire occurred on INS Shivalik, a stealth multi-role frigate, in Visakhapatnam on January 10, 2018.. The fire occurred in the naval stores compartment located in the front side of the ship. INS Shivalik is the lead ship in the Shivalik class and is a multi-role stealth frigate, built by Mazagon Dock, Mumbai. The ship is undergoing refit at Naval Dockyard. 143. Rajiv Bindal, a five-time MLA, was unanimously elected Speaker of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on 10 January, 2018. He was one of the senior Ministers in the Dhumal government of 2007-12. Mr. Bindal would be the 16th Speaker. 144. Due to high silt deposit in the in the Brahmaputra river, Migratory birds like Ruddy Shelducks are having a tough time finding food this year. 145. A young Nepali woman died of suspected smoke inhalation while she was banished to a shed for menstruating under an ancient tradition of 'Chhaupadi’ banned more than a decade ago, 146. Stephen K. Bannon stepped down on January 9 from his post as executive chairman of Breitbart News. It is said that he had questioned President Donald Trump’s mental fitness and disparages his son Donald Trump Jr. in a new book published recently. 147. Gujarat, which houses a rich population of lions, will now see an exercise to find out if tigers also inhabit the State. The last time a tiger was spotted in Gujarat was way back in 1985. Now, over three decades later, a census has been. 148. Punjab’s Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on 10 January, 2018 announced ₹24 lakh for the development of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur memorial in Chappar Chiri. 149. The government on 10 January, 2018 appointed renowned scientist Sivan K as the chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to replace of A S Kiran Kumar. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved his appointment as secretary, Department of Space and chairman of Space Commission for a tenure of three years. Sivan, at present Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, will succeed Kumar, who was appointed on January 12, 2015. He graduated from Madras Institute of Technology in aeronautical engineering in 1980 and completed Master of Engineering in Aerospace engineering from IISc, Bangalore in 1982, according to his biodata. 150. Matunga Railway Station has entered into Limca Book of Records 2018. Matunga Railway Station has become the first station in India which has all women staff managing the operations of the stations. 151. Women have outnumbered men, making up for 50.4% of the registered voters in the final electoral rolls in Meghalaya. The voters’ list has names of 18,30,104 voters, of which 9,23,848 are women, 152. The 5th Bilateral Technical Meeting on cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine between Govt. of India and Malaysia was held on January 10, 2018, at New Delhi which was a part of agreement signed between both countries in 2010. 153. Aanchal Thakur won the first international medal in skiing at FIS International Skiing Competition in Turkey. The Manali resident grabbed a Bronze medal in the slalom race category at Alpine Ejder 3200 Cup organised by Skiing’s international governing body, Federation International de Ski (FIS) at the Palandoken Ski Centre, in Erzurum in Turkey. 154. Government has successfully divested 2.52 % of paid-up capital in National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) for an amount of Rs. 1200 crore approx. (Rs. 980.05 crore from non-retail investors and Rs. 232 crore approx. from retail investors) through Offer for sale (OFS) mechanism. 155. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on January 10, approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Canada for cooperation in the field of Science & Technology. The MoU will provide a mechanism and help to foster scientific cooperation between R&D and academic institutions of India and Canada. 156. The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, inaugurated the International Conference of PIO Parliamentarians, being organised by Antar Rashtriya Sahayog Parishad - Bharat in association with the PIO Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, in New Delhi today (January 10, 2018). 157. According to the Bloomberg's Billionaires Index which was updated on January 10, Amazon's Jeff Bezos is the richest person with a net worth of USD 106 billion. 158. A naturalized American from India has been stripped of his US citizenship, the first case under a government initiative designed to clamp down on fraudulent immigration, widened under the Trump administration. 159. The Delhi Cabinet approved on January 9 a new scheme Mukhyamantri Teerthayatra Yojana for lower- and middleclass senior citizens to go on free religious pilgrimages. Under the Mukhyamantri Teerthayatra Yojana, the Delhi government will select 77,000 devotees every year for an all-expenses-paid trip on five designated routes: Haridwar-Rishikesh-Neelkanth, Ajmer-Pushkar, Amritsar-Anantpur Sahib, Vaishnodevi- Jammu, MathuraVrindavan. At least 1,100 senior citizens, aged 60 and above, will be chosen from each of Delhi’s 70 assembly segments. 160. B R Sharma, a special secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, will head a 12- member inter- ministerial committee which would take a final call on the playing of the national anthem in cinema halls and public places and recommend, if needed, changes in existing laws. 161. Scientists have found a star that is almost identical to the Sun, except for the chemical composition, making it a 'Rosetta Stone' for the study of the solar body's variability and effect on the Earth's climate. The star is located 120 light years away in the constellation of Cygnus. 162. The two-day 18th All India Whips’ Conference, 2018 concluded in Udaipur, Rajasthan on 9 January. The Conference was jointly inaugurated on 8th January, 2018 by Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri Ananthkumar and Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Smt. Vasundhara Raje, who was also the Chief Guest in the Inaugural Function. 163. The 1st PIO-Parliamentarian Conference was addressed by Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi in New Delhi on January 9, 2018. 164. Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Shri J P Nadda presides over the ‘First Health Ministers Roundtable on Food Safety & Nutrition’ in New Delhi on January 9. 165. The Commerce & Industry Minister, Shri Suresh Prabhu chaired a Meeting of the Task Force of the Artificial Intelligence for India’s Economic Transformation at Udyog Bhawan in New Delhi on January 9. The Task Force is created with the members from Industry, academia and Government to suggest policy intervention with respect to use of Artificial Intelligence and giving inputs for the Industrial Policy on 24th August, 2017. 166. On December 28, Indian troops had foiled attempts by Chinese road building teams to build a track around one kiolometre inside Indian territory in Tuting. 167. Indian astrophysicists have unearthed a nearly 5,000-year-old rock carving in Kashmir which, they believe, is the oldest record of supernova and sky chart found in human history. The rock carving -- known to be the earliest form of human expression -- found in Burzahama region in Kashmir is on an irregular stone slab with a size of about 48 cm by 27 cm. 168. The Jammu-Kashmir Government is launching a major welfare initiative 'Muhafiz' for the workers in the unorganized sector to provide them institutionalized socio-economic security. Under the scheme Under the scheme named “Muhafiz” (Guardian), around 3 lakh workers registered with Jammu and Kashmir Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (JKBOCWWB), will be covered under accidental, life and disability insurance besides providing educational scholarships to their children. 169. In-line with the philosophy of the Government to make systems and procedures digital and transparent, Research Designs & Standards Organisation (RDSO), (headquartered at Lucknow),the research arm of Ministry of Railways, has launched “New Online Vender Registration System”. 170. China editor for British Broadcasting Corporation Carrie Grace resigned on January 7, protesting gender-based pay disparities In a letter published on her blog , Gracie said there was a “crisis of trust” at the BBC, where she worked for 30 years, as it was “breaking equality law and resisting pressure for a fair and transparent pay structure”. 171. SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the secretive Zuma Mission of USA government on January 7, 2018. It launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. 172. An international group of over 50 scientists including three Indians have first time found out how the bacteria Helicobacter pylori survive in highly acidic environment of the human stomach. H. pylori causes peptic ulcer, and chronic infection can also lead to gastric cancer. 173. The latest data sent to the Union Home Ministry by all states and UTs, 9,474 students committed suicide in 2016 — at a rate of more than one every hour — with Maharashtra (1350) and West Bengal (1147) recording the most, while there was none reported in Lakshadweep. 174. According to the journal Scientific Reports, astronauts on lengthy space missions risk suffering from “space fever”. Weightlessness resulting from low gravity is linked to an increase in body temperature of about 1C. Such a change develops gradually over around two-and-a-half months. 175. A Recent data shows that there are more Indian students in China than in the United Kingdom. It is due to NEET fallout. 176. Atomic scientist Prof Baldev Raj, 70, passed away in Pune on 6 January while attending a conference in Pune. Having held several key posts, Raj was serving as the direction, National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru, since 2014. 177. Recent data put out by the Union Health Ministry’s Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) has indicated that food poisoning is one of the commonest outbreaks reported in 2017. This is apart from acute diarrhoeal disease (ADD). According to the data, 312 of the 1,649 outbreaks reported till the third week of December 2017 were due to ADD and 242 were due to food poisoning. 178. The Indian wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha claimed a unique record to his name by becoming the first Indian keeper to affect ten dismissals in a Test match. With that, he overtook Mahednra Singh Dhoni, who previously claimed nine dismissals in a Test match against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 2014. The 33-year-old also went past Farokh Engineer's record of 82 dismissals to become the fifth most successful wicketkeeper of India. Saha completed the feat in just 60 innings, 23 more than held by Farokh. 179. An authentic age proof document is now a must for women visiting the famed Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala in Kerala, where the entry of female devotees in the age group of 10-50 is banned. 180. Indian Railways has decided to deploy “Drone” cameras (UAV/NETRA) for various railway activities especially project monitoring and maintenance of tracks and other railway infrastructure. It has been given directions to Zonal Railways to procure such cameras. This is in-line with Railways’ desire to use technology to enhance safety and efficiency in train operations. 181. The West Bengal government on 5 January, 2018, inaugurated its own State symbol. The logo highlights the ‘Biswa Bangla’ theme, and also features the national emblem, the Ashoka Pillar. Many States like Odisha, Bihar and Telangana have their own seals and logos. 182. An Iranian oil tanker Sanchi collided with a Hong Kong-registered freighter CF Crystal, and caught fire off China’s eastern coast, leaving its entire crew of 32 missing and causing the tanker to spill oil into the sea. 183. Iran has banned the teaching of English in its primary schools. Irani educational officers has termed early English learning a cultural invasion. 184. As many as 1,463 entities account for bad loans of ₹100 crore or more in 21 public sector banks (PSBs), finance ministry data showed. In State Bank of India (SBI) alone, 265 accounts had bad loans of more than ₹100 crore each, totalling ₹77,538 crore, at the end of the September quarter. Among the nationalised banks, Punjab National Bank topped the chart with 143 non-performing asset (NPA) accounts carrying over ₹100 crore each. 185. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi attended the Annual Conference of DGPs and IGPs on 7th and 8th January at the BSF Academy at Tekanpur, Madhya Pradesh. 186. The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church (Kerala) scored a historic victory on 7 January, with the inauguration of the Shamshabad diocese with pan-India jurisdiction, excluding the existing 30 dioceses, something they lost in 1886 to the Latin Church. 187. According to a parliamentary panel report, enrollment in government run primary schools are coming down whereas enrollment in English medium primary school is going up. As per the report, new admissions to government primary schools had come down by 15% while they had gone up by 33% in private schools (see box) between 2010-11 and 2014-15. 188. A book ,'Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House', written by Michael Wolff', has questioned the mental health of US president Donald Trump. 189. A new research has found that an increase of just 2°C (3.6°F) in global temperature could lead to considerable desertification in the world, making it drier. The desert-like state, however, could be avoided by a large extent if the global warming is limited to 1.5°C (2.7°F). 190. A World Bank paper titled, ‘Making It Easier to Apply for a Bank Account: A Study of the Indian Market' has noted a 10% gender gap in opening accounts under the country’s flagship financial inclusion programme — Jan Dhan Yojana — with 73% men applying for the accounts against 63% women. Madhya Pradesh recorded the largest gender gap of 21%. 191. On New Year’s eve, a fast-moving vehicle on Maharashtra’s National Highway 6 killed Bajirao, one of Bor Tiger Reserve’s charismatic, dominant male tigers. Many of national and State highways crossing through at least 26 tiger reserves, are proving death knell for animals. It is also threatening genetic diversity, which is vital for species. 192. China is planning to build its second overseas naval base near Pakistani’s Gwadar port following the opening of its facility in Djibouti in 2017. 193. The planets Jupiter and Mars appeared side-by-side in the sky on January 7 morning, in a cosmic event described as "uncommonly beautiful". 194. The sub-committee of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), headed by Minister of State for HRD Satypal singh, is likely to recommend bringing pre- school and classes nine and 10 within the ambit of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, thereby expanding the range of free education for children across India. Currently, the landmark law applies to children between six and 14 years of age studying in Classes 1 to 8. 195. Aerospace company SpaceX founder Elon Musk has announced to launch Falcon Heavy — the world’s most powerful rocket — by the end of January. 196. There has been an increase in water bird species diversity . A total of 11,622 birds were spotted across 63 species. This is in comparison to 53 species and 6,183 total birds in 2017. In 2016, this was even less — 46 species and 3,113 birds 197. NASA's Curosity Rover have revealed impressions that look "remarkably similar" to trace fossils on Mars, scientists, including one of Indian-origin has claimed. The first new batch of 2018 photographs taken Curiosity Lens Imager MAHLI (Mars Hand Lens Imager: MAHLI) could be similar to Ordovician trace fossils. 198. Saudi officials on January 6, arrested 11 princes for staging a protest against the kingdom's austerity measures. The princes, who gathered in the historical Palace of Government area in the capital Riyadh on January 6, 2018, were demonstrating against a government decision to suspend payment of their utility bills. 199. The world’s biggest fish market, 'the Tsukiji market' in Tokyo, a popular tourist attraction in an area packed with restaurants and shops, will move to Toyosu, a former gas plant, on October 11. The market, which opened in 1935, is known for its predawn daily auctions of tuna, for use by everyone from top Michelin-star sushi chefs to ordinary grocery stores. 200. Storm Eleanor swept through Europe in the first week of January 2018. It was the fourth winter storm in Europe since December 2017. 201. 13 days winter session of the Parliament cleared 10 bills while 15 new bills were introduced. The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha utilised nearly 78% and 54% of their allotted time in a winter session — a drastic improvement from the winter session of 2016. The 13-day winter session of Parliament, which concluded on January 5, was the shortest since 2009. 202. Air Marshal Asghar Khan, the first native commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Air Force and a veteran politician, died of cardiac arrest in Rawalpindi on January 5. Khan became the youngest head of the PAF at the age of 35. The 96-year-old was born in Jammu and Kashmir. 203. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, threatened to sit on hunger strike in all seven districts if officials failed to reach the target of 100% construction of individual toilets. 204. Participants of the Jagriti Yatra called on the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, at Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 5, 2018 The Jagriti Yatra is a 15-day long national train journey that covers 8,000 km across the length and breadth of the country. It aims to create awareness and encourage nation building though building enterprise. 205. As per preliminary reports received from the States, the total area sown under Rabi crops as on 5th January 2018 stands at 586.37 lakh hectares as compared to 587.62 lakh hectare this time in 2017. Wheat has been sown/transplanted in 283.46 lakh hectares, rice in 18.77 lakh hectares, pulses in 154.91 lakh hectares, coarse cereals in 52.54 lakh hectares and area sown under oilseeds is 76.69 lakh hectares. 206. Under ‘Medicinal Plants’ component of Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National AYUSH Mission (NAM), 19 Ayurvedic Herbs Collection Centers have been approved/suggested across the country during 2016-17 and 2017-18. 207. State Bank of India (SBI) has revised the requirement of maintaining minimum average Balance to Rs 1,000 for accounts in Metro and urban regions and Rs 500 for semi urban and rural areas. The SBI customers must maintain it on a Quarterly average balance (QAB) basis instead of a Monthly basis. 208. An Android malware 'Android.banker.A2f8a' has been targeting over 232 banking apps including HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank. 209. Gross domestic product of India is estimated to grow an annual 6.5 percent in 2017/18, slower than a provisional 7.1 percent growth in 2016/17. 210. The Lok Sabha on 4 January, 2018 cleared a bill hiking the salary and pension of the Supreme Court and high court judges. 211. Health and Family Welfare Secretary (HFW) on 4 January, 2018 launched the country’s first digital Online Oncology Tutorial Series designed by the Tata Memorial Center in collaboration with the Health Ministry. The oncology tutorial series aim to train the doctors across the country to educate them in early detection, prevention, palliation, rehabilitation and treatment of various cancers. 212. A rare total lunar eclipse that involves the second full moon of the month — popularly referred to as a Blue Moon — is set to take place on January 31 for the first time in over 150 years. 213. The history of the Americas has just been rewritten by the DNA of an infant girl from Alaska, who died 11,500 years ago. Genetic analysis of the 11,500-year-old remains of the six-week-old child indicates that she belonged to a previously unknown population of ancient people in North America. 214. As per the vision plan prepared, in order to fulfil the requirement of Uranium to fuel nuclear power plants, Department of Atomic Energy will achieve nearly ten-fold rise in uranium production in next 15 years (by 2031-2032). The uranium mining projects have been planned in three phases. On completion of the projects in first phase, it is expected to produce 3.5 times of existing uranium production by the 12th year. 215. The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has launched a satellite designed to reach ‘super low orbit’, using a radical ion engine said to be 10 times more efficient than gas jets. The satellite, dubbed Tsubame, will drop down below an altitude of 300 kilometers (186 miles) in the next two years, after starting out at around 480km (298 miles). This will make it the first Earth observation satellite to orbit so low. 216. Government of India has announced to launch of 7.75% Savings (Taxable) Bonds, 2018 commencing from 10th January 2018 to enable resident citizens/HUF to invest in a taxable bond, without any monetary ceiling. The Bonds are open to investment by individuals (including Joint Holdings) and Hindu Undivided Families. NRIs are not eligible for making investments in these Bonds. 217. Scientists at the University of Tokyo in Japan, has developed the robot called Kengoro, that can perform exercises such as sit-ups and push-ups, and even sweat, just like humans. 218. The government expects to roll out all 650 branches of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) by April, 2018, the Parliament was informed on Wednesday. IPPB had launched two pilot branches on January 30, 2017 at Raipur and Ranchi. 219. Patients suffering from thalassemia, haemophilia and sickle cell disease among others may start getting disability certificate from designated government hospitals after being denied in the past for lack of guidelines. The Union ministry of social justice and empowerment has framed guidelines for the assessment of the 14 new disabilities that were added to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 in April last year. 220. The UP board has been approached by the government of Nepal for “support and guidance” to its newly established National Examination Board of Nepal after it was impressed with its expertise in accommodating lakhs of students 221. Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has commissioned the world’s largest Refinery Off-Gas Cracker (ROGC) complex of 1.5 mtpa capacity along with downstream plants and utilities. The ROGC complex is a core component of RIL’s J3 project at its integrated refinery-petrochemicals complex at Jamnagar. This is one of the largest capital expenditure programme globally in the sector in recent times. 222. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Amendment) Bill, 2017, to increase authorised capital of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) by six times to Rs30,000 crore and enable exit of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was passed by Rajya Sabha on January 2, 2017. The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in August, 2017. 223. The overall teledensity in India marginally decreased to 91.56% in September 2017, compared with 93.71% in August 2017 due to a decline in the urban subscriber base, according to a report by India Ratings. 224. The Nikkei India Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 54.7 in December from 52.6 in November, recording a rise higher than the average 54.0 recorded since inception of the survey in March 2005 225. The Karnataka government has appointed D.H. Waghela, former Chief Justice of the High Court of Karnataka, as the chairperson of the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC). 226. Indian Railways is operating Astha Circuit Trains for promotion of religious tourism across India. Astha Circuit Trains were announced in Rail Budget, 2016. Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) inaugurated the trip of Astha Circuit Trains on 17.02.2017 for Guwahati covering Kolkata, Bhubaneshwar and Puri. So far 10 Astha Circuit Trains are operated. 227. Total funds allocated/spent under Guru Shishya Parampara Scheme is Rs. 343.61 lakhs and number of beneficiaries is 1290 during the last three years: 228. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for implementation of the Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) for capacity augmentation of navigation on National Waterway-1 (NW-1) at a cost of Rs 5369.18 crore with the technical assistance and investment support of the World Bank. The Project is expected to be completed by March, 2023. 229. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on January 3, 2018 has approved amendments in the Model Concession Agreement (MCA) to make the Port Projects more investor-friendly and make investment climate in the Port Sector more attractive 230. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on January 3, 2018, has given its approval for establishment of new AIIMS in Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh) under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY). The cost of the project is Rs.1351 crore. Under this scheme, AIIMS have been established in Bhubaneshwar, Bhopal, Raipur, Jodhpur, Rishikesh and Patna while work of AIIMS Rae Bareli is in progress. Also, three AIIMS in Nagpur (Maharashtra), Kalyani (West Bengal) and Mangalagiri in Guntur (Andhra Pradesh) have been sanctioned in 2015, two AIIMS have been sanctioned at Bathinda and Gorakhpur in 2016 and an AIIMS in Kamrup (Assam). 231. The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on January 3, 2018 has approved the signing and implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and ‘Transport for London’, a statutory body established under the Greater London Authority Act, 1999 (UK) to improve Public Transport in India. 232. The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on January 3, has approved the Agreement between India and Myanmar on Land Border Crossing. The Agreement will facilitate regulation and harmonization of already existing free movement rights for people ordinarily residing in the border areas of both countries. 233. The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on January 3, 2018, has given its ex-post facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between India and the USA for co-hosting the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) 2017 in India. 234. According to air quality index, comparison of air quality across 23 cities of India shows Gurgaon was the most polluted Indian city while Bengaluru was the cleanest. The data also reflects a stark regional divide between north and south India. Air quality index based on daily PM2.5 data averaged across all pollution monitoring stations in the city. 235. The Rajya Sabha on January 2, 2017, made a record of sorts as it took up all the Zero Hour issues and special mentions listed in the agenda for that period. 236. The Centre on January 2, 2017, announced the appointment of AB Mathur as the interlocutor on their behalf to hold talks with the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA). A 1975-batch IPS officer, Mathur served as the former special secretary of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), following his appointment on December 10, 2009. 237. Archaeologists have found stone tools dating back to the Middle Stone Age in north Mumbai, indicating human habitation in the area 10,000 to 15,000 years ago. The microliths, or minute flint stone tools, were found on a hill next to Manori beach, which experts believe could have been a possible factory site for such implements.

India on January 2, 2017, cleared two proposals to buy smart bombs from Russia and surface-to-air missiles from Israel to strengthen the capabilities of its Air Force and Navy. Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman approved the purchase of 240 bombs from Russia’s Rosoboronexport to scale up the offensive capabilities of the IAF and 131 Barak missiles from Israel’s Rafael Advance Defence Systems Ltd for the Navy, a government spokesperson said. The bombs will cost Rs. 1,254 crore and the missile deal will be worth Rs. 460 crore. The Barak missiles are being bought by invoking an ‘option clause’ that was part of a previous contract.

238. As per a study conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, in association with CRISIL (Credit Rating Information Services of India Limited) Risk and Infrastructure Solutions Limited, there is an estimated potential of about 8000 MW of tidal energy, with 7000 MW in the Gulf of Kambhat, 1200 MW in the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat, and about 100 MW in the Gangetic delta in Sunderbans in West Bengal. 239. The total Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) expenditure reported by companies for the years 2014-15 and 2015-16, as per the filings made on MCA21 registry upto 31.03.2017, is Rs. 9,553.72 crores and Rs. 13,625.25 crores respectively. Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013, commenced with effect from financial year 2014-15, has the provision of CSR. 240. Government of India vide notification dated 4th September, 2017, has decided to introduce 45 Kg bag of urea in place of existing 50 Kg bags and a period of six months have been given to urea units as lead time to ensure smooth implementation of the policy. 241. The first so-called two plus-two dialogue between India and the US will be held in April 2018, and Pakistan, Afghanistan, an alternative to China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) plan, and arms purchases will be on the agenda. 242. Union home ministry is considering a proposal to provide special clothing and mountaineering equipment (SCME) to paramilitary forces posted in areas that are located above 9,000 feet in the Himalayas. Currently, the SCME is provided to Indo- Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) troopers posted at an altitude of above 14,000 feet. 243. China has developed a new underwater surveillance network to help its submarines get a stronger lock on targets while protecting the nation’s interests along the maritime Silk Road, which includes the Indian Ocean. 244. The Telangana government on 1 january, 2018 launched a round-the-clock power supply to the state’s 2.3 million farmers free of cost, which experts said might result in misuse and exploitation of groundwater. 245. Vidarbha claimed their maiden Ranji Trophy after beating Delhi by nine wickets in the final of India's premier domestic tournament in Indore. 246. Assam listed 19 million citizens in the first updated draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which was released at the stroke of midnight on 31 December, 2017. 247. Former West Indies all-rounder Phil Simmons has been appointed coach of Afghanistan. The war-torn Afghanistan was awarded Test status in June 2017, along with Ireland. 248. Arunachal Pradesh on December 31, emerged as the second state in the Northeast, after Sikkim, to be declared Open Defecation Free. 249. The scheme allowing conversion of Person of Indian Origin (PIO) cards to Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cards free of cost came to an end on December 31, 2017. However, the conversion would continue beyond the date on payment of fees 250. Indian golfer Shiv Kapur on 31 December, 2017, won the Royal Cup held in Pataya, Thailand. It was his third Asian tour title of 2017 . Mr. Kapur won the title defeating host nations favourite Prom Meesawat. 251. Six Slovenian Grebes were seen swimming in a pond of Dighal (a village in Haryana’s Jhajjar district). This was only the fourth time the bird’s presence had been recorded in India, and in the region, resulting in visitors racing to the see this rarity. 252. South Korea has seized a Panama-flagged ship 'KOTI', suspected of transferring oil products to North Korea in breach of UN sanctions. 253. -According to the Ministry of Environment, recent Ockhi cyclone led to a piling up of 80 tonnes of plastic debris along the coasts of Kerala, Goa, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and particularly along the major beaches of Mumbai.