Daily GK Updates: 1St Oct 2014

1.    Obama, Modi establish Contact Group to expedite Indo-US nuke deal implementation 

i. India and the US have established an inter-agency Contact Group on the civil nuclear deal to sort out outstanding liability and technical issues to fast-track its full implementation.

ii. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Barack Obama while taking note of the delay reaffirmed their commitment to implement fully the US-India civil nuclear cooperation agreement that would facilitate installation of American-origin nuclear reactors in India. 
iii. From the Indian side, the inter-agency Contact Group will have representatives from Department of Atomic Energy, Ministry of External Affairs and Finance Ministry. 
iv. After summit talks with Obama, Modi said both sides are serious about resolving at the earliest issues blocking the implementation of the civil nuclear deal. 

2.    Come soon before it's too late, PM tells US businesses

i. Asserting that India is on the move to becoming a country with a business-friendly environment, PM Narendra Modi has exhorted top US coporates to establish and expand their base in India before it is too late.

ii. "Together we will reach new heights of development and growth," Modi said at the event organised by the US-India Business Council (USIBC). 

iii. "Take the benefit of the fast paced development and changes in the Indian economy," Modi said in his address on Tuesday to American businesses urging them to take advantage of India's growing economy to foster mutual prosperity. 

iv. Among those present at the meeting were World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim, External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, and several top corporate leaders from both the US and India, including Mukesh Ambani. 
v. USIBC chairman, Ajay Banga, who is also MasterCard CEO, said India under Modi is experiencing a new chapter of growth. 

3.    India, US agree to cooperate on future explorations of Mars

i. India and the US have agreed to cooperate on future explorations of Mars planet, which America said will yield tangible benefits to both the countries and the world at large.
ii. The agreement in this regard was signed by NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and K Radhakrishnan, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, ISRO in Toronto yesterday on the sidelines of the International Astronautical Congress. 

4.    US to help India develop three smart cities

i. In a boost to India’s 100 smart city programme, the US will help India in developing three such cities apart from joining hands with civil society and authorities to provide clean water and sewage facilities in 500 cities in the country.

ii. The three cities are Allahabad, Ajmer and Visakhapatnam.

iii. This announcement was made after the talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Barack Obama

iv. The Indian government plans to develop 100 smart cities and in this regard an allocation of Rs. 7,060 crore was proposed in the Union Budget.

5.    Rajiv – appointed New Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC).

i. President Pranab Mukherjee on 30 September 2014 authorised Vigilance Commissioner Rajiv to act as chief of Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) until the appointment of the Central Vigilance Commissioner.  His appointment came with effect from 29 September 2014.

ii. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) is headed by a Central Vigilance Commissioner and has two Vigilance Commissioners.
iii. The vacancy for the post of Central Vigilance Commissioner had occurred after Central Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar completed his tenure on 28 September 2014. Pradeep Kumar took oath as the chief of the Central Vigilance Commission on 14 July 2011.

Note: The other Vigilance Commissioner JM Garg completed his tenure on 7 September 2014 following which Rajiv was left as the lone Vigilance Commissioner in CVC.

ii. According to the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003, in the event of any vacancy in the office of the Central Vigilance Commissioner by reason of death, resignation or otherwise, the President may authorise one of the Vigilance Commissioners to act as the Central Vigilance Commissioner until the appointment of a new incumbent.

6.    Magnificent Mary gives India first boxing gold at 17th Asiad

i. M C Mary Kom became the first Indian woman boxer to clinch a gold medal at the Asian Games after she came from behind to beat Kazakhstan's Zhaina Shekerbekova in the flyweight (51KG) summit clash at Incheon on Wednesday.

ii. Mary Kom defeated Shekerbekova 2-0 in a evenly-contested battle in which the Kazakh had the initial advantage. 

iii. This is India's seventh gold at Incheon, South Korea.

7.    Google social network site–Orkut closed

i. Google closed the social networking site Orkut permanently on 30 September 2014. Google announced the decision to shut down Orkut in June 2014.

ii. Old users of Orkut will be able to take backup of their pictures and posts till September 2016 and users can export their profile data, community posts and photos using Google Takeout. But no one will be able to create new IDs on Orkut account.

iii. Decision of shutting down Orkut was taken as its competitor social networking sites namely Facebook and Twitter were much popular than orkut. Now, Google has moved to a new platform - the Google Plus.

Note: Orkut started in 2004 was named after its creator, Orkut Buyukkokten, a Google employee.

8.    Afghanistan signed Bilateral Security Agreement with the US

i. Afghanistan signed Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with the US with an aim to allow some US troops to remain in the country till 2015. 
ii. National Security Adviser of Afghanistan Mohammad Hanif Atmar and US Ambassador James Cunningham signed BSA at the presidential palace of Afghanistan in Kabul.

9.    Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train to cost Rs 65,000 crore

i. Railways minister D. V. Sadananda Gowda has said that the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project will cost around Rs 65,000 crore. 

ii. Project will be taken up under the Public-Private partnership.Mr Gauda said that the existing track will be strengthened to increase the current speed of trains to 160 kilo meter per hour. 

10.  Geete rules out resignation, says Sena still part of NDA

i. Anant Geete, Shiv Sena's lone member in the Union Cabinet, has said he will not resign as Heavy Industries Minister after his party decided to continue in NDA despite parting ways with BJP for Maharashtra polls.

ii. BJP earlier snapped ties with its oldest partner Shiv Sena after failure of talks on seat-sharing in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, ending a 25-year-old ideological alliance that had survived various vicissitudes. 
iii. Geete said he had spoken to party chief Uddhav Thackeray on the issue. "I have spoken to Uddhav Thackeray. There is no question of resigning. We are a part of the NDA (National Democratic Alliance). 

11.  Krishak Express and Lucknow-Barauni express collided near Gorakhpur station

i. Barauni bound Lucknow – Barauni express on 30 September 2014 collided with the coaches of Lucknow bound Maduadih-Lucknow Krishak Express near Gorakhpur station at Nandnagar railway crossing.

ii. The collision led to derailment of four coaches of Krishak express in which at least 12 passengers have been killed and 44 others were injured.

12.  Union Commerce Ministry cancelled approvals of nine SEZs

i. The Union Commerce Ministry on 29 September 2014 cancelled approvals of nine special economic zones (SEZs), including that of Hindalco Industries, Essar and Adani.

ii. The other developers whose SEZs were cancelled include Chennai Business Park, Integrated Warehousing Kandla Project Development and Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation.

iii. As per SEZ rules 2005, formal approval is valid for a period of three years, by which time at least one unit has to commence production and the zone becomes operational from the date of commencement of such production.

13.  Mahatma Gandhi's book “My Experiments with Truth” now in Kashmiri, Punjabi

i. Largest selling book of Mahatma Gandhi “My Experiments with Truth” will now be available in Kashmiri and Punjabi language from today. 
ii. The Kashmiri and Punjabi translation of the famous autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi has been published by Ahmedabad based publication House- Navjeevan Trust- also founded by Mahatma Gandhi. The book will now be available in 17 Indian languages apart from English and Hindi.
iii. After growing demand from Kashmiris to print Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography in their language, the book is being translated by three scholars. The best translation, which retains the heart of Gandhi's teachings, has been selected for printing. 

14.  Core Sector grows 5.8 % in August

i. Eight core industries grew by 5.8 per cent in August this year as against 4.7 per cent in the same month last year led by healthy growth in coal, cement and electricity sectors. 
ii. According to data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry, coal sector grew by 13.4 per cent, cement by 10.3 percent and electricity by 12.6 per cent in August.

15.  Sarita Devi refuses Asiad medal

i. Indian boxer L Sarita Devi on October 1, 2014 stunned officials and spectators by refusing to accept the bronze medal, which is now in the custody of organizers

ii. Sarita had lost her semi-final bout in controversial circumstances and had to be content with the bronze medal in the women's light weight (57-60kg) event of the 17th Asian Games on September 30. India later lodged an official protest with the Amateur International Boxing Association's technical jury team. But the protest was rejected.

iii. The 32-year-old Indian lost 0-3 in an unanimous decision to South Korea's Jina Park at the Seonhak Gymnasium. Sarita lost on points against Park in a bout where she was the dominant boxer.

16.  Indian economy to grow at 5.5 percent in current fiscal, estimates ESCAP

i. United Nation Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific,ESCAP has estimated that the Indian economy will grow at 5.5 percent in the current fiscal. 

ii. The report forecast that the Asia -Pacific developing economies will grow at 5.8 percent this year

17.  Mark Zuckerberg to visit India later this month

i. After Sheryl Sandberg, it’s now the turn of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to visit India, the second biggest market for the social networking giant, later this month.

ii. Mr. Zuckerberg, who will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will be in India to address the first Internet.org summit taking place on October 9-10 in New Delhi.

iii. The young billionaire is expected to meet members of other key ministries as well.

iv. Mr. Zuckerberg is the third high profile CEO of a US-based corporation, after Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Micrsoft’s Satya Nadella, to visit India in last few days.

18.  Tintu Luka claims 800m silver in Asiad

i. Indian sprinter Tintu Luka clocked her season’s best to clinch a silver medal in the 800m women’s race of the 17th Asian Games in Incheon on Wednesday.

ii. Luka clocked 1:59.19s to better the bronze medal she had won in this event in the previous edition of the Games in Guangzhou.

iii. The gold was won by Kazakhstan’s Mukasheva Margarita, who broke the two-decade-old Games record of 1:59.85s with a timing of 1:59.02s.

iv. China’s Zhao Jing settled for the bronze medal after finishing the race in 1:59.48s, which also happened to be her personal best.

19.  Microsoft unveils Windows 10 Operating System

i. Microsoft Corp. on Tuesday announced its 'Windows 10' Operating System to replace the largely unpopular Windows 8, skipping a number to mark a leap toward unifying the way people work on tablets, phones and traditional computers.

ii. Microsoft is restoring some of the more traditional ways of doing things and promises that Windows 10 will be familiar for users regardless of which version of Windows they are now using.

iii. For instance, the start menu in Windows 10 will appear similar to what’s found in Windows 7.

20.  Japan's "bullet train" turns 50

i. It was 50 years ago 1964, that Japan first introduced the world to the bullet train, also known as Shinkansen. The country's high-speed rail network helped transport Japan to the top tier of world economies