DAILY GK UPDATE 27-28TH MARCH

1.      BRICS Summit Highlights:

i. South Africa hosted the fifth BRICS Summit from 26 to 28 March 2013 at the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC). This will complete the first cycle of BRICS summits.

ii. The central area of discussion was under the overarching theme, BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Development, Integration and Industrialisation.

Highlights of the Summit:

i. The BRICS Nations fully support the efforts of their respective governments at the G20 that has emerged as the premiere forum to address critical global economic and financial issues.

ii. The possibility of setting up of a development bank and investment fund and promoting trade within this group in local currencies are particularly encouraging and progress in finalising these.

iii. BRICS and Africa will forge a closer partnership for development integration and industrialisation.

iv. China and Brazilhave agreed to establish a currency swap line worth around 30 billion dollar in their respective currencies, which they say is designed to protect against future global financial crises.

v. BRICS countries will actively support infrastructure development and industrialisation on the African continent in order to contribute to its development and to expand trade links between Africa and BRICS

New areas of cooperation to be explored

i. BRICS Public Diplomacy Forum.
ii. BRICS Anti-Corruption Cooperation.
iii. BRICS State Owned Companies / State Owned Enterprises.
iv. National Agencies Responsible for Drug Control.
v. BRICS virtual secretariat.
vi. BRICS Youth Policy Dialogue
vii. Tourism.
vii. Energy.
ix. Sports and Mega Sporting Events.

About BRICS Summit

i. BRICS is an acronym for the powerful grouping of the world’s leading emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

ii. The first BRIC Summit took place in Yekateringburg, Russia, where the elected leaders of the four countries formally declared the membership of the BRIC economic bloc.

iii. South Africa joined the bloc in 2010, resulting in BRICS.

iv. The BRICS mechanism aims to achieve peace, security, development and cooperation. It also seeks to contribute significantly to the development of humanity and establish a more equitable and fair world.

2.      Brazil and China Signed the Currency Swap Agreement: BRICS Summit 2013

i. Brazil and China signed the currency swap agreement on 26 March 2013 in Durban, South Africa.

ii. The agreement is designed specifically for providing safety against the future global financial issues.

iii. The agreement will enable the central banks of two countries to swap the local currencies worth 190bn Yuan or 60bn Reais, i.e. 30 billion US Dollar.

iv. The agreement will enable smooth bilateral trade irrespective of the financial conditions at the global level.

NOTE: i. It is also worth noticing that in order to push its currency (Yuan) for a greater international role, China has been continuously trying to promote Yuan as the alternative to US dollar as global reserve currency.

ii. China is also looking forward to the currency swap agreements with Japan and Hong Kong.

3.      UPSC withdraws mandatory English norm in civil services exams

i. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has withdrawn changes suggested by it in civil services mains examination, dropping mandatory English language paper requirement.

ii. UPSC, which conducts the prestigious examination to select IAS, IPS and IFS officers among other, issued a corrigendum on Tuesday restoring the earlier practice of two qualifying papers in any Indian language and English, the marks obtained on which will not be counted for ranking.

iii. "The papers on Indian languages and English will be of matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature only. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking," i

iv. The aim of papers on Indian language and English is to test the candidates' ability to read and understand serious discursive prose, and to express their ideas clearly and correctly, the corrigendum said.

v. There will also be separate papers on "ethics, integrity and aptitude" and "essay" of 250 marks each for the candidates taking the mains examination.

NOTE: i. "It may also be noted that there is no change in the pattern of Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, which will be held on May 26, 2013," UPSC said.

ii. Now, a candidate would be allowed to take up literature as an optional subject "without the conditionality of having to do his/her graduation in that language's literature."

iii. From Civil Services (Mains) exams, 2013, there will be two qualifying papers of 300 marks each and five compulsory general studies papers (including one on ethics, integrity and aptitude) of 250 marks each, in addition to one optional paper of 250 marks.

iv. There will also be a interview, for those who qualify the written exam, of 275 marks, taking the total of mains examination marks to 2025.

v. The last date for filling online application for civil services preliminary examination is 4^th April.

4.      First Bhupen Hazarika Award conferred to Lubna Marium

i. In Assam, Dr.Bhupen Hazarika International Solidarity Award will be conferred for the first time to noted scholar-researcher and dance exponent Lubna Marium of Bangladesh in Guwahati this evening.

ii. Citation,trophy and two lakh rupees will be awarded to Ms.Marium.

iii. This award is an initiative of Assam Sahitya Sabha, the highest literary body of the region.

5.      NTPC Conferred With Maharatna-Award

i. The National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd, the largest power utility of India was awarded the most Efficient Maharatna-in Manufacturing for the year 2012 award by Stock Magazine at 4th DSIJ Award.

ii. NTPC is working on setting up the Solar Plants in Andaman and Nicobar Islands as well as Greater Noida regions.

iii. The 5 MW Solar Project in Andaman is coming up near the Port Blair Airport. On the other hand, 5 MW Greater Noida project is in its final construction phase.

iv. NTPC also targets to add 1000 MW of Solar and Wind Capacity in the country in coming few years.

NOTE: i. present, there are seven Maharatna companies, after inclusion of BHEL and GAIL and these companies are - ONGC, Indian Oil, SAIL, NTPC and CIL.

ii. NTPC was conferred with the Maharatna status in 2010.

6.      Top Indian space scientist honoured in the US

i. Top Indian space scientist U. R. Rao has been inducted into the Satellite Hall of Fame in Washington DC by the Society of Satellite Professionals International, in the US.

ii. "Rao is the first Indian space scientist to be inducted into the Satellite Hall of Fame and joins the select group of about 50 members,

iii. Rao, who is chairman of the Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad in Gujarat, has contributed to the development of Indian space technology and its application to communications and remote sensing of natural resources since the 1960s.

iv. Rao also accelerated the development of Indian rocket technology, resulting in the launch of ASLV rocket in 1992 and the operational PSLV launch vehicle.

7.      Malala Yousafzai, signed 3-Million Dollar deal for Publishing her Life Story

i. Malala Yousafzai, the 15 years old Pakistani schoolgirl who was shot in the head by Taliban in October 2012 for advocating girls’ education, signed a deal for around 3 million dollars in March 2013 to publish her memoir.

ii. The Book which is titled I am Malala is supposed to Publish later in this year.

iii. It is going to be published by Weidenfeld & Nicholson in the UK and Commonwealth and by Little, Brown in the rest of the world.

iv. The book is based on life story of Malala and as per Malala Yousafzai and it will be part of the campaign to give every boy and girl the right to go to school.

NOTE: i. Malala Yousafzai started writing a blog on the BBC Urdu service under a pseudonym about life in the Swat Valley in 2009.

ii. She was shot after her real identity became known. Since the shooting, Malala has been awarded several peace prizes and is the youngest person to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

8.      Saina nominated for BWF's Female Player of the Year Award

i. Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal was on Wednesday nominated for the 2012 Female Player of the Year Award of the Badminton World Federation on the back of an impressive performance in the season which had seen her win a bronze medal in London Olympics.

ii. World number two Saina is the only non-Chinese among the five contenders for the top annual award among women shuttlers instituted by the BWF.

iii. The four Chinese are world number one Li Xuerui of China who won eight titles in 2012, including the London Olympic gold medal, Olympic silver medallist Wang Yihan Olympic Women's Doubles gold-winning pair Tian Qing/Zhao Yunlei (China).

iv. The announcement of the winners -- to be chosen by the BWF Council -- and the presentation of prizes will take place at a gala dinner here on May 18, following the BWF Annual General Meeting.

9.      Harmanpreet Kaur named captain of Indian Women’s Cricket Team

i. Harmanpreet Kaur was today named captain of the Indian women's Cricket team for the limited-overs series against Bangladesh starting at home next Tuesday.

ii. She replaces seasoned Mithali Raj. Opener Poonam Raut has been named as Harmanpreet's deputy.

iii. Senior Indian batswoman and captain Mithali Raj has not been named in the 15-member squad chosen by the All-India Women's Selection Committee.