DAILY GK BULLETS | FEB 5 | S W A G

1. India becomes associate member of EMBO 

• India officially became the Associate Member State of European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO). 
• In this regard, Union Ministry of Science and Technology has signed an agreement to acquire the status of Associate Member of EMBO. 
• India is second country outside the European region to be an Associate Member State of EMBO. First one being Singapore which had signed such agreement with European Molecular Biology Conference (EMBC) in 2015. 
• EMBO is a professional organization of life scientists in Europe with his its headquarter at Heidelberg, Germany.

DAILY GK BULLETS | FEB 4 | S W A G

1. World Cancer Day 2016 observes with theme We can. I can. 

• World Cancer Day (WCD) 2016 was observed across the world on 4 February 2016. The day was observed with year’s theme – We can. I can.  
• World Cancer Day unites the world’s population in the fight against cancer. 
• The tagline of the theme reflects on what you can do and asks to make a pledge and takes action and make a difference in fight against cancer. 
• The World Cancer Day 2016-2018 will explore how everyone – as a collective or as individuals – can do their part to reduce the global burden of cancer.

DAILY GK BULLETS | FEB 3 | S W A G

1. Counter Terrorism Conference starts in Jaipur 

• President Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the Counter-Terrorism Conference-2016 on 03 Feb 2016 at Jaipur, and said that terrorism is undoubtedly the single gravest threat that humanity is facing today. 
• India said that countries which support terrorism must be named and shamed, asserting the need for united efforts to combat terror. 
• Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Chief Executive of Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Kalyan Singh, Governor of Rajasthan, Vasundhara Raje Scindia, Chief Minister of Rajasthan and Suresh Prabhu, Union Minister of Railways.

DAILY GK BULLETS | JAN 28 | S W A G

1. India and ADB Sign $80 Million Loan Agreement

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India on 28 Jan 2016 signed an $80million loan agreement to continue improving infrastructure in two North Eastern State Capital cities. 
• The loan is the third tranche of a $200 million financing facility under the North Eastern Region Capital cities Development Investment Program and will be used for investments in water supply, solid waste management and sanitation in Agartala and Aizwal. 
• It will also support urban reforms, benefiting nearly a million people in the two cities.

DAILY GK BULLETS | JAN 19, 20, 21 & 22 | S W A G

1. The IMF projected 7.3 per cent GDP growth for India in 2015-16. IMF retains India’s growth forecast for the next two years and expects Indian economy to grow 7.5% in FY17 and FY18, the fastest among major economies.

DAILY GK BULLETS | JAN 17 & 18 | S W A G

1. French President declares economic emergency

• French President Francois Hollande has declared what he called “a state of economic emergency” and says it’s time to redefine France’s economic and social model.
• The first measures he proposed are relatively modest, and he said they would not “put into question” the 35-hour workweek. He did not seek to assume any new emergency powers.
• The measures included a loosening of some worker-friendly measures to encourage companies to hire, and new training for half a million workers.

DAILY GK BULLETS | JAN 15 & 16 | S W A G

1. Modi announces capital gains, income tax sops for start-ups

• Kick-starting its ambitious Start-Up Mission, the government on Saturday promised to prioritise such measures for greater employment generation and said it was committed to ensuring start-ups a friendlier regulatory regime, easier capital availability as well as quicker exit norms through a bankruptcy law. 
• The Start Up India mission envisages technology business incubators and research parks.

DAILY GK BULLETS | JAN 13 & 14 | S.W.A.G

1. World record by Sania-Martina as they win 29th match on trot

• They now surpassed the pair of Puerto Rican Gigi Fernandez and Belarus’ Natasha Zvereva, who won 28 matches on the trot.
• India’s Sania Mirza and her Swiss partner Martina Hingis on Thursday broke a 22-year-old world record by winning their 29th women’s doubles match in a row en route to their entry into the women’s doubles final of the WTA Sydney International, in Sydney.

DAILY GK BULLETS | JAN 11 & 12 | S.W.A.G

1. Lionel Messi wins FIFA world player award for 5th time

• Lionel Messi has won the FIFA world player of the year award for a record fifth time.
• Messi ended Cristiano Ronaldo’s two-year hold on the Ballon d’Or trophy, soccer’s top individual honour.
• The Barcelona forward regained the prize after his club won five major titles last year, leaving Ronaldo’s Real Madrid with nothing.
• Ronaldo ended up in second place, with Barcelona striker Neymar in third.
• United States World Cup-winning captain Carli Lloyd has won the FIFA women’s world player of the year award for 2015.

DAILY GK BULLETS | JAN 10 | S.W.A.G

1. Sri Lankan parliament begins process to adopt new Constitution

• Sri Lankan parliament began a process to formulate a new constitution with Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe presenting a resolution to set up Constitutional Assembly of all members for the purpose.
• In a special session, Wickremesinghe moved the resolution in parliament to set up Constitutional Assembly (CA) of all members and a steering committee of 17 members to draft the new constitution.
• The new constitution will replace the current executive president headed constitution adopted in 1978.

DAILY GK BULLETS | JAN 9 | S.W.A.G

1. ‘Laman Diva’ is Make in India Week logo

•  Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on 08 Jan 2016 unveiled “Laman Diva” as the logo of the first Make in India Week scheduled to be held in Mumbai between February 13 and 18, which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 
• The Laman Diva or Nanda Deep, has great relevance in our culture as a symbol of auspicious beginning, peace, prosperity, growth. 
• “Laman Diva” is a lamp designed using cogs and wheels. 
• The Make in India Week will be jointly organized by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Union ministry of commerce and industry, CII and Maharashtra government at Bandra-Kurla Complex from February 13-19.

DAILY GK BULLETS | JAN 8 | S.W.A.G

1. Airtel appoints Rakesh Bharti Mittal non-executive director

• Bharti Airtel on Friday named Rakesh Bharti Mittal as non-executive director in place of Rajan Bharti Mittal.
• Rajan Bharti Mittal quit his position effective January 7, 2016.
• Both Rakesh and Rajan are vice-chairmen of Bharti Enterprises, of which Airtel is a group company.

DAILY GK BULLETS | JAN 7 | S.W.A.G

1. Priyanka Chopra wins People’s Choice Award for ‘Quantico’

• Priyanka becomes the first Indian actor to register a win at the People's Choice Awards.
• Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra has bagged the favourite actor in new TV series honour at the 2016 People's Choice Awards for her performance of an FBI recruit on American show Quantico.

2. Mehbooba set to be first woman CM of J&K

• The selection of Ms. Mehbooba, a Lok Sabha member, as the leader of 28-member PDP Legislature party was a unanimous decision.
• Ruling PDP president Mehbooba Mufti is set to be the first woman Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, succeeding her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed who passed away on Thursday, with party MLAs unanimously electing her as their leader and writing to Governor N N Vohra in this regard.

DAILY GK BULLETS | JAN 6 | S.W.A.G

1. Bank of India allots shares worth Rs 264 crore to LIC

• State-run Bank of India has alloted 2 crore shares to LIC valued at Rs 264.12 crore.
• The bank has allotted 2 crore equity shares to Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) on preferential basis at the price of Rs 132.06 per share.

2. Andhra Bank launches IMPS for money transfer

• Andhra Bank has launched Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) at all its branches in association with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to provide inter-bank electronic fund transfer service “capable of processing person to account remittances” on 05 Jan 2016.
• A multi-channel, multi-dimensional platform, IMPS makes payments possible within fraction of seconds with all the standards and integrity maintained for security.
• Under the IMPS, a real time instant fund transfer system for inter-bank remittances, the maximum cap of transaction will Rs.2 lakh.
• The charges will be at the rate of Rs.5 per transaction.

DAILY GK BULLETS | JAN 5 | S.W.A.G

1. RBI imposes Rs 1 crore fine on State Bank of Travancore

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of one crore rupees on State Bank of Travancore, an SBI associate bank for violation of some of its instructions.
• The monetary penalty was imposed on State Bank of Travancore for violation of its instructions including reporting of data to Central Repository of Information on Large Credits (CRILC).
• CRILC has been established by RBI to collect, store, and disseminate data on all borrowers’ credit exposures.

DAILY GK BULLETS | JAN 4 | S.W.A.G

PNB launches host of digital banking solutions

• State-owned Punjab National Bank on 02 Jan 2016 has launched host of digital banking solutions including green PIN and enhancement of its mobile app. 

• The bank launched mobile apps enabling the customer to locate PNB ATM with PNB ATM Assist. The Android app facilitates the customer to use GPS and reach the nearest PNB ATM, it also assists customer to instantly lodge operational issues, reducing the resolution time considerably, PNB MD Usha Ananthasubramanian said. 

• Green PIN facility was also launched under which customer can obtain duplicate PIN for debit card instantly through SMS request. 

• The bank has installed cash acceptor cum ATM at their Sansad Marg branch where customers can deposit cash up to Rs. 2 lakh per transaction and can avail the ATM feature.