Current Affairs Quiz Questions for exams: 18 & 19 February 2014

1) The contentious bill that will split Andhra Pradesh and allow the creation of Telangana was passed by Lok Sabha on 18 February 2014. Telangana will be the .......th state of India?

(A) 28

(B) 24

(C) 26

(D) 29

2) Supreme Court on 18 February 2014 commuted the death penalty, of killers of which former Prime Minister of India, to life term?

(A) Indira Gandhi

(B) Narasimha Rao

(C) Rajiv Gandhi

(D) Jawaharlal Nehru

3) Which state clinched the best state award for implementing Rural Tourism Project in the National Tourism Award 2012-13, presented on 18 February 2014?

(A) Kerala

(B) Sikkim

(C) Andhra Pradesh

(D) Madhya Pradesh

4) Which country overtook India as top gold consumer recently (Feb 2014)?

(A) Japan

(B) Australia

(C) Sri Lanka

(D) China

5) Which express train will become the first train in India to be attached with a Braille-embedded AC coach for visually-challenged passengers as announced in Feb 2014?

(A) Hirakud Express

(B) Purushottam Express

(C) Nandan Kanan Express

(D) Neelanchal Express

6) Kiran Kumar Reddy has on 19 February 2014 resigned as the Chief Minister of?

(A) Andhra Pradesh

(B) Uttrakhand

(C) Assam

(D) Tripura

7) Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa who arrived in New Delhi on 18 February 2014 is the King of?

(A) Bhutan

(B) Saudi Arabia

(C) Kuwait

(D) Bahrain

8) Which language became the sixth language of the country to get “classical language’’ status on 20 February 2014?

(A) Malayalam

(B) Odia

(C) Kannada

(D) Telugu

9) Indira Gandhi Zoological Park is set get country’s first wild dog breeding centre. It is situated in which state?

(A) Kerala

(B) Gujarat

(C) Assam

(D) Andhra Pradesh

10) India’s first Minority Cyber Village was inaugurated by the Minister for Minority Affairs K Rehman Khan on 19 February 2014 in Chandoli in Alwar district of?

(A) Sikkim

(B) Himachal Pradesh

(C) Rajasthan

(D) West Bengal

Answers

1) Ans. (D) 29

2) Ans. (C) Rajiv Gandhi

3) Ans. (B) Sikkim

4) Ans. (D) China

5) Ans. (B) Purushottam Express

6) Ans. (A) Andhra Pradesh

7) Ans. (D) Bahrain

8) Ans. (B) Odia

9) Ans. (D) Andhra Pradesh

10) Ans. (C) Rajasthan

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Daily Current Affairs: 26 February 2014

1) Navy chief Admiral DK Joshi quits after another submarine fire: In an unprecedented step, Navy chief Admiral Devender Kumar Joshi resigned on Wednesday, owning "moral responsibility" for warship and submarine accidents over the last six months, including the latest mishap on board submarine INS Sindhuratna off Mumbai. The incident involving INS Sindhuratna that left two officers feared dead and seven sailors injured on Wednesday proved to be the final trigger for Admiral Joshi's shock resignation. Equally stunning for the armed forces was its quick acceptance.

2) Supreme Court issued non-bailable warrant against Sahara chief Subrata Roy: The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Sahara owner Subrata Roy over his failure to appear before the country's highest court to explain why two Sahara Group firms had failed to obey the court's order to pay Rs19,000-odd crore to market regulator Sebi.

3) DK Sarraf to become new ONGC head: Prime Minister has cleared appointment of DK Sarraf as chairman and managing director of state-run explorer Oil and Natural (ONGC) by denying an extension to incumbent Sudhir Vasudeva, which was proposed by Oil Minister Veerappa Moily, senior oil ministry officials said.

4) Hyderabad tops list of world's 10 least expensive office market: : Hyderabad has become the world's most affordable office locations due to rupee depreciation and fall in rentals amid political instability over Telangana, according to global realty consultant DTZ. Four other Indian cities -- Chennai, Pune, Bangalore and Kolkata --- figure in the DTZ's list of top 10 least expensive office space market in the world.

5) German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been awarded with Israel’s highest civilian honour, the “Medal of Distinction”: German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday became the first European leader to receive the Presidential Medal of Distinction. All political figures upon whom the medal was previously conferred were Americans, beginning with former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger, then President Barack Obama, and after him former president Bill Clinton. Israeli President Shimon Peres awarded Merkel the honor at a ceremony in Jerusalem.

6) Vodafone to launch M-Pesa in south India by March-April: Vodafone on Wednesday said its mobile commerce initiative called M-Pesa will be launched in south India in March-April. This service allows customers to transfer money to any mobile phone, remit money to any bank account, make utility payments, recharge of mobile, DTH payment and earn interest on deposits.

7) India won Asia Cup match against Bangladesh: Captain Virat Kolhli hit a solid ton, and put up a huge partnership with Ajinkya Rahane to help India to a six-wicket win in the second match of the Asia Cup at Fatullah, Bangladesh, on Wednesday.

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Current Affairs Questions for competitive Exams: 17 February 2014

1) Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram presented the interim budget 2014-15 in Lok Sabha on 17 February 2014. This was the ...th budget of Chidambaram?

(A) 5th

(B) 8th

(C) 4th

(D) 10th

2) Who became the first Indian bowler to grab a hat-trick in the Under-19 World Cup recently (Feb 2014)?

(A) Amir Gani

(B) Deepak Hooda

(C) Sanju Samson

(D) Kuldeep Yadav

3) Tarun Tejpal who has been charged by Goa police with rape, sexual harassment case on 17 Feb 2014 was the founder and former editor of?

(A) Times of India

(B) Aaj Tak

(C) Tehelka

(D) CNBC

4)  State Transport Corporation of which state recently (Feb 2014) created Guinness record by conducting largest blood donation camp?

(A) Kerala

(B) Maharashtra

(C) Karnataka

(D) Tamil Nadu

5) Who has been appointed as the new Pakistan High Commissioner to India on 17 February 2014?

(A) Salman Bashir

(B) Abdul Basit

(C) Ramallah Azad

(D) Salman Basit

6) Rakesh Maria has been appointed new Mumbai Police Commissioner, on 15 February 2014, after his predecessor Satyapal Singh resigned to join which political party?

(A) Congress

(B) Aam Aadmi Party

(C) NCP

(D) BJP

7) Which state government recently (Feb 2014) became the first to enact the Lokayukta Bill within the three-month deadline following the passage of the Lokpal Bill by Parliament in December 2013?

(A) Odisha

(B) Gujarat

(C) Delhi

(D) Karnataka

8) Renaud Lavillenie of France on 15 February 2014 broke pole-vault great Sergei Bubka’s ........... year old indoor pole vault world record by crossing 6.16 meters?

(A) 15

(B) 16

(C) 20

(D) 25

9) Who became the first cricketer of New Zealand to score a triple century (302) in Test cricket by achieving the feat against India in the recently concluded Test series (Feb 2014)?

(A) Ross Taylor

(B) Corey Anderson

(C) Kame Williamson

(D) Brendon McCullum

10) Mount Kelud volcano which started erupting on 14 February 2014 is situated in which country?

(A) Indonesia

(B) South Korea

(C) Russia

(D) Netherlands

Answers

1) Ans.(B) 8th

2) Ans. (D) Kuldeep Yadav

3) Ans. (C) Tehelka

4) Ans. (D) Tamil Nadu

5) Ans. (B) Abdul Basit

6) Ans. (D) BJP

7) Ans. (A) Odisha

8) Ans. (C) 20

9) Ans. (D) Brendon McCullum

10) Ans. (A) Indonesia

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25th February 2014 Current Affairs Updates

1) Bimal Jalan panel on bank licences submitted recommendations to RBI: A committee headed by former Reserve Bank of India governor Bimal Jalan on new bank licences submitted a compilation of positive and negative aspects of granting licences to all 25 applicants. The ball is now in the court of RBI governor Raghuram Rajan who has to decide on the number of licences and the identity of the licence recipients. The board of the central bank may meet on March 7 and is likely to discuss the issue with finance minister P Chidambaram who was keen on speeding up the process of new licences. The group comprising former RBI deputy governor Usha Thorat, former Securities & Exchange Board of India chairman CB Bhave and former ICICI Bank executive director Nachiket Mor examined details submitted by the various regulatory agencies about these applicants. Kotak Mahindra Bank and Yes Bank were the last two Private Banks to get banking licences from the RBI in 2003—04. India has 27 public sector banks, 22 private sector banks and 56 regional rural banks.

2) ISRO to launch Astrosat in 2015: The Indian Space Research Organisation intends launching Astrosat, an astronomical satellite, in 2015, Chairman K. Radhakrishnan said on Monday. To be launched aboard a PSLV rocket, the satellite would have six pieces of equipment built by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, he said addressing the 32nd convocation of Mangalore University on the Mangalagangotri campus.

3) India to put Makkah-Medina high speed railway on track: Two of Islam’s holiest cities, Makkah and Medina will now have an Indian connection. According to government sources, the Indian labour force will be roped in for the Haramain High Speed Railway project — Saudi Arabia’s plan to connect the two cities by high speed trains. The rails for the tracks will also be supplied by Indian companies.

4) Ugandan president signs anti-gay law: Uganda's president has signed a controversial anti-gay bill that allows harsh penalties for "homosexual offences", calling them "mercenaries" and "prostitutes". Yoweri Museveni on Monday signed the bill, which holds that homosexuals be jailed for long terms, outlaws the promotion of homosexuality and requires people to denounce gays.

5) Honda appoints first woman to its board: Honda has appointed a woman to its board for the first time and given a major promotion to a foreigner, in a sign that the automaker wants to change perceptions of a hidebound corporate culture. Technology expert Hideko Kunii, 66, will join the carmaker's board, while Issao Mizoguchi, a Brazilian of Japanese ancestry who has worked with Honda's South American operations for nearly 30 years has been appointed operating officer, Honda said on Monday.

6) Oldest Holocaust survivor died at 110: The oldest known survivor of the Holocaust died on Sunday in London, at the age of 110, reports said. Alice Herz-Sommer, who was originally from Prague, had been in the Nazi concentration camp in Terezin, or Theresienstadt, in what is now the Czech Republic, during World War II, the Press Association news agency reported.

Know about Holocaust?- The Holocaust  was the mass murder or genocide of approximately six million Jews during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi Germany, led by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, throughout the German Reich and German-occupied territories.

7)  Commemorative Posatage Stamp in Honour of Maulana Hasrat Mohani released: The Vice President of India, Shri M. Hamid Ansari released a commemorative postage stamp in honour of Maulana Hasrat Mohani, a freedom fighter. Addressing on the occasion, he said that Maulana Hasrat Mohani was an eminent poet and freedom fighter and an incomparable person. He was the first person, who raised the issue of ‘complete independence’ in Indian National Congress Meeting in Ahmedabad in 1921. We should always remember his contributions and should try to fulfil his dreams.

8) Indira Paryavaran Bhawan inaugurated by Prime Minister: Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India on 25 February 2014 inaugurated Indira Paryavaran Bhawan on Jorbagh Road, New Delhi. This Bhawan will house the Ministry of Environment and Forest and has a provision to accommodate its 600 officials.

9) IOC to buy 10% stake in Petronas’ LNG project for $900 mn: Indian Oil Corp, the nation’s largest oil firm, will buy Malaysian firm Petronas’ 10 per cent stake in a shale-gas assets and liquefied-natural-gas (LNG) project in British Columbia for $900 million. The acquisition of stake in Progress Energy Resources Corp for 1 billion Canadian dollars ($900 million) mark IOC’s maiden entry into North America.

10) Asia Cup 2014 started: Asia Cup 2014 started at Bangladesh with Srilanka beating Pakistan by 12 runs in the opener.

11) Former RAW chief Sanjeev Tripathi joined BJP:   Former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief Sanjeev Tripathi on Monday joined the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

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Current Affairs Quiz Questions: 15 & 16 February 2014

1) Name the Delhi Lt Governor who recommended President's rule in Delhi on 15 February 2014?

(A) H. Rajesh Prasad

(B) Najeeb Jung

(C) Shivraj Patil

(D) A. K. Singh

2) Rakuten Inc on 15 Feb 2014 announced that  it would purchase messaging app provider Viber Media Ltd for $900 million. Rakuten Inc is the company from which country?

(A) Japan

(B) USA

(C) China

(D) Finland

3) Defending champions India opened their campaign beating Pakistan in the U19 World Cup on 15 Feb 2014. Which country is hosting U19 World Cup 2014?

(A) Australia

(B) India

(C) Bangladesh

(D) UAE

4) Which among the following Indian player hit his maiden Test Century in the recently concluded Test Match series against New Zealand (Feb 2014)?

(A) Rohit Sharma

(B) Virat Kohli

(C) Ajinkya Rahane

(D) Shikhar Dhawan

5) Which bank has opened sixty-one 24x7 electronic branches across 33 cities, on 15 Feb 2014, offering self-service solutions round-the-clock?

(A) ICICI

(B) IDBI

(C) SBI

(D) HDFC

6) India’s first 4G mobile service was launched on 14 February 2014 by Bharti Airtel in association with Apple in which city?

(A) Mumbai

(B) Delhi

(C) Chennai

(D) Bangalore

7) Which country is planning to build the world’s longest underwater tunnel beneath the Bohai Sea by 2026, connecting the port cities of Dalian in Liaoning province and Yantai in Shandong province as announced on 16 Feb 2014?

(A) South Korea

(B) Indonesia

(C) China

(D) Japan

8) Global tech giant  is acquiring SlickLogin, an Israeli developer of sound-based password alternative, in an "acqui-hiring deal" as announced on 16 Feb 2014?

(A) Facebbok

(B) Google

(C) Yahoo

(D) Microsoft

9) Which film won the best movie award in the 67th BAFTA Awards presented on 16 February 2014?

(A) 12 Years A Slave

(B) Gravity

(C) The Wolf Of Wall Street

(D) American Hustle

10) Brendon McCullum along with which other player posted highest sixth-wicket partnership in Test history on 16 February 2014?

(A) Corey Anderson

(B) Nathan McCullum

(C) Ross Taylor

(D) BJ Watling

Answers

1) Ans. (B) Najeeb Jung

2) Ans. (A) Japan

3) Ans. (D) UAE

4) Ans. (C) Ajinkya Rahane

5) Ans. (A) ICICI

6) Ans. (D) Bangalore

7) Ans. (C) China

8) Ans. (B) Google

9) Ans. (A) 12 Years A Slave

10) Ans. (D) BJ Watling

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Daily Current Affairs: 24 February 2014

1) Big jolt to Lalu Prasad, 13 Bihar MLAs quit RJD:  In a major jolt to Lalu Prasad, 13 Bihar MLAs of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) have submitted their resignation from the party to the speaker of the state's assembly on Monday. RJD has 22 MLAs in the Bihar assembly. They are likely to join hands with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) for the coming Lok Sabha elections according to reports.

2) Union Government inaugurated the National Centre for Good Governance: Union Government inaugurated the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) on 24 February 2014. NCGS is an apex think tank of the country in guiding and implementing good Governance reforms. National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) has been set up by upgrading the National Institute of Administrative Research (NIAR), Mussorrie.

3) Egypt’s Interim Prime Minister Hazem El-Beblawi announced resignation: Egypt is braced for its sixth government since the start of the 2011 uprising, after the prime minister announced the early resignation of the entire interim cabinet on Monday afternoon. Hazem al-Beblawy, appointed in the days following the removal of Mohamed Morsi last July, was meant to head Egypt's government until the election of a new president, but resigned on Monday after weeks of mounting criticism.

4) Jayant Narlikar to be given Y Nayudamma memorial award: Jayant Vishnu Narlikar, renowned cosmologist, has been chosen for the Y Nayudamma memorial award for the year 2013.

5) Pakistan win thriller to reach U-19 World Cup final: Zafar Gohar and Amad Butt put on 63 runs for the unfinished eighth wicket as Pakistan defeated England by three wickets in a low-scoring but nerve-racking thriller to reach their fifth ICC Under-19 World Cup final at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday.

6) Oleksandr Turchynov Named Interim Ukrainian President: The Ukrainian Parliament has named Oleksandr Turchynov as the interim President on Sunday. On Saturday, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) named Turchynov as the acting Prime Minister and speaker of Parliament, after voting out President Viktor Yanukovych. Turchynov, 49, was acting as interim PM in 2010 after the resignation of Yulia Tymoshenko. He was also Deputy Prime Minister between 2007-2010.

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Current Affairs daily updates 23rd February 2014

1) Sochi Winter Olympics end with glitzy, emotional closing ceremony: The Sochi Winter Games have wrapped up with the closing ceremony held in the Fisht Olympic Stadium. Games ended on Sunday night as they do at every Games, be they summer or winter, with the Olympic Flame being extinguished. This time, it was a larger-than-life mechanical bear that "blew out" the flame towards the end of a glitzy, emotional closing ceremony. The host Russia rediscovered its dominance on snow and ice. The closing ceremony took place at Fisht Olympic Stadium, the same site of the opening ceremony for the 17-day winter sports extravaganza. Russia led all nations with 13 gold medals and 33 medals in total, topping the Winter Olympics medal table for the first time since 1994.

2) Pyeongchang, South Korea to host next Winter Olympics in 2018: The next Winter Games are to be held in Pyeongchang, South Korea in 2018. The east coast alpine town Pyeongchang, will stage South Korea's first Winter Games. South Korea had its largest Winter Olympics delegation ever with 71 athletes, competing in every sport except for ice hockey. It came up just short of its stated objective of winning four gold medals for a top-10 finish in the medals. With three gold medals -- one by speed skater Lee Sang-hwa and two by short tracker Park Seung-hi -- along with three silver and two bronze medals, South Korea ended in 13th place.

3) First-in-India ISO tag for Malappuram: Malappuram municipality, Kerala on Sunday became the first municipal body in the country to win an ISO certification for quality management. The ISO 9001-2008 certificate has added another feather to the cap of Malappuram, which was chosen the State’s second best municipality last year.

4) Maria Franziska von Trapp passes away at the age of 99: The last surviving member of the real von Trapp family that inspired The Sound of Music has died. Maria Franziska, one of seven brothers and sisters from the famous family, passed away in her sleep aged 99 at home in Vermont, America. Their story later inspired the 1965 musical hit, which won five Oscars and remains one of the most successful films ever made.

5) Pension Sanction and Payment Tracking System Launched on Pilot Basis:  The Department of Pension & Pensioners’ Welfare has launched a web based Pension Sanction and Payment Tracking System “ BHAVISHYA” which provides for on-line tracking of sanction and payment processes by the individual as well as the administrative authorities. The new proposed system will capture information relating to the pensioner’s personal and service data including contact details like mobile number and e-mail etc. It will also have electronic Forms required to be submitted to pension sanctioning authority. The system will keep retiring employees informed of the progress of pension sanction process through SMS/E-mail in future.

6) Cheteshwar Pujara brand ambassador of Gujarat Election Commission: ndia's middle order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara has been appointed as the 'brand ambassador' of the Gujarat state Election Commission. The district authorities had sent a suggestion to the Election Commission of India (ECI) in this regard.

7) Delhi Waveriders lifts 2nd edition of Hockey India League cup: Delhi Waveriders beat Jaypee Punjab Warriors to emerge as the champions in Hockey India League at Ranchi on Sunday. The Waveriders beat Warriors 3-1 in the shoot-out after the regulation 70 minutes ended in a 3-3 tie. The second edition of the Indian Hockey League is over and like the first edition, this edition has also been a success. Delhi Waveriders won the tournament and according to the team’s captain Sardar Singh, HIL has been a great learning experience for the young Indian players.

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Daily Current Affairs: 22 February 2014

1) Matteo Renzi Italy's youngest-ever PM sworn in: Matteo Renzi became Italy’s youngest premier on Saturday, promising a new era of stable government after using old-school politicking to engineer the ouster of a fellow Democrat he deemed too timid to get the nation back to work. Mr. Renzi, the 39-year-old is the leader of the Centre-Left Democratic Party. After formally accepting the mandate to form the government, Mr. Renzi said he will waste no time in enacting reform.

2)  Whistleblowers’ Protection Bill passed in Rajya Sabha: A Bill to set up a regular mechanism to encourage persons to disclose information on corruption or wilful misuse of power by public servants, including Ministers, was passed by the Rajya Sabha. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in 2011 and was taken up by the Rajya Sabha in 2012.

3) Defending champions India crashed out of Under-19 World cup cricket: Defending champion India crashed out of the Under-19 World Cup cricket tournament after a three-wicket defeat to England in the quarterfinals in UAE on Saturday. Batting first, India managed 221 for eight, and then saw England chase down the target with five balls to spare.

4) G-20 meet began: G20 ministers on Saturday began their two-day deliberations to work out a "real and tangible framework" to push global growth amid clamour for a more transparent tapering programme by the US Fed Reserve with a view to reducing volatility in the global financial markets. This time G-20 meet is held in Sydney, Australia.

5) IRCTC launched E-wallet Scheme to make payment process fast: Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) launched E-Wallet Scheme to make payment process fast and to reduce transaction failures due to bank payment related problems.

6) Vadodara Municipal Corporation enters Guinness Book: Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has got its name registered in the Guinness Book of World Records for measuring the blood pressure of over 8,000 people in a matter of just eight hours. The civic body had achieved the feat on April 7, 2013 on the occasion of the World Health Day.

7) De Villiers scripts rare record; is first player to score 12 consecutive Test half-centuries: South Africa batsman AB de Villiers became the first player in the history of Test cricket to score a half-century in 12 consecutive Tests after he crossed 50 in the first innings on the opening day of the second Test against Australia, at St George's Park, on Thursday. De Villiers, South Africa's ODI team captain, is now the sole owner of a unique batting record in Test cricket that has stood for almost four decades.

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Daily Current Affairs Updates: 21st February 2014

1) Last day of 15th Lok Sabha: 21 February 2014 was the last day of 15th Lok Sabha. Unlike the disruptions and the slogan shouting, the House witnessed bonhomie and camaraderie on the last day with Prime Minister, leader of the House Sushilkumar Shinde, leader of the opposition Sushma Swaraj as also some other party leaders speaking well of each other. Prime Minister, who has been at the helm for the past 10 years and has declared that he will not opt for a third term, said people will now have an opportunity to judge on performance, weaknesses and achievements of the government in the upcoming elections. Most of the MPs Shed Tears on Last Day as many are not aware whether they will be back for the 16th Lok Sabha.

Know about 15th Lok Sabha: The 15th Lok Sabha was formed in May 2009 under the aeigis of United Progressive Alliance.  Ms. Meira Kumar of Indian National Congress was the Speaker of 15th Lok Sabha and also was the first women to be holding the highest post.

2) Whistleblowers Protection Bill passed in Rajya Sabha: A bill to provide for setting up a regular mechanism to encourage persons to disclose information on corruption or wilful misuse of power by public servants, including ministers, was passed by Parliament on Friday. The Whistleblowers' Protection Bill also seeks to provide "adequate protection to persons reporting corruption or wilful misuse of discretion which causes demonstrable loss to the government or commission of a criminal offence by a public servant." The bill was passed by Lok Sabha in 2011.

3) World's longest free Wi-Fi zone in Patna: If you have an internet-enabled device and you are anywhere on the stretch from NIT-Patna on Ashok Rajpath to Danapur, you can now access the internet free of cost. Once known as a backward state, Bihar has made a strong bid for a mention on the world's infotech map as chief minister Nitish Kumar unveiled the 20km free Wi-Fi zone, the longest across the globe, at a function christened e-Bihar summit in Patna on Wednesday.

4) Bharatiya Mahila Bank & NIA ink MoU for health policies: Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) and New India Assurance have inked an MoU to provide three customised package health insurance policies from the general insurance major. These policies are named BMB Sakhee, BMB Nirbhaya and BMB Parivar Suraksha.

Know BMB?- Bharatiya Mahila Bank  is the financial services banking company based in New Delhi, India. India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inaugurated the system on 19 November 2013 on the occasion of the 94th birth anniversary of former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Although initially reported as a bank exclusively for women, the bank will allow deposits to flow from everyone, but lending will be predominantly for women. India will be the third country in the world to have bank especially for women. Pakistan, Tanzania already have an exclusive bank for women.

5) IMF projects 5.4% growth for India in 2014-15: Projecting a growth rate of 4.6 percent this year, the IMF on Thursday said the Indian economy is likely to expand by 5.4 percent on stronger global scenario, improving export competitiveness, a favorable monsoon and a confidence boost after recent policy actions. "Growth is projected at 4.6 percent for fiscal year 2013-14, and should pick up to 5.4 percent in 2014-15 (at factor cost)," the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in its report after concluding annual discussions with India.

6) Mahatma Gandhi's grandson Rajmohan joined AAP: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) got a shot in the arm when Rajmohan Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, joined the party on Friday. "The party is vehemently opposed to corruption and this is what I liked in it. There is a disparity between the rich and poor and this also reflects in poor. "If a common man joins and also becomes a part of politics then this is a welcoming step," Gandhi, son of Devdas Gandhi and maternal grandson of C Rajagopalchari said.

7) Veteran CPI leader Parvati Krishnan passed away: Senior CPI leader and four-time MP Parvati Krishnan, who was in the forefront of trade union movement in the country, died in Coimbatore on Thursday. She was 94 and is survived by daughter Indirani, a doctor, residing in the US.

8) Lok Sabha passed amended narcotic drugs bill: Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2011, simplifying the regulations for procuring and possessing narcotic drugs when used for medicinal purposes. Once passed by the Rajya Sabha also, it would bring relief to thousands of cancer patients in the country who use opioid for acute and chronic pain relief.

9) PNB applied to open branches in Pakistan: Government on Friday said state-owned bank PNB has applied for opening branches in Pakistan and is awaiting approval from the competent authority. "Punjab National Bank has applied for opening of two branches in Pakistan, one each in Lahore and Karachi, but these branches have not been approved by the competent authority," Minister of State for Finance Namo Narain Meena said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

10) India’s first time voters aged 18-19 add up to 23 million:  Election Commission (EC) released fresh data on Thursday and pegged India’s total number of voters who are 18 or 19 years old at over 23.2 million. The data released by the EC on Thursday is updated till 14 February.

11) National Youth Policy, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan launched: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi threw his weight behind keeping politicians out of sports bodies in the country and said sportspersons themselves should be at the helm of affairs. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi interacted with sports personalities after the launch of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan (RGKA) and National Youth Policy, 2014 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Friday.

12) Injured MS ruled out of Asia Cup; Kohli to lead: Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been ruled out of the Asia Cup, which starts next week in Bangladesh, owing to a side strain that he picked up during the second Test in New Zealand. Virat Kohli will lead India as it fight it out against sub-contintental rivals Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan during the two-week Asia Cup 2014.

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