Tag: trending

Oscar Awards 2018: Complete List of Winners

The 90th Annual Academy Awards (also known as Oscar Awards) were held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, the USA. The Shape Of Water won the top prize of the night – Best Picture. Jimmy Kimmel hosted the ceremony for the second year in a row. He has become the first host since Billy Crystal to do so.

The full list of winners is below-

S. No. Category Winner
1. Best Picture The Shape Of Water
2. Best Director Guillermo del Toro, The Shape Of Water
3. Best Actress Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
4. Best Actor Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour
5. Best Supporting Actress Allison Janney, I, Tonya
6. Best Supporting Actor Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
7. Best Original Screenplay Get Out
8. Best Adapted Screenplay Call Me By Your Name
9. Best Animated Feature Film Coco
10. Best Foreign Language Film A Fantastic Woman, Chile
11. Best Original Score The Shape Of Water
12. Best Original Song Remember Me, Coco
13. Best Documentary Feature Icarus
14. Best Documentary Short Heaven Is A Traffic Jam On The 405
15. Best Live Action Short The Silent Child
16. Best Animation Short Dear Basketball
17. Best Sound Editing Dunkirk
18. Best Sound Mixing Dunkirk
19. Best Production Design The Shape Of Water
20. Best Cinematography Blade Runner
21. Best Makeup And Hair Darkest Hour
22. Best Costume Design Phantom Thread
23. Best Film Editing Dunkirk
24. Best Visual Effects Blade Runner
Source- The New York Times

Rashid Khan Becomes Youngest Captain in International Cricket History

The leg-spinner from Afghanistan, Rashid Khan (19-year-old) has become the youngest captain in international cricket history. He now holds the ICC No. 1 rank for bowlers in both the ODIs and T20Is and also became the youngest player ever to hold the top spot for any form of ICC men’s ranking. 


England’s Arran Bindle is the youngest woman player at the age of 19 years and 260 days to lead a team in women’s cricket. She led the England side in a three ODIs in 2001.

Youngest captains in international cricket:
  1. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) –  19 years 159 days.
  2. Rajin Saleh (Bangladesh) – 20 years 297 days.
  3. Rodney Trott (Bermuda) – 20 years 332 days.
  4. Tatenda Taibu (Zimbabwe) – 20 years 342 days.
  5. Nawab Pataudi (India) – 21 years 77 days.
Source- The Times Now

Roger Federer Becomes Most Decorated Laureus Award Winner


Tennis legend Roger Federer became the most decorated winner in the history of Laureus World Sports Awards after he won twin honours at the 18th edition of the awards ceremony in Monaco. It was his sixth award. The awards include the Sportsman and Comeback titles.

American tennis great Serena Williams won the Sportswoman of the Year Award following her Australian Open success, her 23rd Grand Slam title. Serena is now the most decorated female Laureus Award winner with five Laureus statuettes.
Source- DD News

India’s 1st 5G Trial Successful, 3 GB/sec Speed Achieved

Chinese technology giant Huawei and telecom services provider Bharti Airtel announced to have successfully conducted 5G network trial under a test set-up in India. The trial was conducted at Airtel’s Network Experience Centre in Manesar (Gurugram).

During the test trial, the speed of more than 3Gbps was achieved. This is the highest measured throughput for a mobile network in 3.5 GHz band with 100MHz bandwidth and end-to-end network latency of approximately 1 msec.

Source- Hindustan Times

India Ranks 81st in Global Corruption Perception Index

India has been ranked 81st in the global corruption perception index for 2017, released by Transparency International, which named the country among the “worst offenders” in terms of graft and press freedom in the Asia Pacific region. The index ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption. In the 2016 India was in the 79th place among 176 countries.
The index uses a scale of 0 to 100, where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean. In the latest ranking New Zealand and Denmark were placed the highest, with scores of 89 and 88, respectively. On the other hand, Syria, Sudan and Somalia were ranked lowest with scores of 14, 12 and 9, respectively.

EPFO Cuts Interest Rate to 8.55% for 2017-18

Retirement fund body Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has reduced the interest rate on deposits to 8.55% for 2017-18 from 8.65% for 2016-17 following a general decline in interest rates.

PC- The Economic Times

The move will affect around 6 crore subscribers and leave EPFO with a surplus of Rs 586 crore against Rs 695 crore in the previous financial year. The decision is significant as the labour ministry estimates that it would add another 3 crore to its subscriber base. 

Static/Current Takeaways Important for Syndicate Bank PO 2018 Exam-
  • The finance ministry had recently lowered interest rate on General Provident Fund (GPF) and Public Provident Fund (PPF) to 7.6%.
  • EPFO Chairman- M. Sathiyavathy, Headoffice- New Delhi.
  • Santosh Kumar Gangwar- Minister of State (I/C) of the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Source- The Economic Times

UP Investors Summit 2018: Important Highlights of Day 1

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the two-day ‘UP Investors Summit’ in Lucknow. It is the first such event by the Yogi Adityanath government. The summit is aimed at showcasing investment opportunities and potential across various sectors in Uttar Pradesh.

It was emphasised that Uttar Pradesh government should compete with Maharashtra to become the first Indian state with a trillion-dollar economy.
Highlights of Day 1- 
1. Uttar Pradesh has signed 1,045 pacts worth Rs4.28 trillion on the first day of the UP investors’ summit.
2. PM Modi announced Rs20,000 crore defence corridor for Bundelkhand.
3. The Aditya Birla Group will invest Rs 25,000 crore in Uttar Pradesh over the next 5 years.
4. Reliance Industries chief Mukesh Ambani promised investment of another Rs10,000 crore through Jio in the next three years.
5. Adani Group will invest Rs 35,000 crore in UP over the next five years in various sectors.
Static/Current Takeaways Important for Syndicate Bank PO 2018 Exam-
  • UP Governor- Ram Naik.
  • Pilibhit Tiger Reserve & Wildlife Sanctuary is located in UP.
Source- Livemint

Pakistani Activist Asma Jahangir Passes Away

Asma Jahangir, Pakistan’s renowned human rights lawyer, social activist and an outspoken critic of the country’s powerful military establishment, passed away of cardiac arrest. She was 66.

She was the first woman to serve as the president of Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan.
Source- The Times of India

PM Modi 3 Nation Visit- Leaves for Palestine

Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for his three-nation visit to Palestine, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman. This is the first ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Palestine, and Prime Minister Modi’s second visit to UAE and first to Oman.

Prime Minister would be addressing the Sixth World Government Summit being held in Dubai, UAE at which India has been extended ‘Guest of Honour’ status.
Static/Current Takeaways Important for Syndicate Bank PO 2018 Exam-

  • Palestine Capital- East Jerusalem, Currency- Israeli new shekel (one of its 3).
  • The United Arab Emirates Capital- Abu Dhabi, Currency- United Arab Emirates dirham.
  • Oman Capital- Muscat, Currency- Omani rial.
Source- The Hindu Business Line

Maldives Crisis- Government Declares State of Emergency

The Maldives president, Abdulla Yameen, has declared a state of emergency in the country as heavily armed troops stormed the country’s top court and a former president Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed was arrested in a deepening political crisis.

Exiled former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed urged India to “act swiftly” to help in resolving the ongoing political crisis in the island nation.
Static/Current Takeaways Important for Syndicate Bank PO 2018 Exam-
  • Maldives Capital- Male, Currency- Maldivian rufiyaa.
Source- The Guardian