Government issues India’s first ever guidelines for Adventure Tourism

  • The Government of India has, for the first time, issued guidelines for Adventure Tourism in the country.
  • The guidelines are on Safety and Quality Norms for Adventure Tourism in India.
  • They have been formulated along with the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI).
  • The guidelines aim to make adventure sports in the country safer, and hence they list out the basic minimum standards required for adventure tourism activities in India.
  • The guidelines cover land, air and water-based activities. They include mountaineering, trekking, bungee jumping, paragliding, kayaking, scuba diving, snorkelling, river rafting and many other sports.

Moody’s slashes India’s estimated GDP growth to 7.3%

  • Moody’s Investors Service report has cut India’s GDP growth forecast to 7.3% in 2018.
  • The group’s previous forecast was 7.5%.
  • The cut comes due to high oil prices and tight financial conditions.
  • However, the service report kept the growth expectation for 2019 unchanged at 7.5%.

SBI hikes interest rate on fixed deposits

  • State Bank of India (SBI) has revised its interest higher on retail fixed deposits or FDs below Rs. 1 crore.
  • Interest rates on select maturities have been increased by up to 25 basis points.
  • Interest rate on SBI FDs with a maturity of 1-2 years have been increased from 6.4% to 6.65%. Senior citizens will get an interest rate of 7.15%, up from 6.9% earlier.
  • Interest rates on SBI FDs with a maturity of 2-3 years have been increased from 6.6% to 6.65%. Senior citizens will get 7.15%, up from 7.10% earlier.

Scientists create world’s first 3D-printed human corneas

  • Scientists at Newcastle University, UK, have made the first human corneas to be produced by 3D-printing technology.
  • The technique could be used in the future to ensure an unlimited supply of corneas for those with eye problems.
  • 10 million people worldwide require surgery to prevent corneal blindness, but there is a significant shortage of corneas available to transplant.
  • The scientists developed the 3D-printed corneas by creating a “bio-ink” made from stem cells mixed together with alginate and collagen. The bio-ink was then used to print the corneas.
  • This method takes less than 10 minutes to print 1 human cornea.

Andhra Pradesh notifies new state symbols after bifurcation with Telangana

  • The Andhra Pradesh Government has notified of its new state symbols. This comes four years after the bifurcation in 2014 of undivided Andhra Pradesh into the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
  • The states symbols were notified by State department of environment, forest, science and technology.
  • The state symbols of Andhra Pradesh are as follows: 
  • State bird: Rose-ringed parakeet
  • State animal: Black buck
  • State flower: Jasmine
  • State tree: Neem
  • The state symbols of Telangana are as follows:
  • State bird: Indian roller
  • State animal: Spotted deer
  • State flower: Tangidi Puvvu (senna auriculata)
  • State tree: Jammi Chettu (prosopis cineraria)

Microsoft overtakes Google’s parent company, Alphabet; is now third most valuable firm globally

  • US software company Microsoft has surpassed Google’s parent company, Alphabet, in market capitalisation for the first time in three years.
  • In doing so, Microsoft becomes the third most valuable firm globally, behind Apple and Amazon.
  • Microsoft had a market cap of $753 billion at the close of trading, which was almost $14 billion more than that of Alphabet.
  • Apple leads with a market cap of nearly $924 billion, while Amazon comes in at second spot with nearly $783 billion.

US Pacific Command renamed Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM)

  • In a symbolic move, the USA has renamed its oldest and largest military command – the Pacific Command – to Indo-Pacific Command.
  • This move has been made to signal India’s importance to the US military amid heightened tensions with China over the militarisation of the South China Sea.
  • The US Pacific Command, or PACOM, was formed after World War II.