Daily GK Updates [7th - 8th February 2015]

1. No change in nuclear liability law: MEA

i. In a press release, the Ministry has answered 19 frequently asked questions (FAQs) that make it clear that the government is not making changes to the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damages Act (CLND) 2010.

ii. MEA will read the Act to mean that supplier’s liability is not a mandatory part of the contracts to be signed.

iii. The Ministry of External Affairs makes it clear that immediate liability for any incident would be channelled only to the operator, in this case PSU Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL).

2. Australian PM survives vote of confidence

i. Australia’s ruling Liberal Party voted on Monday morning to defeat a leadership spill motion, thereby retaining Tony Abbott in his role as the party leader and the country’s prime minister.

ii. But the margin of the party-room vote — 61-39 — was not emphatic enough to ensure Mr. Abbott’s long-term future as prime minister.

3. Govt announces capital infusion of Rs6,990 crore

i. The government on Saturday announced a capital infusion of Rs.6990 crore in nine state run banks, including State Bank of India (SBI) and Punjab National Bank (PNB), but based on new efficiency parameters such as return on assets and return on equity.

ii. The government had budgeted to infuse more than Rs.11,000 crore as capital in the current financial year.

iii. While State Bank of India will get Rs.2,970 crore as capital in the current fiscal, Bank of Baroda will get Rs.1,260 crore, Punjab National Bank Rs.870 crore, Canara Bank Rs.570 crore, Syndicate Bank Rs.460 crore, Allahabad Bank Rs.320 crore, Indian Bank Rs.280 crore, Dena Bank Rs.140 crore and Andhra Bank Rs.120 crore.

4. Grammies announced

i. The winners are - 

• Record of the Year - "Stay with Me," Sam Smith
• Song of the Year - "Stay with Me" (Darkchild Version)
• Album of the Year - Morning Phase, Beck
• Best Country Album - Platinum, Miranda Lambert
• Best R&B Performance - "Drunk in Love," Beyoncé
• Best Rock Album - Morning Phase, Beck
• Best Pop Vocal Album - In the Lonely Hour, Sam Smith
• Best Pop Solo Performance - "Happy," Pharrell Williams
• Best New Artist - Sam Smith
• Best Rap/Sung Collaboration - "Monster," by Rihanna and Eminem
• Best Rap Album - The Marshall Mathers LP2, Eminem
• Best R&B Song - "Drunk in Love," Beyonce
• Pop duo/group performance - "Say Something", A Great Big World with Christina Aguilera
• Best Rock performance - Lazaretto, Jack White
• Best Children's Album - I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up For Education And Changed The World (Malala Yousafzai)
• Best Musical Theater Album - Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, 
• Jessie Mueller, principal soloist; Jason Howland, Steve Sidwell & Billy Jay Stein, producers (Carole King, composer & lyricist) (Original Broadway Cast)

5. BAFTA announced 

i. The Lunchbox loses to Polish film at BAFTA

ii. The awards went to -

• BEST FILM: Boyhood
• BEST BRITISH FILM: The Theory Of Everything
• BEST DIRECTOR: Richard Linklater, Boyhood
• BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson
• BEST LEAD ACTOR: Eddie Redmayne, The Theory Of Everything
• BEST LEAD ACTRESS: Julianne Moore, Still Alice
• BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
• BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
• BEST ANIMATED FILM: The Lego Movie, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
• BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Alexandre Desplat