Daily GK Updates - 28th June, 2016

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India ranked 105th on WEF's Human Capital Index:India has been ranked 105th out of 130 countries on the World Economic Forum's Human Capital Index, which measures countries’ ability to nurture, develop and deploy talent for economic growth. 

2. Defence Ministry gives the nod for purchase of 145 Ultra-Light Howitzers guns from the US: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by Union Defence Minister ManoharParrikar has given its approval for the purchase of 145 Ultra-Light Howitzers (ULH) guns from the US.The procurement of ULH will be through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route from the US and it will cost around 750 million dollars. As part of this deal, 25 ULH guns will come to India directly from the US in a fly-away condition.

3. Rajnath Singh inaugurates h.q. of Jharkhand's special anti-Maoist force: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has inaugurated the newly constructed headquarters of Jharkhand's special anti-Maoist force 'Jharkhand Jaguar' in Jharkhand's capital city Ranchi. The headquarters will pave the way for the further strengthening of the force. 

4. Odisha government to provide education loan at 1% interest:Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has launched a new scheme KalingaSikshaSathiYojana with an aim to provide education loan at 1 % interest to students for pursuing higher studies. The State government dedicated this scheme to former Chief Minister BijuPatnaik on his Birth Centenary. 

5. PM releases book titled “The Birds of Banni Grassland”:Prime Minister NarendraModi has released a book titled “The Birds of Banni Grassland” in New Delhi. The Book is a compilation of the research work, relating to more than 250 species of birds found in the Banni area of Kutch, Gujarat. 

6. Sujoy Bose appointed as the CEO of NIIF:The Union government has appointed Mr.Sujoy Bose as the Chief Executive Officer of National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) Ltd. His appointed for the post has been made by a search-cum-selection committee which was constituted under the chairmanship of economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das.

7.  Indian bags UN honour for corporate sustainability initiative:An Indian social entrepreneur ZubaidaBai, has been named among 10 "champions and pioneers" by United Nation chief Ban Ki-moon under the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative that calls on companies to align with universal principles of human rights, environment, and anti-corruption.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. IMF clears payment of USD 501 million to Pakistan: Washington DC-based the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cleared the payment of $501 million for Pakistan. The Executive Board of the IMF has completed the eleventh review of Pakistan’s economic performance under a three-year program supported by an Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement. 

2. Gudni Johnson wins Iceland’s Presidential elections:GudniJohannesson has won the Iceland’s presidential election. He is a history professor who ran as an independent in the election and was able to secure 39.1% of the vote. 

OTHER UPDATES:

FINANCE/BANKING:

1. N S Vishwanathan appointed as the new deputy governor of RBI: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has cleared the appointment of NS Vishwanathan as the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). He is currently working as an executive director at the RBI since April 2014 and overseeing the banking regulation and non-banking department. He would succeed H R Khan, who will retire on July 3. 

SPORTS:

2. National Inter-State Senior Athletics C’ships begins in Hyderabad: The 56th National Inter-State Senior Athletics Championships, a qualifying event for the Rio Olympics, has begun in Hyderabad today.  As many as 744 athletes, including 264 women from 26 states will take part in the five-day event.

3. India maintains the third position in ICC ODI team rankings:According to ICC Ranking released in Dubai, India has maintained its number three position in the ICC ODI team rankings which is being headed by world champions Australia. Australia has got 123 rating points while India got 110 points. The second place was occupied by New Zealand with 113 rating points.

AWARDS:

4. Two Indians get Queen’s Young Leaders Award 2016:Two Indians, KartikSawhney, and Neha Swain, have won the 2016 Queen's Young Leaders award in the United Kingdom which has been presented by Queen Elizabeth at the British monarch in Buckingham Palace. The name of these awardees has been announced last year in December. 

OBITUARIES:

5. Founder of Titan, Xerxes Sapur Desai has passed away: Xerxes Sapur Desai, the man who founded India's largest watchmaker company 'Titan Co Ltd', has passed away following a prolonged illness in Bengaluru. He was 79 years old. 

6. NSCN (IM) Chairman IsakChishiSwupassed away at the age of 87.