Daily GK Updates - 3rd June, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Devendra Fadnavis launches portal Mahaswayam: The Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis has launched a web portal 'Mahaswayam' for job seekers, employers, entrepreneurs and training institutes. This web portal will cater to job seekers, employers, entrepreneurs, and training institutes who can avail details regarding skill development and employment.

2. Varanasi to get freight village: Varanasi will get India’s first ‘freight village’ spread over around 100 acres. The project will be setup close to the multi-mode terminal on the banks of the river Ganga. It is one-of-its-kind infrastructure platform, will anchor movement of goods by railways and roadways ultimately dovetailing with the waterways. It will be developed by Inland Waterways Authority of India.

3. Shashi Shekar Vempati is new Prasar Bharati CEO: Shashi Shekar Vempati has been appointed as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Prasar Bharati for a period of five years on the recommendation of the three-member committee headed by the Vice-President Hamid Ansari. He will replace Rajeev Singh (interim CEO).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Leo Varadkar to be next Irish PM: An Indian-origin doctor Leo Varadkar is set to become the Republic of Ireland's next Prime Minister after winning the leadership of the Fine Gael party. He will succeed Enda Kenny as leader of the centre-right party. Varadkar will become the first gay Prime Minister and also be the country's youngest ever leader. Capital of Ireland is Dublin.

OTHER UPDATES:

1. Neelakanta to be a member of Umpires and Referees Committee: Ganeshan Neelakanta Iyer has become the first Indian to be nominated as a member of Umpires and Referees Committee. His term as URC member is for 2 years.

2. West Indies cricket team's official name changed to 'WINDIES': The cricket board for West Indies has re-branded themselves as Cricket West Indies from the former West Indies Cricket board. The board also announced, the cricket team from now on will be officially known as ‘WINDIES’.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY:

3. Airtel-Telenor merger gets regulatory approval from SEBI, BSE, NSE: Bharti Airtel has received the merger approval between Airtel and Telenor communications from SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India), BSE (Bombay Stock Exchange), National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE).

4. BEML bags Raksha Mantri award: BEML Ltd has bagged the ‘Raksha Mantri’s Award for Excellence’ under the group award category for design and development.

It has been awarded for design and development of 180 tonne class electric hydraulic excavator – BE1800E. BE1800E is the biggest-ever excavator designed and developed in India.

5. SEBI sets up a Committee on Corporate Governance: To improve standards of corporate governance of listed companies, Sebi has setup a Committee on corporate governance. The committee will be headed by Uday Kotak.