Daily GK Updates - 28th November, 2017

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Hyderabad Metro Rail: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first phase of the 30 km-long (24 stations)  Hyderabad Metro Rail from Miyapur to Nagole. The Hyderabad Metro Rail Project will cover a total distance of 72 kilometers across three corridors. Its second and final phase is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

2. International Ambedkar Conclave: President Ramnath Kovind inaugurated the International Ambedkar Conclave. It was organised by the Forum of SC and ST Legislators and Parliamentarians.

3. NGT directs all states to submit Coastal Zone Management Plan before 30th April 2018: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) headed by Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, directed all states and Union territories (UT) to submit a Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) to the Union Ministry of Environment & Forests before 30th April next year. They will be liable for an exemplary cost of Rs 5 lakh (if they fail to submit a plan), which will be recovered from the salary of the concerned defaulting officers. The Coastal zone management involves managing of coastal areas to balance environmental, economic and human health-related activities.

4. Odisha launches Fish Pond Yojana: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the ‘Fish Pond Yojana’. Aim of this scheme is to boost fish production in Odisha. The scheme has been launched with a budgetary provision of Rs 96 crore. Under the scheme, additional 2200 hectare of freshwater aquaculture farming will be created, for which farmers will be given 50% financial assistance from state government.

5. IMMSAREX-17 begins: Indian Ocean Naval Symposium Multilateral Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise-2017 started in Bay of Bengal on November 27, 2017. The exercise was inaugurated by Bangladesh President Md Abdul Hamid near Inani Beach at Cox’s Bazar. Objective for conducting this exercise is to increase regional cooperation between IONS member states. First edition of IONS was held in 2008 in New Delhi.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

1. Miss South Africa is crowned Miss Universe 2017: Miss South Africa Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters has been crowned Miss Universe 2017 at Planet Hollywood casino-resort on the Las Vegas Strip.Nel-Peters beat out first runner-up Laura González (Miss Colombia) and second runner-up Davina Bennett (Miss Jamaica) for the crown.Nearly 100 women from across the globe travel to compete in the 66th Miss Universe competition.

2. PM Modi inaugurates Global Entrepreneurship Summit: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the eighth edition of Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) in Hyderabad. This will be the first Global Entrepreneurship Summit in which over 52.5% of the participants are women and theme is ‘Women First, Prosperity for All’.

3. Britain appoints Karen Pierce as its new Ambassador to UN: Britain has appointed Karen Pierce as its new Ambassador to the UN. He replaced incumbent Matthew Rycroft. This is for the first time in 70 years that Britain would have no judge in the 15-member panel of the ICJ.

4. 7th IMG to be held in China: The 7th international military games will be held in Wuhan city in the central China‘s Hubei Province. The International Military Sports Council (CISM)’s Military World Games is a top sports event for military personnel.

OTHER UPDATES

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Asian Development Bank to provide a 150 million USD loan to Nepal: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide a 150 million USD loan to Nepal to improve its urban infrastructure.The agreement for investment will cover eight municipalities located in southern Terai and far west of Nepal.The project will be completed within five years and is expected to enhance urban infrastructure in the Terai region.

2. Aegon appoints Vineet Arora as MD & CEO: Aegon Life Insurance has appointed Vineet Arora as the Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, effective from January 2018. Vineet Arora will replace K S Gopalakrishnan who had left the company on November 17, 2017.

3. Ruskin Bond gets Lifetime Achievement Award: The Chandigarh Literary Society awarded children’s author Ruskin Bond its first Lifetime Achievement Award, at the Chandigarh Lit Fest ‘Literati-2017’ at the Lake Club, in Chandigarh. The Lifetime Achievement Award given to Ruskin Bond consisted of a citation and Rs 2 lakh cash.

Ruskin Bond’s first novel was “Room on the Roof” at 17 years.

4. Ishaan Khatter wins Best Actor award: Actor Ishaan Khattar has won the Best Actor award for his debut film ‘Beyond The Clouds’ at the International Bosphorus Film Festival in Turkey. Beyond The Clouds’ has been directed by Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi.

SPORTS:

1. Srikanth, Sindhu win awards at the Indian Sports Honours: Ace shuttler Kidambi Srikanth bagged the Sportsman of the Year award at the inaugural edition of Indian Sports Honours held in Mumbai. Olympic silver medallist PV Sindhu was the Sportswoman of the Year award in the individual sports category. Ravichandran Ashwin was awarded Sportsman of the Year award while women's cricket team skipper Mithali Raj was awarded Sportswoman of the Year award in the Team Sport category. The Indian Women's Cricket Team (runners-up in the ICC Women's World Cup) were named as the Team of the Year. Tennis player Sania Mirza was awarded the Inspirational Honour by the jury. Country's first Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra was honored with the Transformational Contribution to Sports award.

2. Bajrang Punia & Vinod Kumar win silver medals at U-23 Worlds Wrestling: Asian champion Bajrang Punia and Vinod Kumar settled for silver medals at the Under-23 World Wrestling Championship in Poland.Bajrang lost the 65kg final 6-17 to Russian grappler Kuular while Vinod lost 1-3 to American Richard Lewis.Earlier, Ritu Phogat had won a silver medal in the women's 48kg final.India finished with three medals at the event.