Daily GK Updates - 26th August, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. G Satheesh Reddy appointed the chairman of DRDO : The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has appointed Dr G Satheesh Reddy (Scientific Advisor of Defence Minister) as Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development & Chairman of Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) for a period of two years.His appointment will be effective from the date of assumption of charge.DRDO was formed in 1958 by the merger of the Technical Development Establishment and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production with the Defence Science Organisation.

2. U K Varma appointed ASSOCHAM Secretary General : The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) has appointed former bureaucrat Uday Kumar Varmaas its new Secretary General.He succeeds DS Rawat.He has extensive administrative experience at the highest levels of administration both in the Madhya Pradesh government and central government.Mr Varma retired from the position of Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India in 2013.

3. 26^th August: Sanskrit Divas : The Sanskrit Divas is observed every year on Shravan Purnima (26^thAugust 2018).The Special functions are being organised in different parts of the country to mark the day.Special programmes and different competitions on Sanskrit are being organised at Lal Bahadur Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth New Delhi.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Sushma Swaraj inaugurates 3rd Indian Ocean Conference in Hanoi : The union External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has inaugurated the two- day 3rd Indian Ocean Conference in Hanoi (capital of Vietnam).This conference will serve as a platform to the countries to come closer and exchange better views on the economic & strategic importance of the region and neighbourhood.The theme for the year is “Building Regional Architectures”.This year around 43 countries are participating while 28 ministers and officials are set to address the event.

2. Fourth Asian electoral stakeholder forum (AESF-IV) begins in Colombo : The fourth Asian electoral stakeholder forum (AESF-IV) has begun in Colombo (Sri Lanka) to discuss the state of elections and democracy in the region.The two-day forum is being held for the first time in South Asia with support from the Election Commission of Sri Lanka and the Asian network for free elections (ANFREL).The AESF will be attended by more than 250 delegates from 45 countries.The theme is, 'Advancing Election Transparency and Integrity: Promoting and Defending Democracy Together'.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1.  Punjab National Bank gets top rank in digital transaction : According to Punjab National Bank (PNB), a Department of Financial Services report has rated it as number one state-owned bank in terms of digital transactions.The Nirav Modi scam-hit bank is also rated as the sixth overall amongst all banks in India for digital performance.

SPORTS:

1. Tejinder Pal Singh Toor wins a Gold medal in Shot-Put : India's Tejinder Pal Singh Toor (23-year) wins the Gold medal in Men's Shot Put at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia.He won the event with an Asian Games record throw of 20.75 meters.It's the eighth men's Shot-Put gold for India in Asian Games history.

OBITUARIES:

1. US Senator John McCain passes away : US Senator John McCain (81-year) passed away after losing a battle with brain cancer.McCain was also a Republican presidential nominee in 2008. A fighter pilot during the Vietnam War, he spent more than five years as a prisoner of war after his plane was shot down.While in the custody he suffered torture that left him with lasting disabilities.