Daily GK Updates - 10th January, 2019

         NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.World Hindi day being celebrated across the world today : The World Hindi day being celebrated across the world every year on 10th January to create awareness about the language of Hindi across the World.Hindi is the fourth most spoken language of the world.The first World Hindi Conference was organized in Nagpur on 10th January 1975.

2.PM Modi launched 'Gangajal Project' to provide better and assured water supply in Agra : Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has launched a series of development projects worth Rs. 2900 Crores for the Agra city and the adjoining areas.The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation ‘Gangajal project’ which will provide Agra with better and more assured water supply.The Gangajal project aims to bring 140 cusecs of Ganga water to Agra.Prime Minister laid the foundation Stone of Integrated Command and Control Centre for Agra Smart City.In this project, CCTVs will be installed throughout Agra City for monitoring and surveillance for the purpose of safety and security.

3.India's longest single lane steel cable suspension bridge opens in Arunachal : Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has inaugurated India’s longest single-lane steel cable suspension bridge (300-metre) over Siang River in Upper Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh.The bridge is also known as 'byorung bridge', built at a cost of Rs 4,843 crore and funded by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region under Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources scheme.The bridge will reduce the distance between Yingkiong and Tuting in Arunachal Pradesh by almost 40 km (earlier road length- 192 km).

4.First Global aviation summit to be held in Mumbai : The Global Aviation Summit 2019 will be organized by the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) in collaboration with FICCI in Mumbai, Maharashtra (15-16 January 2019).The theme of the two days summit is ‘Flying for all’.The objective of the summit to provide a platform to the aviation fraternity to showcase the challenges of the sector in the newly developing growth spots and understand how the technology-driven innovations will change the air travel in future.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.India allows Iran’s Bank Pasargad to open a branch in Mumbai : According to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, India has allowed an Iranian bank ‘Pasargad Bank’ to open a branch in Mumbai.Iran’s Pasargad Bank has received the necessary clearances to open its branch in Mumbai.The move is aimed at circumventing US trade and investment sanctions as India builds a strategic port in the West Asian country.

2.Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi wins the presidential election in Congo : According to Congo electoral commission, opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi has won the long-delayed presidential election.Tshisekedi has won with 38.57 per cent of more than 18 million ballots cast.If Tshisekedi’s victory is confirmed by the constitutional court, Democratic Republic of Congo will see its first peaceful democratic transfer of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.

              OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE :

1.MoU between the Indian Army and Punjab National Bank : Indian Army and Punjab National Bank (PNB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Defence Salary Package.The signing ceremony was chaired by the Adjutant General, Lt Gen Ashwani Kumar and was attended by top dignitaries of PNB headed by Mr Naveen Kumar.The Army hopes this MoU will benefit many serving and retired Army personnel who have accounts with PNB.It will also provide them an opportunity to access modern banking facilities.

2.World Bank projects India's growth rate at 7.3% in 2018-19 : In its 2019 Global Economics Prospect released in Washington, The World Bank has projected India's growth rate at 7.3% in the fiscal year 2018-19 and average 7.5% in 2019 and 2020.Goods and Services Tax (GST) and demonetisation are expected to encourage a shift from the informal to the formal sector.

SPORTS:

1.Hockey India removed Harendra Singh as coach of India Men's Team : According to Hockey India a statement, Indian men's hockey coach Harendra Singh was removed from the position.Mr. Singh was given back the charge of the Junior Men’s Hockey team.Harendra Singh was brought in as men's coach in May 2018.Until the appointment of a new coach, Hockey India High-Performance Director, David John and current Analytical Coach, Chris Ciriello will oversee the team.

2.Mohamed Salah named African footballer of the year : Liverpool’s 26-years old Mohamed Salah (from Egypt) has been named as the 2018 Confederation of African Football Player of the Year.He received the award at a ceremony in Senegal.Houston Dash and South Africa forward Thembi Kgatlana was named Women’s Player of the Year.Salah scored 44 goals for Liverpool during the 2017-18 season.