Daily GK Updates - 19th February, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Hina Jaiswal becomes India's first woman flight engineer : Flight Lieutenant Hina Jaiswal has become the first Indian women flight Engineer of the Indian Air Force (IAF). She completed the 6 months flight engineer course from the 112 Helicopter Unit attached to the Air Force station in Yelahanka in Bengaluru.The Flight Engineer branch was opened to women officers in 2018(earlier restricted to men). Now, Hina will be posted to a helicopter squadron where she will monitor and operate IAF’s complex aircraft in various conditions.

2. President Kovind presents Tagore Award for Cultural Harmony : The President of India Ram Nath Kovind presented the Tagore Award for the years 2014, 2015 & 2016 for Cultural Harmony at Pravasi Bhartiya Kendra, New Delhi.This annual award is given to individuals, associations, institutions or organizations for their outstanding contribution towards promoting values of Cultural Harmony.The exponent of Manipuri dance Rajkumar Singhajit Singh was given the award for the year 2014.Chhayanaut (cultural organization of Bangladesh) was given the award for 2015 for its role in the promotion of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore's works and Bangla arts.

3.  Shivaji Jayanti being celebrated in Maharashtra : The birth anniversary of Maratha Warrior King ‘Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’ is being celebrated in all over Maharashtra.Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu paid tributes to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on his birth anniversary.Shivaji Bhonsle was an Indian warrior king and a member of the Bhonsle Maratha clan,

4. Guru Ravidas Jayanti being celebrated across the country : The birth anniversary of Sant Ravidas (the founder of Bhakti movement) is being celebrated across the country. As per the Hindu calendar, it is celebrated on full moon day of the Magh month (Magh Purnima). On the day, people who follow the Ravidas religion, take out a Nagar Kirtan procession with the saint’s portrait while chanting special prayers.Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Sant Ravidas Templeat Sier Govardhan where he took part in foundation stone laying of Ravidas Birth place development projects.

5. Rajnath Singh launches Single emergency helpline '112' for 16 states, UTs :

The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has launched single emergency helpline number '112' in 16 States and UT (Union Territories).The 16 states and UTs are Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Andaman, Dadar Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Jammu and Kashmir.People can also log onto the ERSS' website for the state and lodge emergency Email or send SOS alert to state ERC

6. PM flags off 1st ever diesel to electric converted locomotive twin engine at Varanasi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the world’s first electric engine converted from diesel locomotive at the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Under Make in India initiative, The 10,000 HP freight locomotive has been converted from two units of old diesel locomotives of 2,600HP each with indigenous technology The converted locos will result in less greenhouse gas emissions and better efficient locomotives for the Indian Railways.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.  Abdul Aziz Muhamat wins International Human Rights Prize : As per the UN refugee agency UNHCR, Abdul Aziz Muhamat (Sudanese refugee) has won the Martin Ennals Award 2019 in Geneva (Switzerland) for exposing “the very cruel asylum seeker policy of the Australian Government”.Mr. Muhamat spent five years in the Australian detention centre on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. It is sometimes referred to as the ‘Nobel Prize for human rights’.

2. Best-selling British Author ‘Andrea Levy’ passed away : Bestselling British Author Andrea Levy (62-years) passed away due to cancer. She was known for penning books ‘The Long Song’ and ‘Small Island’(story of Jamaican migrants in Britain). ‘Small Island’ won the Whitbread prize, the Orange Prize for Fiction and the Commonwealth Writers’ prize. Levy's last novel, "The Long Song," was published in 2010 and was shortlisted for the Man Booker prize.

3. Iran launches new locally-made submarine capable of firing cruise missiles : Iran President Hassan Rouhani has launched a new locally-made submarine ‘capable of firing cruise missiles. The submarine, named the Fateh, Persian for 'conqueror', is Iran's first in the semi-heavy category.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING/FINANCE:

1. RBI to give Rs 28,000 cr to Centre as interim dividend : The Reserve Bank of India (RBi) will transfer an interim surplus of 28,000 crore rupees to the central government for the half-year (ended 31st December 2018). The decision has been based on a limited audit review and after applying the extent economic capital framework. This is the second straight year that the RBI has announced an advance payment to the government.It will help the union government partly bridge a budget gap and could be key to funding an income support programme for farmers.