Daily GK Updates - 10th March, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.India’s 17th Lok Sabha elections to be held in 7 phases : The Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora has announced, India’s 17th Lok Sabha elections (largest festival of democracy) will begin from 11th of April this year. Legislative Assembly elections in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha and Sikkim will be held simultaneously with the general elections. The Model Code of Conduct has come into force in the entire country with the announcement of the polls. Ninety crore electorates of 29 states and 7 Union territories will elect 543 Lok Sabha members in seven phases from 11th April to 19th May 2019. The counting will be held on the 23rd of May 2019.

2. Prime Minister Modi attends 50th Raising Day celebrations of CISF :  The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi attended the 50th Raising Day celebrations of Central Industrial Security Forces (CISF), at Indirapuram in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Prime Minister reviewed the parade of the CISF personnel and presented the service medals for distinguished and meritorious services. He also laid a wreath at the Martyr’s Memorial and signed the visitor’s book. The CISF provides security cover to 300 industrial units, government infrastructure projects and facilities and establishments located all over India.

3. PM Modi flags off Noida City Centre-Electronic City section of Delhi Metro's Blue Line : Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the ‘Noida City Centre-Noida Electronic City section’ (6.6-km) of the Delhi Metro's Blue Line. The Noida City Centre and Noida Electronic City (fully elevated section) consist of six stations - Sector 34, Sector 52, Sector 61, Sector 59, Sector 62 and Noida Electronic City. The metro stretch will benefit the people of Noida a great deal as well as connect the satellite city to Delhi. The Prime Minister also laid the foundation stone of two thermal Power Plants through video conferencing, 1,320 MW Super Thermal Power Project at Khurja (Bulandshahar) and the 1,320 MW thermal power plant at Buxar (Bihar).

4. Uttarakhand CM launches free milk scheme for Anganwadi children : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has launched the Mukhyamantri Anchal Amrit Yojana in Dehradun. Under the Amrit Yojana, 2.5 lakh children (at 20,000 Anganwadi kendras) will be given 100 ml milk twice a week for free in the state. Flavoured, sweet, skimmed milk powder will be made available to the 20,000 Anganwadi Kendra across the state.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Palestinian president appoints Mohammad Shtayyeh as new PM :  Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has chosen Dr. Mohammad Shtayyeh (60-years) as the new prime minister of Palestinian. Earlier in January, Mr Abbas accepted the resignation of outgoing Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah. Earlier, Mr Shtayyeh served as minister of housing and construction in addition to serving as head of the Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction (PECDAR). Mr. Shtayyeh is an economist with a PhD from the University of Sussex in England.

2.  Ethiopian Airlines grounds Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleet after crash :  An Ethiopian Airlines had grounded its Boeing 737 MAX 8 fleetafter a crash that killed 157 people on board including eight crew. The crash occurred around the town of Bishoftu (60-kilometre south-east of the Addis Ababa) shortly after take-off from the Bole International Airport, Ethiopia. The Boeing 737 Max-8 was carrying passengers from 33 countries.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. ACKO General Insurance honoured with Golden Peacock Award 2019 :  ACKO General Insurance has been awarded the coveted ‘Golden Peacock Innovative Product Award – 2019’ for their contextual microinsurance product “Ola Ride Insurance” in a ceremony in Dubai. The award was presented to Mr. Biresh Giri at an event in Dubai. Acko introduced the revolutionary Ola Ride Insurance ‘a first of its kind in the Indian market’ in March 2018. The Awards are bestowed annually and are designed to encourage total improvement in each sector of our business.

SPORTS:

1.One gold, four silver medals for India at Finland boxing tourney :  India’s Kavinder Singh Bisht (56kg-category) has won the gold medal at the 38th GeeBee Boxing Tournament in Helsinki, Finland. While three-time Asian medallist Shiva Thapa (60kg category) and three others claimed silver medals. Sumit Sangwan, former youth world champion Sachin Siwach and Naveen Kumar got bronze in their categories.

2.  Iniyan becomes India’s 61st Grandmaster : P. Iniyan (16-year) has become the 61st Grandmaster of India (the highest title a chess player)after crossing 2,500 points during the Noisiel Open 2019, held in Paris. Iniyan also won the silver medal in this tournament by increasing 18 points and has a rating of 2,513.