Daily GK Updates - 13th April, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 1. Kanpur ranked 1st as the most polluted city: According to the ‘Political Leaders Position and Action on Air Quality in India 2014-2019’report, Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh is the most polluted city in the world and is ranked one on the list. Faridabad in Haryana has been ranked second and Varanasi, is ranked third on the WHO's list of 15 most polluted cities. Fourteen of the 15 cities, including four in Uttar Pradesh, on the World Health Organisation (WHO) list of most polluted cities in the world, are in India.

2. Jamia Millia Islamia gets its first woman vice-chancellor: Professor Najma Akhtar of the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi was appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia University for a period of five years, from the date on which she enters upon her office or until she attains the age of 70 years, whichever is earlier.

Ms. Akhtar is the first woman to be appointed as the JMI V-C

3. Jallianwala Bagh massacre 100th anniversary: Political leaders across the country paid homage to the victims of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on its 100th anniversary on Saturday.A massacre took place in Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar on Baisakhi in April 1919 when troops of the British Indian Army under the command of Colonel Dyer opened fire on a crowd of people holding a pro-independence meeting, leaving hundreds of people dead and scores injured.

4. Baisakhi harvest festival being celebrated in India: The festival of harvest ‘Baisakhi’ is being celebrated with traditional enthusiasm in the northern part of the country today. Baisakhi is celebrated with much fanfare in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh. For the large farming community of Punjab, Baisakhi Festival marks the time for harvest of rabi crops and they celebrate the day by performing joyful bhangra and gidda dance. Baisakhi also commemorates the formation of Khalsa Panth by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.

5. Rama Navami being celebrated with religious fervor: Ram Navami is being celebrated with religious fervor and enthusiasm in different parts of the country today. The festival marks the birth of Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. First Supermassive Black hole photographed to be named Powehi: The first-ever black hole to be photographed has been named "Powehi". The name Powehi, meaning embellished dark source of unending creation, was deliberated upon by astronomers and renowned Hawaiian language professor, Larry Kimura. "Powehi", is sourced from the Hawaiian word "Kumulipo", a primordial chant describing the creation of the universe. Powehi, the black hole photographed for the first time ever, lies at the centre of Messier 87, the largest galaxy we know of, about 54 million light-years away.

2. International Day of Human Space Flight: 12 April: The International Day of Human Space Flight is the annual celebration, held on April 12, of the anniversary of the first human space flight by Yuri Gagarin. It was proclaimed at the 65th session of the United Nations General Assembly on April 7, 2011.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Google Pay launches gold buying feature in a tie- up with MMTC-PAMP India: To make Google Pay more useful for Indian customers, Google has partnered with MMTC-PAMP India to introduce buying and selling of gold through the app. Now, Google Pay users will be able to buy 99.99 per cent 24-karat gold. Director and Product Management of Google Pay, India: Ambarish Kenghe

2. Reinsurance brokers permitted to open foreign currency accounts, says RBI: The Reserve Bank of India Thursday said reinsurance brokers have been permitted to open non-interest bearing foreign currency accounts with banks for undertaking transactions. Foreign currency account refers to a bank account held or maintained in currency other than the currency of India or Nepal or Bhutan.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Hong Kong's Stock Market Overtakes Japan To Be World's 3rd Largest: Hong Kong's equity market has overtaken Japan to be the world’s third largest in value, behind only the U.S. and mainland China. Hong Kong’s market cap was $5.78 trillion, compared with $5.76 trillion for Japan.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Russia awards PM Narendra Modi with highest state honour: Russia awarded his highest civilian award “Order of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First,” on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his work on bilateral ties. About ‘Order of St Andrew the Apostle’: It is awarded to prominent statesmen, public figures and those working in the fields of science, culture and arts in recognition of their exceptional services in promoting prosperity and glory of Russia.

2. Two West Bengal Government Schemes Win UN Awards: Two schemes of the West Bengal government for skill development- “Utkarsh Bangla” and distribution of bicycles to students “Sabooj Sathi” have won the prestigious World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) awards of the United Nations.

3. Telugu Poet K Siva Reddy Selected For Prestigious Saraswati Samman 2018: Telugu poet K Siva Reddy is to be conferred the prestigious Saraswati Samman, 2018, for his collection of poems titled Pakkaki Ottigilite (Turning Aside While Lying Down).