Daily GK Updates - 15th April, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.India Successfully Test Fires Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile 'Nirbhay' : The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test fired the underdevelopment long range subsonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’ from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur in Odisha. It has a range of 1000 km and can fly very low to the ground to avoid detection by enemy radar called terrain hugging capability. The missile was primarily designed and developed by the Advanced Defence Establishment of DRDO located in Bengaluru.

2. Airtel, FICCI Ladies Organisation Launch Women’s Safety App: Telecom operator Bharti Airtel and the FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) launched a safety app named ‘My Circle’ aimed at aiding women in event of distress or an emergency situation, by sending an SOS alert. My Circle app enables women to send SOS alerts to any five of their family or friends in 13 languages including English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Punjabi, Bangla, Urdu, Assamese, Oriya, and Gujarati. FICCI Founded in: 1927, Headquarters: New Delhi

3. New year celebrated in 3 states: President Ram Nath Kovind and PM Narendra Modi greeted people on the occasion of Bengali New Year ‘Poela Boisakh’, Assamese New year ‘Bohag Bihu’ and Malayalam New Year ‘Vishu’.

4. BK Nayak Appointed FIH Health And Safety Committee Chair: Bibhu Kalyan Nayak became the first Indian to be appointed Chair of International Hockey Federation (FIH) Health and Safety Committee by the world governing body.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. UAE to Host World’s Foremost Artificial Intelligence Summit: UAE is set to host the world’s foremost Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit to empower global dialogue on the future of government, business and society. The inaugural ‘AI Everything’, AIE will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre (30^th April to 1^st May). UAE Capital: Abu Dhabi, Currency: United Arab Emirates Dirham.

2. Benjamin Netanyahu re- elected as Israel’s Prime Minister: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has won fifth term in office. His closest opponent’s party The Blue and White party conceded, clearing the path for the Netanyahu to set up a coalition government. Israel Capital: Jerusalem, Currency: Israeli new shekel

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Gelete Burka and Abrha Milaw Win Paris Marathon: Ethiopian athletes Gelete Burka (women’s race) and Abrha Milaw (men’s race) won the 43rd edition of the Paris Marathon. Milaw won the men’s race with a time of 2 hours 07 minutes and 50 seconds. Burka was the fastest woman with 2 hours 22 minutes and 48 seconds. In the wheelchair race, Julien Casoli won for a third time.

2. Tiger Woods Wins 2019 Masters To Claim 15th Major in Golf : Tiger Woods has sealed one of the greatest comebacks in sport with a momentous Masters victory at the Augusta National, capturing his first major in 11 years. At 43, and two years after spinal fusion surgery, Woods captured his fifth Masters title and his 15th major with a one-shot victory.

3. Lewis Hamilton Wins Formula One’s 1,000th Race: In motor racing, Lewis Hamilton won the Chinese Grand Prix for a record sixth time. He seized the overall lead from his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas in Formula One’s 1,000th world championship race. The comfortable win was the 75th of Hamilton’s career, and second in a row.

4. Meena Kumari Maisnam Clinches Gold in Boxing World Cup 2019: India bagged a Gold and two Silver medals at the Boxing World Cup at Cologne in Germany. Meena Kumari Maisnam (from Manipur) claimed the Gold medal in the 54 kg category.  The 2014 Asian Championships bronze medallist defeated Thailand’s Machai Bunyanut in the final. Sakshi in 57 kgs and Pwilao Basumatary in 64 kgs had to settle for Silver medals after they lost their final bouts. India finished the tournament with five medals.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Dr A K Singh Conferred with Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr A K Singh, director at Life Sciences, DRDO, was honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award 2019 during 4th APJ Abdul Kalam Innovation Conclave at Chandigarh University, Mohali. for his rich contribution in the field of life sciences, aerospace and aeronautics. The DST scientist has more than 18 patents and has contributed in more than 57 research publications at an international and national level.

2. John Moore Won the World Press Photo Award 2019: An image of a little girl crying, as she and her mother have been taken into custody by US border officials in Texas won the prestigious World Press Photo of the Year. Veteran Getty photographer John Moore took the picture in the Rio Grande Valley in June 2018.