Daily GK Updates - 1st April, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ISRO launches observation satellite EMISAT : The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched 29 satellites including the primary payload EMISAT from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India. The main satellite EMISAT and the 28 customer satellites will be ed into two different orbits. The foreign satellites include 24 from the United States, two from Lithuania and one each from Switzerland and Spain. An ISRO release says EMISAT (weighing 436 kg) is intended for electromagnetic spectrum measurement, developed for monitoring radar network by India.

2.  Odisha celebrating 84th foundation day :  Odisha is celebrating 84th foundation day also known as ‘Utkal Divas’. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has greeted the people of Odisha on the auspicious occasion of Odisha Day. Odisha is the 9th largest state by area and the 11th largest by population. To commemorate the sacrifices of people for the formation of Odisha province in 1936, programmes are being organised at various places across the State.

3. Govt. extends PAN-Aadhaar linking deadline to 30th September :  The Union government has announced that the deadline for the linking of Aadhaar with PAN has been extended to 30th September 2019. Those looking to file their income tax returns on or after 1st April 2019 will still have to quote their PAN while doing so.This is the sixth time the government has extended the Aadhaar-PAN linking deadline.

4. Dr Rajendra Joshi conferred with ‘Pravasi Bhartiya Samman’ :  Scientist Dr Rajendra Joshi has been conferred with the Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Award by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind. Swiss-based NRI Dr Rajendra Joshi is the RUJ Group's founder and chairman. The Indian Ambassador to Switzerland Sibi George handed over the award citation signed by the President to Dr Joshi at his residence in Switzerland.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Zuzana Caputova becomes Slovakia's first female President :  Anti-corruption activist 'Zuzana Caputova' has been confirmed as the first female President of Slovakia. She defeated Maros Sefcovic, a candidate nominated by Slovakia's ruling party. According to Xinhua News Agency reported, Caputova received 58.40% of votes, while Sefcovic got 41.59% of votes.

2. Tesla builds its 'largest energy storage system in Asia' :  Tesla has developed its ‘largest power storage system in Asia’ at Osaka train station in Japan to reduce energy demand and provide emergency backup power to trains in Japan. It was Launched in partnership with Kintetsu, a railway operator in Japan’s Osaka. The 42 Powerpack battery system will also help reduce energy demand on the Osaka grid during peak hours. Tesla stated that 7 megawatt-hours (MWh) system is its largest energy storage project in Asia and the fourth largest in the greater Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. RBI sets NBFC-MFIs' average base rate at 9.21% for Apr-Jun : The Reserve Bank set the average base rate to be charged from borrowers by non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and micro-finance institutions (MFIs) at 9.21% for the first quarter of the next fiscal. The applicable average base rate to be charged by Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC). The regulator in February 2014 had issued directions to NBFC-MFIs regarding pricing of credit.

BANKING/FINANCE:

1.Vijaya Bank, Dena Bank merge with Bank of Baroda :  Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank merged with Bank of Baroda (BoB) to create the third-largest lender of the country after State Bank of India and HDFC Bank. According to BoB chief PS Jayakumar, the new unified entity will work for the success of the amalgamation by effective execution of all the activities to build a stronger organisation and collectively deliver more to the stakeholders than that of the sum of individual entities. All customers of Dena Bank, which is under prompt corrective action (PCA) framework of the RBI, will have renewed access to credit facilities immediately.

2. Vijay Chandok appointed as MD & CEO Of ICICI Securities :  Vijay Chandok (Executive Director of ICICI Bank) will be the MD and CEO of its subsidiary ICICI Securities with effect from 7th May 2019. He will succeed Shilpa Naval Kumar.Mr Chandok holds a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University) and master’s degree in Management Studies from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai (NMIMS).

SPORTS:

1. Kidambi Srikanth loses in India Open final :  India’s Kidambi Srikanth lost in straight games 7-21, 20-22 to former world champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark at the Yonex-Sunrise India Open badminton tournament in New Delhi. It was Srikanth's first final in a BWF world tour event in 17 months.Thai badminton player Ratchanok Intanon has won the women's singles in India Open.

2. South Korea defeat India in Sultan Azlan Shah Cup final :  South Korea lifted the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey tournament defeating India in a shootout (4-2) at Ipoh in Malaysia. Hosts Malaysia defeated Canada 4-2 and secured the 3rd place. Asian Games Gold medalist Japan stood at 5th place, defeating Poland 6-1.

3. Roger Federer lifts Men's Singles trophy of Miami Open 2019 :  Switzerland’s Roger Federer has won Miami open 2019, defeating American John Isner (defending champion) in the final 6-1, 6-4 at Dolphins’ NFL stadium in Miami. It was Federer's 4th Miami title and 28th Masters 1000 title. Now, Federer (101-title) is behind only America’s Jimmy Connors with 109 career singles titles.