Daily GK Updates - 20th April, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Rubana Huq, the first woman chief of a ‘men’s club’: Ms. Huq was elected the first woman president of the influential garment makers’ association in 36 years of its history. For the next two years, Ms. Huq will lead an organisation known as Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). It started in 1983 virtually as a “men’s club”.

2. Sairee Chahal: Board of Director PPB: Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPB) has appointed entrepreneur Sairee Chahal to its board of directors. Chahal is the founder and CEO of SHEROES a community platform for women.

3. Jaideep Sarkar appointed as India's next High Commissioner to S Africa: Jaideep Sarkar (1987-batch Indian Foreign Service officer) has been appointed as India's next High Commissioner to South Africa. Currently, Sarkar is serving as India's ambassador in Bhutan. He served in Indian Missions in Tokyo, Seoul and Bangladesh as well. The government also appointed Suhel Ajaz Khan as India's next High commissioner to Lebanon. Currently, he is serving as India's Deputy Chief of Mission in Saudi Arabia.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Saudi Arabia increases India's Haj Quota to 2 lakhs: Saudi Arabia has issued a formal order increasing the Haj quota of India to two lakhs from one lakh seventy five-thousand. In February 2019, the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had announced that Indian Haj quota would be increased by 25 thousand to two lakhs. This is the third hike in three consecutive years. The Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest city for Muslims, and a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey. It is one of the five pillars of Islam, alongside Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, and Sawm.

2. Mali's PM resigns along with his entire government: Mali's Prime Minister has resigned along with his entire government after it came under mounting pressure over handling the violence in the restive Mopti region. The rage was rising especially after a massacre in which 160 people were killed in the village of Ogossagou near the border with Burkina Faso (on 23rd March 2019).

3. Pakistan's Finance Minister Asad Umar resigns: Pakistan's Finance Minister Asad Umar abruptly quit the Cabinet before securing a multi-billion dollar International Monetary Fund bailout package for the cash-strapped country. Pakistan is seeking eight billion dollars from the IMF to bail itself out from a severe balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple the country's economy.

4. Japan-US 2+2 welcomes growing ties with India: The US-Japan 2+2 ministerial meeting has welcomed the growing ties between their countries and India in the Indo-Pacific region that is of vital strategic interest to them. The defence and diplomatic cabinet officials of the two countries expressed satisfaction with the trilateral meeting with India and noted significance of joint military exercises.

5. Book on Jallianwala Bagh Poem 'Khooni Vaisakhi' Released In UAE: A book containing English translation of the 100-year-old classic Punjabi poem about Jallianwala Bagh massacre, 'Khooni Vaisakhi' has been released in Abu Dhabi. India's Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri commended the launch of the book. The poem was translated by Mr. Suri whose grandfather, revolutionary poet and novelist Nanak Singh, a Jallianwala Bagh survivor, wrote it after witnessing first-hand the events of April 13, 1919.

6. Salman Rushdie’s New Novel “Quichotte” to Release in August: The British Indian Novelist Salman Rushdie’s new novel “Quichotte” will be released in August 2019. It is the story of an ageing travelling salesman who falls in love with a TV star and sets off to drive across America on a quest to prove himself worthy of her hand. Rushdie is the author of 13 novels including "Midnight's Children", for which he won the Man Booker Prize and Booker of Bookers Prize, and one collection of short stories.

7. UN Chinese Language Day being – 20 April: The ‘UN Chinese Language Day’ is observed every year on 20th April to promote the use of Chinese language in United Nation (UN). The day was chosen as the date for the Chinese language to pay tribute to Cang Jie, a mythical figure who is presumed to have invented Chinese characters about 5,000 years ago.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Exim Bank Funds Projects Worth USD 267 mn In Rwanda: Exim Bank has provided soft loans of USD 266.60 million to Rwanda for various projects. The funding, done in three separate tranches to Rwanda, is to support agricultural projects, development of special economic zones (SEZs) and for financing a road project in the African nation. Rwanda Capital- Kigali, Currency- Rwandan franc.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Tata Technologies joins hands with China’s FutureMove Automotive: Tata Technologies has inked a pact with China’s FutureMove Automotive to develop connected mobility solutions for automotive manufacturers in China and other markets. The companies signed a memorandum of understanding on the sidelines of the Shanghai Motor Show 2019. Tata Technologies Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director: Warren Harris.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Cipla Chairman Yusuf Hamied Receives UK Royal Society Honour: Prominent scientist and businessman Yusuf Hamied is among a host of Indian-origin experts honoured in the 2019 list of new fellows of the UK's Royal Society. The 82-year-old chairman of pharmaceutical major Cipla has been made an Honorary Fellow of the prestigious body, comprising of many of the world's most eminent scientists.

DEFENCE

1. India and France to Hold Largest Ever 'Varuna' Naval Exercise off Goa Coast: India and France will conduct their largest ever naval exercise 'Varuna' in May 2019. It will witness the participation of aircraft carriers, destroyers, submarines, and fighters. India will deploy its aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya with its MiG-29K fighters. Similarly, the French Navy will send its aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle with its Rafale-M naval jets, and other warships for the "Varuna" exercise.

2. INS Kolkata, Shakti to Participate In IFR In China: The Indian Navy will participate in International Fleet Review (IFR) that is scheduled to take place in Qingdao, China as part of 70th Anniversary celebrations of People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy). The Indian Navy would be represented in the IFR by indigenously built stealth guided missile destroyer INS Kolkata and fleet support ship INS Shakti.

OBITUARIES

1. Scotland All-rounder Con de Lange Passes Away: Scotland all-rounder Con de Lange who had been diagnosed with a brain tumour has passed away at the age of 38. The South Africa-born de Lange played 21 internationals for Scotland, making his debut in a T20I against Ireland in June 2015.

2. NASA's 1st Female Astronaut Candidate Jerrie Cobb Passes Away: America's first female astronaut candidate, pilot Jerrie Cobb passed away in Florida at the age of 88 following a brief illness. In 1961, Cobb became the first woman to pass astronaut testing. Altogether, 13 women passed the arduous physical testing and became famous as the Mercury 13.