Daily GK Updates - 16th May, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Lokpal Website Launched: The website of the Lokpal www.lokpal.gov.in has been launched. It was inaugurated by Chairperson Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose in presence of all the Members of Lokpal in New Delhi. It provides basic information about the working and functioning of the anti-corruption ombudsman. The Lokpal is the first institution of its kind in India established under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 to inquire and investigate into allegations of the corruption against public functionaries.

2. Sikkim Statehood Day: 16th May: President Ram Nath Kovind has greeted the people of Sikkim on their statehood day. It was on 16th May 1975 that Sikkim officially merged with the Indian union and became the 22nd state of the country.

3. Captain Aarohi Pandit Becomes 1st Woman In World To Cross Atlantic Ocean Solo In a LSA: Captain Aarohi Pandit, a 23-year-old pilot from Mumbai became the world's first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean solo in a Light Sports Aircraft (LSA). She achieved the feat when she landed her tiny aircraft at Iqaluit Airport in Canada, after a gruelling 3,000 km long flight, under adverse and extreme weather conditions. 

4. Election Commission curtails campaigning in West Bengal: Election Commission curtailed the campaigning in the West Bengal state following Kolkata violence. Campaigning for the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal end at 10 PM on Thursday.  According to Deputy Election Commissioner Chandra Bhushan Kuma, for the first time, such an action (Article 324) has been taken using constitutional powers of the poll panel. Nine Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal will go to polls in the last phase on Sunday. The Commission also ordered the removal of State's Principal Secretary (Home) Atri Bhattacharya and Additional Director General, CID, Rajeev Kumar from their posts.

5. 16th May: National Dengue Day: The Government of India (GoI) has declared 16th May as National Dengue Day to mark the toll from the deadly disease ‘Dengue’ (transmitted by the bite of Aedes mosquito). The day has been taking in terms of lives and to reaffirm nationwide efforts to tackle the scourge by using both education and medical intervention. Dengue is a viral disease which includes symptoms such as high-grade fever 2 to 7 days and headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India Signs ‘Christchurch Call to Action’: India signed the ‘Christchurch Call to Action’ in Paris. The agreement came in the backdrop of the attacks on mosques in March and is aimed at stopping the abuse of the Internet by extremists. India was represented by Ajay Prakash Sawhney, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

2. Nepali Sherpa Kami Rita Scales Mt Everest For 23rd Time, Creates World Record: Nepalese Sherpa climber Kami Rita has scaled Mount Everest for a 23rd time, breaking his own record for the most successful ascents of the world's highest peak. He first scaled Everest in 1994. He reached the 8,850-metre (29,035-feet) summit with other climbers via the Southeast Ridge route. 

3. Taiwan Expo 2019 begins in New Delhi: Tien Chung-Kwang (Representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre) and James CF Huang (Chairman of Taiwan External Trade Development Council) have inaugurated the three-day event ‘Taiwan Expo 2019’ in New Delhi. There are 10 theme pavilions at the expo focusing on green products, health care, agriculture, tourism, biotechnology and electrical equipment. 150 exhibitors are showcasing their products in 230 stalls.

4. Trump declares a national emergency over IT threats: US President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency to protect American computer networks from foreign adversaries. Mr. Trump signed an executive order which effectively bars US companies from using foreign telecoms believed to pose a security risk to the country. Several countries (including the US) have raised concerns that the company's products could be used by China for surveillance.

5. Sri Lanka declares National Vesak week from May 15th: Sri Lanka has declared a National Vesak week to mark the Vesak celebrations, one of the most significant events for Buddhist followers. The festival will be held under tight security and people have been encouraged to organize celebrations at Buddhist temples and not in public places in the wake of Easter Sunday attacks last month. The state Vesak festival will be held in Galle under the patronage of the President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe on Friday and Saturday. The Chief Prelates of four Buddhist chapters have requested the public to give priority to spiritual practices and not to conduct public celebrations that draw crowd due to the present security situation in the country.

6. Conference on Asian Civilizations Dialogue (CDAC) Organised in China: The Chinese Ministry of Education organised the ‘Conference on Asian Civilizations Dialogue (CDAC)’ in collaboration with UNESCO in Beijing. The theme of the event is ‘Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Asian Civilizations and a Community with a Shared Future’. As part of this conference, the Ministry also organized the parallel panel: Safeguarding the Diversity of Asian Civilizations. The objective of the dialogue to bring together a number of internationally renowned experts to deliberate and discuss the major challenges facing the rapprochement and peaceful coexistence of Asian Civilizations in today’s context.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. China to Host 2023 Asian Cup Football Tournament: China has become the sole contender to host Asian Cup Football tournament in 2023 after South Korea has announced to withdraw its bid to host the game. The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced that it had pulled out to strategically focus on a joint bid with North Korea to host the Women's World Cup in the same year.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. SIDBI Launched A Pilot Scheme For Fintech NBFCs: To give a fillip to digital lending, Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has put together a pilot scheme to extend financial assistance of up to Rs 10 crore to new-agefintech non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) engaged in financing small businesses and other income-generating activities. SIDBI has set the exposure cap for lending to a single new-age fintech NBFC at 30% of NOF of the new-age fintech NBFC, subject to maximum cap of Rs10 crore. 

2. RBI Releases Vision document for e-payment system: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released a vision document for ensuring a safe, secure, convenient, quick and affordable e-payment system. The move comes as the apex bank expects the number of digital transactions to increase more than four times to 8,707 crores (in December 2021). The 'Payment and Settlement Systems in India: Vision 2019 - 2021', with its core theme of 'Empowering Exceptional E-payment Experience', envisages achieving "a highly digital and cash-lite society" through the goal posts of competition, cost-effectiveness, convenience and confidence (4Cs).

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Infosys Foundation’s FCRA Licence Cancelled: The Home Ministry has cancelled the registration of Bengaluru-based NGO Infosys Foundation for alleged violation of norms in receiving foreign grants. All non-government organizations (NGOs) are mandatorily required to be registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act or FCRA to receive foreign funding.

2. Tech Mahindra Partners With French Based Firm Rakuten Aquafadas: IT services firm Tech Mahindra and French digital content publishing firm Rakuten Aquafadas signed an MoU to collaborate on building enhanced customer experience offerings. Rakuten Aquafadas and Tech Mahindra aim to build a Customer Experience Offering leveraging the suite of software that Rakuten Aquafadas provides for digital publishing.

3. India’s Overall Exports Registered Positive Growth Of 1.34% In April 2019: According to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry data, India’s overall exports, combining Merchandise and Services, in April 2019 is estimated to be around 44 billion US dollars with a positive growth of 1.34% over April 2018. Overall imports in April 2019 is estimated to be around 53 billion dollars with a positive growth of 4.5% over the corresponding period of 2018.