Daily GK Updates - 22nd May, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ISRO Successfully Launched Earth Observation Satellite 'RISAT-2B': Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched the 'RISAT-2B' Satellite from Satish Dhawan Space Centre Sriharikota (90 km north of Chennai). The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C46) lifted-off from the First Launch Pad and injected RISAT-2B into an orbit of 556 km, about 15 minutes and 25 seconds after lift-off. The RISAT-2B is radar imaging earth observation satellite, weighing about 615 kg. The satellite is intended to provide services in the field of agriculture, forestry and disaster management. The all-weather, radar imaging satellite has the capability to observe and image the earth from about 500 Kms. It will replace the RISAT-2, which was launched in 2009.

2. 2019 Lok Sabha Polls Record Highest Ever Voter Turnout in History: As per Election Commission of India, the 2019 Lok Sabha elections witnessed a voter turnout of 67.10% (interim), which is the highest ever voter turnout in the history of general elections. The previous highest voter turnout of 66.44% was recorded in 2014. 

3. A high-level committee submits its recommendations on crude oil imports: High-Level Committee constituted by the Centre has submitted its recommendations to Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan to bring down India’s dependence on crude oil imports. It has recommended short term, medium-term and long-term strategies in the report, clearly bringing out the strategy to reduce the import dependency of the nation. The High-Level Committee consisted of Dr Anil Kakodkar, eminent Scientist and Sidharth Pradhan, an expert on financial and tax issues.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. TAPI Pipeline Meeting Held in Turkmenistan: The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline meeting was held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. The groundbreaking of the TAPI gas pipeline will be held in Pakistan in October 2019. The TAPI gas pipeline project is expected to be completed by 2022 in Pakistan. The TAPI project, supported by the United States and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), has been touted by Turkmenistan since the 1990s.

2. World Bank, CommBank Team Up for ‘World 1st’ Blockchain Bond Transaction: The World Bank and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CommBank) have teamed up to enable recording of secondary market bond trading using blockchain tech. The institutions announced that their successful recording of a secondary transaction for bond-i, a blockchain-operated debt instrument, on a distributed ledger shows the “vast potential” of the technology, and marks the first bond to have both issuance and trading recorded on a blockchain platform.

3. Saray Khumalo Becomes 1st Black SA Woman to Conquer Mount Everest: South African Saray Khumalo has reached the highest point on the planet becoming the first black African woman to scale Mount Everest. This was her fourth attempt at climbing Mount Everest. In a previous attempt in May 2017, Khumalo had to be rescued from Mount Everest by helicopter.

4. International Day for Biological Diversity: 22 May: The UN General Assembly proclaimed 22 May, the date of the adoption of its text, as the International Day for Biological Diversity on 20 December 2000. The theme for International Day for Biological Diversity 2019 is 'Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our Health'. 

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Ola Launches Credit Card in Tie-Up with SBI Card: Ride-hailing company Ola has launched Ola Money SBI Credit Card in partnership with SBI Card, one of India’s largest credit card issuers. Powered by Visa, the Bangalore-based company aims to provide a flexible and convenient payment system alongside several benefits to its customers. 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Facebook Registers New Fintech Firm in Switzerland: Social media giant Facebook has apparently formed a new financial tech firm, Libra Networks LLC, in Geneva, Switzerland. Libra Networks was registered in Geneva by Facebook Global Holdings II LLC. Facebook registered the trademark “Libra” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office back in June, which was reportedly part of its secretive in-house crypto project.

2. India to grow at 7.1% in FY'20: United Nations' report: According to the United Nations report, India's economy is projected to grow at 7.1% in the fiscal year 2020 on the back of strong domestic consumption and investment. The Indian economy expanded by 7.2 per cent in 2018. That report had estimated that India would grow at 7.6 per cent in the fiscal year 2019 and 7.4 per cent in 2020.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Oman Author Jokha Alharthi Wins Booker International Prize: Oman author Jokha Alharthi (first Arabic-language writer) has won the prestigious Man Booker International Prize for "Celestial Bodies", the story of three sisters of a desert country confronting its slave-owning past and a complex modern world. Jokha Alharthi will split the 50,000 pounds or 64,000 US dollar purse with her UK-based translator, Marilyn Booth. "Celestial Bodies" beat five other finalists from Europe and South America, including last year's winner, Poland's Olga Tokarczuk. The prize is a counterpart to the Man Booker Prize for English-language novels and is open to books in any language that has been translated into English.

Note: The Man Booker International Prize is the world’s most prestigious English-language literary award launched in 1969 and presented by the Man Group. The award aims at promoting the finest literary work in fiction by rewarding the best novel of the year written in English and published in the United Kingdom (UK).

2. Shyam Saran to be Conferred Japan’s Order of the Rising Sun: Former Indian foreign secretary Shyam Saran (72-years) has been chosen to be conferred with Japan’s second highest national award in its 2019 Spring Imperial Decorations. Mr.  Saran will be awarded ‘the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star’ for his contributions to strengthen the strategic ties and enhancing mutual understanding between India and Japan. Shyam Saran was India’s Foreign Secretary during 2004-2006.

Note: 'The Order of the Rising Sun' is a Japanese government honour established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji. The design of the Rising Sun symbolizes energy as powerful as the rising sun in parallel with the "rising sun" concept of Japan.

DEFENCE

1. 8th Indo- Myanmar Coordinated Patrol begins at Port Blair: The 8th edition of the Indo-Myanmar Coordinated Patrol (IMCOR) is being held at Port Blair in Andaman & Nicobar Command (from 20-28 May 2019). Under the program, Myanmar ships UMS King TabinShweHtee (773) and UMS Inlay (OPV-54) are participating in the coordinated patrol (CORPAT) along with Indian Naval Ship Saryu. The ships will patrol along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) between the two countries covering distance of roughly 725 kilometres in four days, augmented by patrol aircraft from both navies.

OBITUARIES

1. Comedian And Co-Founder of 'The Comedy Store', Sammy Shore Passes Away: Sammy Shore, an actor and stand-up comedian who co-founded the Comedy Store,passed away. He was 92. Shore co-founded The Comedy Store with screenwriter and actor Rudy de Luca in 1972.

2. Renowned filmmaker & film historian Vijaya Mulay passes away: Renowned filmmaker, researcher and educationist Vijaya Mulay (98-years) passed away. Vijaya Mulay founded the Delhi Film Society in 1959, and later became a joint secretary of the Federation of Film Societies. She is most famously known for her 1974 film Ek Anek Aur Ekta, which was awarded the National Film Award for Best Educational Film.