Daily GK Updates - 19th August, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Union HRD Minister inaugurates International Conference on Teacher Education: The Union Minister of Human Resource Development inaugurated the International Conference titled “Journey of Teacher Education: Local to Global” in New Delhi. The 2-day event is being organized by the National Council of Teacher Education (NCTE) as part of silver jubilee celebration of its establishment in 1995. NCTE was tasked with achieving planned and coordinated development of teacher education system throughout the country and maintenance of norms and standards.

Note: Union Minister of Human Resource Development: Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.

2. Manipur CM launches ‘School Fagadaba’ scheme: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has launched a scheme named ‘School Fagadaba’ (Make education better) to improve the infrastructure of government schools in the state. The objective of the “School Fagadaba” Scheme is to ensure better infrastructure, quality education and overall improvement of government schools to make them model schools. In the first phase of the scheme, one school from each of the 60 Assembly constituencies in the state have been selected. Biometric devices would be installed in schools in ensuring regular attendance of teachers.

3. India gets its first national essential diagnostics list: India has got its first National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL) finalized by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). The purpose of this list to bridge the current regulatory system’s gap that does not cover all the medical devices and in-vitro diagnostic device (IVD). This will create stringent national pre-qualification specifications and processes that are necessary to ensure the availability of safe, effective, affordable tests of good quality as well as improving access to new diagnostics in resource-constrained settings. With this, India has become the first country to have such a list.

This comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) released the first edition of its essential diagnostics list (EDL) in May 2018.

4. Five New fish species discovered in Arunachal Pradesh: Fisheries and the aquatic ecology research team from the zoology department of Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU) have discovered 5 species of fish from various districts of the Arunachal pradesh. The 5 newly discovered species of fish are:

Mystus prabini (discovered in Sinkin and the Dibang rivers in Lower Dibang Valley district)

Exostoma kottelati (discovered in the Ranga river in Lower Subansiri district)

Creteuchiloglanis tawangensis (discovered in the Tawangchu river in Tawang district)

Garra ranganensis (discovered in the Ranga river)

Physoschistura harkishorei (discovered in the Dibang and the Lohit rivers in Lower Dibang Valley district).

5. Odisha approves conservation plan of lakes "Chilika and Ansupa": The Odisha Wetland Authority has approved implementation of an integrated management plan of lakes "Chilika and Ansupa". The Chilika lake is India’s largest brackish water lagoon and Ansupa is the Odisha’s largest freshwater lake. The 5-year management plan of lakes is intended at strengthening livelihood of thousands of fishermen relying on the two water-bodies at an estimated investment of Rs 180 crore.

Note: Chief Minister of Odisha: Naveen Patnaik; Governor: Ganeshi Lal.

6. President Kovind Inaugurates Bunker Museum at Maharastra Raj Bhavan: President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the 15,000 square feet long underground ‘Bunker Museum’ at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai. ‘Bunker Museum’ has virtual reality booths to give insight to visitors about the 19th century when the bunker was created to fire cannons at approaching enemy ships. The President also inaugurated the Presidential Guest House named Jal Kiran at Raj Bhavan which will serve as the accommodation for the President and the Prime Minister during their visits to Mumbai. On the occasion, President Kovind also laid the foundation stone of reconstruction of Maharashtra Governor’s Office-cum-Residence known as Jal Bhushan.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi to embark on 3-day visit to UAE, Bahrain: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a three-day visit to United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain beginning 23rd August 2019. Mr Modi will first travel to United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he will meet the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and discuss bilateral, regional and international matters of mutual interest. And then he will travel to Bahrain, where he would launch the renovation of a temple of

Note: The robust flow of bilateral investments and an annual bilateral trade of about 60 billion US dollar, the UAE is India's third-largest trade partner. UAE is also the fourth-largest exporter of crude oil for India.

2. Iceland commemorates 1st glacier "Okjokull" lost to climate change: Iceland commemorated the loss of 1st glacier "Okjokull", lost due to climate change. A bronze plaque was unveiled by Iceland in a ceremony which was attended by scientists and locals at the glacier in west-central Iceland. The plaque bears the inscription "A letter to the future".

Note: Prime Minister of Iceland: Katrin Jakobsdottir; Capital: Reykjavík.

3. Nepal will host 5th meeting of India-Nepal Joint Commission: The 5th meeting of India-Nepal Joint Commission will be held in Kathmandu, Nepal on 21st-22nd August 2019. Dr S. Jaishankar (India’s Minister for External Affairs) and Pradeep Kumar Gyawali (Nepal’s Minister of Foreign Affairs) will co-chair the meeting and lead their respective delegations. The Joint Commission Meeting will review the overall state of bilateral relations and various areas of cooperation such as connectivity and economic partnership, trade and transit, power and water resources, culture, education and other matters of mutual interest.

Note: India-Nepal Joint Commission was established in June 1987. Its meetings are held alternately in Nepal and India. The last meeting of the Commission was held in New Delhi on October 2016.

4. Chad President declares a state of emergency in two eastern provinces: Chad President Idriss Deby has declared a state of emergency in two eastern provinces after violent inter-communal clashes left dozens dead earlier this month. The state of emergency will run for three months in Sila and Ouaddai regions.

Note: The Republic of Chad is a landlocked country in north-central Africa.

It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west.

Capital: N'Djamena, Currency: Central African CFA franc (XAF)

5. World Humanitarian Day 2019: 19 August: World Humanitarian Day is observed across the world on August 19 to pay tribute to workers who risk their lives in humanitarian services and to gather support for people affected by crises around the world. The day was designated by the UN General Assembly to commemorate the 19 August 2003 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq. WHD 2019 campaign: #WomenHumanitarians.

World Humanitarian Day 2019 is set to celebrate Women Humanitarians and their undying contribution in making the world a better place. This year’s campaign on Women Humanitarians supports the recognition that women deserve in the strengthening of global humanitarian response as well as in protection efforts under the international law.

Note: WHO Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland, Director-General: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

6. World Photography Day: 19 August: The 'World Photography Day' is observed on 19 August to inspire photographers across the planet to share a single photo with the world. On this day, camera persons take stock of the different kind of photography that has come to the fore. On August 19 in 2010, World Photo Day hosted its first global online gallery.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Hima Das & Mohammad Anas win gold at Athleticky Mitink Reiter event: Indian sprinters Hima Das (19-years) and Mohammad Anas (24-years) have won a gold each in 300m races at the Athleticky Mitink Reiter event in the Czech Republic. Hima won the gold in women's event and Mohammad Anas claimed the Gold medal in men’s category. India’s Nirmal Tom clinched a bronze medal in the same event by clocking a timing of 33.03 seconds.

2. Labuschagne becomes first Concussion Substitute cricket player: Australian Cricket player Marnus Labuschagne (25-years) has become the concussion substitution player in the history of Test cricket. A Concussion Replacement is a player who takes the place of a player who has been replaced for the remainder of the match. In Ashes Series 2019, Labuschagne replaced Steve Smith in Australia's XI on the last day of the Lord’s Test.

A Concussion Replacement Request is a notification made to the ICC Match Referee in accordance with the process set out by ICC. The Team Medical Representative is the individual designated for the assessment of any head or neck injury sustained by a player. The player will be selected from the list of nominated players provided by that team whose player was injured and will take a full part in the match.

3. Chennai City FC ties up with German company "uhlsport": I-League champion Chennai City FC has announced a strategic partnership with German sports goods supplier "uhlsport". The partnership aims to support a sustainable growth of football education in India. It will also work to develop grassroots football in Tamil Nadu and across India.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be honoured with "Order of Zayed": The United Arab Emirates will honour the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the "Order of Zayed", the highest civilian award of the country, which was conferred earlier in April 2019 in recognition of the distinguished leadership of Prime Minister Modi for giving a big boost to bilateral relations between the two countries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will recieve the award during his visit to the UAE. The order in the name of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founding father of the UAE, acquires special significance as it is awarded to Prime Minister Modi in the year of the birth centenary of Sheikh Zayed.

Note: Capital of the UAE: Abu Dhabi; Currency: Dirham.

2. Longest documentary "100 Years of Chrysostum" will receive Guinness Award: A biographical documentary "100 Years of Chrysostum" will receive Guinness Award in the category of longest documentary. The "100 Years of Chrysostum" is based on the life of Philipose Mar Chrysostum, scripted and directed by filmmaker Blessy. The 48-hour and 8 minutes documentary has broken the record of the 21-hour Saudi Arabian documentary "World of Snakes". Former Padma Bhushan awardee Philipose Mar Chrysostum is a Metropolitan Emeritus of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar.

OBITUARIES

1. Former Bihar CM Jagannath Mishra passes away: Veteran Congress leader and three-time Bihar Chief Minister Dr Jagannath Mishra (82-years) passed away at a hospital in Delhi. Dr Mishra became Chief Minister in 1975, 1980 and 1989. Before joining politics, Mishra was an economics professor at Bihar University.