Daily GK Updates - 30th September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Astronomical Union names asteroid after Pandit Jasraj: The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has named an asteroid after Indian classical singer Pandit Jasraj. The asteroid formally known as a minor planet, is located between Mars and Jupiter. It was discovered on November 11, 2006, by the Catalina Sky Survey. The privilege of naming a planet is first given to discoverers, who have 10 years to propose a name.

Note: Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj is an exponent of Indian classical vocal music. Jasraj is the recipient of numerous awards, honours, and titles, including the prestigious Padma Vibhushan and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award.

2. Suresh Chitturi appointed International Egg Commission chief: Suresh Chitturi, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of India’s leading poultry firm Srinivasa Farms, has been appointed as chairman of the International Egg Commission (IEC) for the next two years. The appointment was made at the IEC Global Leadership Conference in Copenhagen in Denmark. He will be the first chair from Asia in the history of the institution, as he assumes the role of the Chairman of IEC.

Note: The International Egg Commission (IEC) is a membership organisation (over 80 countries) dedicated to the global egg industry. The IEC was established in 1964 at the second International Egg Conference held in Bologna, Italy. Headquarters: United Kingdom.

3. ‘Aadi Mahotsav’ starts at Expo Centre Noida: Smt. Renuka Singh (Minister of State for Tribal Affairs) has inaugurated the 11-day ‘Aadi Mahotsav’ at Expo Centre, Noida (UP). Artists and artisans from as many as 20 states of the country are a part of this mega cultural razzmatazz and showcase their traditional art, craft and culture. Aadi Mahotsav (Tribal Festival) organized by Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED), Ministry of Tribal Affairs. The festival will continue from 11 am to 8.30 pm, daily till 8th October 2019.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 31st International Conference on Sindh held in London: The World Sindhi Congress (WSC) hosted a 31st international conference on Sindh in London. In WSC the participants highlighted issues such as enforced disappearances of activists, human rights violations and forced conversion of religious minorities in Pakistan. The 31st International Conference on Sindh slammed Pakistan over its failure to respect democratic rights and curbs on by the country’s military and called on the need to tackle growing religious extremism.

Note: Chairman of World Sindhi Congress: Rubina Shaikh.

2. International Translation Day: 30 September: The United Nations observes International Translation Day on 30 September every year on the feast of St. Jerome, the Bible translator who is considered the patron saint of translators. . International Translation Day is meant as an opportunity to pay tribute to the work of language professionals, which plays an important role in bringing nations together, facilitating dialogue, understanding and cooperation, contributing to development and strengthening world peace and security.

Note: On 24 May 2017, the General Assembly adopted resolution 71/288 on the role of language professionals in connecting nations and fostering peace, understanding and development, and declared 30 September as International Translation Day.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Aryna Sabalenka wins WTA Wuhan Open: Aryna Sabalenka has won the WTA Wuhan Open held in Wuhan, China. She became the first player to claim back-to-back titles in Wuhan. She defeated American Alison Riske in the summit clash by 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. She has also joined Petra Kvitova as the only two-time Wuhan Open champion.

2. Sumit Nagal wins title at ATP Challenger Tournament: Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal has won the men’s singles title at the ATP Challenger Tournament held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He defeated Argentina’s Facundo Bognis by 6-4, 6-2 to win the title. It was Sumit’s second Challenger title of his career, following the triumph in the Bengaluru Challenger event in 2017. He jumped of 26 spots to achieve a career-best ranking of 135.

3. Deepti Sharma becomes 1st Indian cricketer to bowl 3 maidens in T20Is: India’s all-rounder Deepti Sharma (22-years) had an extraordinary outing in India’s first T20I against South Africa in Surat. Deepti Sharma gave away runs only off the 19th ball that she bowled in the India Women vs South Africa Women match. She ended with figures of 4/8 with three of the four overs to lead India to victory. This is the first time that an Indian has bowled as many maidens in a T20I match.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Tapan Mishra honoured with the National Tourism Award: Odisha’s Tapan Kumar Mishra has been honoured with the National Tourism Award for the Category of “Best Tourist Guide” for the year 2017-18 during celebration of the World Tourism Day. He is a freelance Tourist Guide approved by the Union Ministry of Tourism. Tapan Kumar Mishra has the rarest achievement of accompanying a single Belgian tourist for 965 days in a span of 8 years in which he has covered 26 States out of which 15 states twice on road from Odisha covering more than one lakh km.

2. Kallie Puri awarded with “India’s Most Powerful Women in Media”: India’s Kallie Puri has been awarded with “India’s Most Powerful Women in Media” award at the famed Confluence Excellence Awards. She received the prestigious award at the British Parliament. She is the Vice-Chairperson of the India Today Group.

3. Documentary on Real Kashmir FC nominated for BAFTA Awards: A documentary on Srinagar-based football club Real Kashmir FC has nominated in the prestigious British Academy Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards. The documentary, aired by BBC Scotland earlier this year on the journey of former Rangers ace David Robertson at the helm of Real Kashmir FC, has been nominated in two categories. Its director Greg Clark has picked up a nod for the ‘Director Factual’ category, while the show will battle it out in the ‘Single Documentary’ category.

4. Thanu Padmanabhan gets MP Birla Memorial Award: Physicist Thanu Padmanabhan received the M P Birla Memorial Award 2019 for his contributions to the world of cosmology. He is a professor of Inter-university Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics in Pune. The award was introduced in 1993 in recognition to the excellence in research in Astronomy, Astrophysics, Space Science and related areas.

OBITUARIES

1. Veteran actor Viju Khote best known as Kalia from Sholay passes away: Veteran Bollywood actor Viju Khote passed away. The actor best is remembered for his role as Kalia in the cult classic Sholay. He worked in over 300 Hindi and Marathi films. He has been working in film since 1964. Apart from Sholay, he was remembered for his roles in films like Andaz Apna Apna, in which he starred as Robert.

Daily GK Updates - 29th September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Rural Investors and Start-up Conclave (RISC) 2019 held in Hyderabad: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated Rural Investors and Start-up Conclave (RISC) 2019 in Hyderabad. It was held at National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Hyderabad. The purpose of this conclave is to generate new ideas and also see how the government can address the challenges faced by the new startups in rural areas

2. Gujarat launches India’s first ‘Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)’ to combat particulate air pollution: The State Government of Gujarat has launched India’s 1st trading program called “Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS)” in Surat, Gujarat to combat particulate air pollution. ETS, is a market-based system where the government sets a cap on emissions and allows industries to buy and sell permits (in kilograms) to stay below the cap. For this reason, ETS is also called as a cap-and-trade market. It is designed with the help of a team of researchers from different institutions.

Cap-and-trade market: Under this, the GPCB initially determine the total mass of pollution that can be put into the air over a fixed period by all factories/Industries as a whole. A permit is then created in which each is allowed some degree of pollution emissions and the total permit is equal to the maximum fixed pollution emissions. This permit is usually a number/unit that can be bought or sold.

Note: Gujarat Capital: Gandhinagar; Governor: Acharya Devvrat; Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 7th World Hindu Economic Forum (WHEF) 2019 held in Mumbai, Maharashtra: A 3-day event of 7th World Hindu Economic Forum (WHEF) 2019 held at Hotel Grand Hyatt in Mumbai, Maharashtra from 27- 29, September, 2019 with the theme “Prosperous Society: Stronger Society” to bring together financially successful members in Hindu society such as such as traders, bankers, technocrats, investors, industrialists to share business knowledge, expertise and resources with their fellow brethren. The event witnessed the keynote speeches of UP (Uttar Pradesh) Chief Minister Adityanath and Maharashtra chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis in the presence of forefront industry leaders including Piramal Group’s chairman Ajay Piramal, and senior executives from Lockheed Martin US (United States), Tata Sons’ defence business and Larsen & Toubro(L&T), Indian Space Research Organisation Chairperson AS Kiran Kumar, State Bank of India (SBI) Chairperson Rajnish Kumar.

Note: The WHEF journey began in 2012 at Hong Kong, followed by successful annual forums in Bangkok 2013, New Delhi 2014, London 2015, Los Angeles 2016, and Chicago 2018. WHEF 2020 will be organized in The Hague, Netherlands.

2. 50th Edition of WEF Annual Meeting for 2020 to be held in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland: The 50th Edition of World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting for 2020 will be held in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland from January 21-24, 2020. The Chief Minister of Punjab Captain Amarinder Singh will be attending the meeting as he has accepted the invitation of WEF president Borge Brende which was issued on behalf of the Forum Board of Trustees.

Note: WEF Headquarters: Cologny, Switzerland

3. 6th Edition of International Conference MASCRADE 2019 Organised by FICCI: The 6th edition of International Conference Mascrade 2019 (Movement against Smuggling and Counterfeit Trade) was held on 26-27, September 2019 in New Delhi. The event was organised by FICCI CASCADE (Committee against Smuggling and Counterfeiting Activities Destroying the Economy), a dedicated forum of FICCI. The theme for MASCRADE 2019 was ‘Containing Counterfeiting, Smuggling and Piracy: A Winning Strategy’. The event provides a platform to global participants to find solutions for combating, apprehending and administrating preventive mechanisms with regards to illicit trading activities.

4. Deputy Prime Minister And Commerce Minister Of Thailand Jurin Laksanawisit Visited India: The Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister of Thailand Mr Jurin Laksanawisit was on a first trade visit to Mumbai and Chennai, India to promote Thai products from September 25-28, 2019. The delegation comprised of officials from the International Trade Promotion Department, Ministry of Commerce, Thailand Rubber Authority and many private sector officials.

Mr Jurin Laksanawisit launched the Agri-Trade Supply Chain Alliance (ATSCHA) which will ease the trade relations and increase trade commodity supply between the countries. He addressed the Thai Indo Business Networking (TIBN), a trade networking platform organised by The Department of International Trade Promotion and Ministry of Commerce, Thailand which was held in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Thailand also invited a business delegation from India in November 2019 and Indian onliner retailer BigBasket.com to sign a deal with the Thailand government for the promotion of Thai products on its e-commerce platform. Thailand and India signed agreements worth Rs 2,400 crore to boost trade ties in the field of rubber, construction material, food and beverages, logistics.

Note: Thailand Capital: Bangkok; Currency: Thai Baht

India is Thailand’s tenth largest export market. Thailand is the world’s largest exporter of Rubber and Rubber Wood.

5. Nepal Central Bank issued 3 coins bearing Sikh emblem to commemorate 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev: The Governor of Nepal’s Central Bank ‘Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)’, Dr. Chiranjibi Nepal & Indian Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri have jointly released three coins (100, 1000 and 2500 Nepali rupees) bearing the Sikh symbol to commemorate the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. These coins will be available in the market from September 30, 2019. A book titled “Sikh Heritage of Nepal” based on Sikh heritage of Nepal was also launched in the program. This book has been published by BP Koirala India-Nepal Foundation in association with the Indian Embassy in Nepal.

Guru Nanak dev: He was Nirguna Bhakti saint and social reformer was born at Nankana Sahib (formerly known as Rai Bhoi Di Talwandi) near Lahore,Pakistan in April 15, 1469. He was the first Sikh Guru and founder of Sikhism. The verses composed by him were collected in Adi Granth, written in Gurmukhi script.He is said to have visited Balaju area on the outskirts of Kathmandu, Nepal five hundred years ago. The 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev will be celebrated on 12 November, 2019.

Note: Nepal Capital: Kathmandu; Currency: Nepalese rupee; President : Bidhya Devi Bhandari; Prime Minister : Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli

6. World Heart Day 2019: September 29: World Heart Day (WHD) was observed on September 29, 2019. The day which is celebrated annually creates awareness on Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) including heart disease & stroke and highlights the preventive and control measures. The theme of World Heart Day 2019 was, “my heart, your heart” campaign.

Note: It was initiated by the Geneva, Switzerland based World Heart Federation (WHF), in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1999. The idea was proposed by Antoni Bayés de Luna, the then president of WHF from 1997-99.

7. World Deaf Day 2019: September 29: World Deaf Day (WDD) which is usually observed every year on the last Sunday in the month of September was observed on September 29, 2019. It creates awareness about the contributions of deaf people to society. The day was initiated by the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) headquartered in Helsinki, Finland.

International Week of the Deaf (IWDeaf): This initiative of WFD was first launched in 1958 in Rome, Italy and is observed annually by the global Deaf Community in the last full week of September to commemorate the first World Congress of the WFD which was held in September. This year it was celebrated from September 23-29 under the theme “Sign Language Rights for All!“.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Lewis Hamilton Wins 2019 Russian Grand Prix: British racing driver Lewis Hamilton, who races in Formula One for Mercedes won the Russian Grand Prix 2019. This was his 9th win of the season. Team-mate Valtteri Bottas was in second, with Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) was third. Verstappen was fourth.

2. Japan’s Kento Momota wins Korea Open (Badminton): Top-ranked Kento Momota of Japan clinched the men’s singles title at the Korea Open badminton tournament on Sunday with a win over number two Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan. The 25-year-old downed Chou 21-19, 21-17 in a final that lasted 53 minutes. In the women’s final, China’s He Bingjiao defeated Ratchanok Intanon of Thailand 18-21, 24-22, 21-17.

South Korea dominated the women’s doubles, with Kim So-yeong and Kong Hee-yong beating compatriots Lee So-hee and Shin Seung-chan 13-21, 21-19, 21-17. Indonesian pair Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto defeated Takeshi Kamura and Keigo Sonoda of Japan 21-16, 21-17 to clinch the men’s doubles title.

3. India lifts SAFF U-18 C’ship title for first time; defeat Bangladesh 2-1: In Football, India defeated Bangladesh by 2-1 in the final of SAFF Under-18 Championship 2019 to lift the title in Kathmandu. India's Ninthoinganba Meetei was declared Most Valuable Player of the championship. This is India's maiden SAFF U-18 trophy. India remained runners up in 2015 and finished third in 2017. Host Nepal had lifted earlier two editions of the Championship but could not qualify for semi finals this time.

4. 2019 IWF World Weightlifting Championships held in Pattaya, Thailand: 2019 International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) World Weightlifting Championships was held at Eastern National Sports Training Center in Pattaya, Thailand. It was organized by Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association and it was a qualifying event for the Tokyo Olympics 2020. China topped the medal tally with 10 Gold, 5 Silver & 3 Bronze followed by North Korea and Armenia. Egypt was banned from competing due to doping offenses.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu Confers Renowned Archaeologist Dr. G B Deglurkar with 31st Punyabhushan Award: Renowned Archaeologist Dr. G B Deglurkar was presented with the 31st Punyabhushan Award in recognition of his immense contribution in the field of Archaeology during a special public function in the city of Pune, Maharashtra. The award is instituted by PunyaBhushan Foundation in Pune. It is given to an eminent personality of Pune from the field of art, music, culture, science, industry, social service, or sports that are chosen as the Pride of Pune. Punyabhushan means Jewel of Pune in Marathi.

2. Venkaiah Naidu conferred Telugu poet K Siva Reddy with 28th Saraswati Samman award:  Vice President, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has honored the Telugu litterateur Dr. K Siva Reddy with the 28th Saraswati Samman for the creation of his famous poetry collection ‘Pakkaki Ottigilite’(Turning aside while lying down) in 2018 during an award giving ceremony organized by the KK Birla Foundation in New Delhi. The selection council of KK Birla Samman, jury (Chayan Parishad), or selection committee, which includes renowned scholars and writers and was headed by constitutionalist Subhash Kashyap, selected Dr. Reddy, who has enriched Telugu literature through compositions of 23 poems.

Note: The prestigious Saraswati Samman instituted in 1991 by the K. K. Birla Foundation, is awarded every year for significant contribution in the field of literature related to any of the 22 languages of India included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 15lakh, a citation and a plaque.

DEFENCE

1. Indo-Kazakhstan Joint Military Exercise KAZIND- 2019 to be held at Pithoragarh: The Armies of India and Kazakhstan will conduct the annual joint military Exercise KAZIND-2019 at Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand from 02 to 15 October 2019. KAZIND-2019 is the fourth edition of the exercise which is conducted alternatively in Kazakhstan and India.

2. Second Kalvari-class Submarine INS 'Khanderi' joins Indian Navy: India's second Kalvari-class Submarine INS 'Khanderi' was commissioned into the Indian Navy in a ceremony held at the Mazagon Docks in Mumbai. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who was present during the event, commissioned the submarine into the Indian Navy. "The name Khanderi is inspired by the dreaded 'Sword Tooth Fish,' a deadly fish known to hunt whilst swimming close to the bottom of the ocean. Khanderi is also the name of an island fort constructed by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He was one of the few medieval rulers in the country who understood the significance of naval supremacy.

Note: Khanderi is the second of the Navy's six Kalvari-class submarines built in India. It is a diesel-electric attack submarine which is designed by French naval defence and energy company DCNS which is being manufactured at Mazagon Dock in Mumbai. The state-of-the-art features of this Scorpene class submarine include superior stealth and the ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision-guided weapons.

OBITUARIES

1. Former foreign secretary K.P.S. Menon (junior) passes away: Former Foreign Secretary & a 1951 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, K P S Menon Jr. (junior) has passed away at his residence in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala due to age-related ailments. He was 90. He had served as the Foreign Secretary of India from 1987 to 1989. His father Kumara Padma Sivasankara Menon or K.P.S. Menon (Senior) was the first Foreign Secretary of independent India. Sivasankara Menon, nephew of KPS Menon Jr, is the foreign secretary and national security adviser. He worked as an ambassador to various countries, including Bangladesh, Egypt, Japan and China.

Daily GK Updates - 28th September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. First Indigenous Fuel Cell System launched on CSIR Foundation Day: The President of India Ramnath Kovind unveiled the first Indigenous High-Temperature Fuel Cell System. This system is developed by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in partnership with Indian industries under India’s flagship program named “New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI)” on the occasion of CSIR Foundation Day in New Delhi. The 5.0 kW fuel cell system generates power in a green manner using methanol / bio-methane, with heat and water as bi-products for further use; amounting to greater than 70% efficiency, which otherwise may not be possible by other energy sources.

Note: Director-General of CSIR: Shekhar C. Mande.

2. DRDO and CUJ sign MoU to set up Kalam Centre for Science and Technology: Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defence and Central University of Jammu (CUJ) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of Kalam Centre for Science and Technology (KCST) at the university. The main objective of the MoU is to undertake and facilitate multidisciplinary directed basic and applied research and technology development in the identified research verticals namely Computational System Security and Sensors. The centre will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and equipment leading to an increase in research scholars in these areas.

Note: Union Minister of Defence: Raj Nath Singh.

Chairman of DRDO: Dr G. Satheesh Reddy; Headquarters: New Delhi; Founded: 1958.

3. Jharkhand’s Karmatand block named after Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar: The Jharkhand government has named Jamtara districts Karmatand block as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar block as a mark of respect on the birth anniversary of the great social reformer. Now the block will be known as Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar prakhand. Jamtaras Karmatand prakhand (block) was the ‘karma bhumi’ (workplace) of social reformer and a strong supporter of women’s education Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.

Note: Bengali polymath and a key figure of the Bengal Renaissance ‘Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’ was born on 26th September 1820. He was a philosopher, academic educator, writer, translator, printer, publisher, entrepreneur, reformer and philanthropist.

4. National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) to be ready by January 2020: The work on the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) set up to track any terror suspect and prevent terrorist attacks with real-time data, has been accelerated. This move comes after Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the progress of NATGRID project (worth Rs.3400 crore). NATGRID will start functioning by January 2020.

Note: National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) is a robust intelligence gathering mechanism related to banking, immigration, individual taxpayers, air and train travels. The data recovery centre of the NATGRID has been constructed in Bengaluru, Karnataka and Delhi (headquarter).

5. Goa govt. bans single-use plastic in its offices from Oct 2: The Goa Government has decided to ban the usage of single-use plastic water bottles, glasses, plates from 2nd October 2019 onwards. The state government wants to promote eco-friendly and re-usable items in the coastal state. Last month, the Goa Legislative Assembly passed a bill banning manufacture, sale and use of single-use plastic items and carry bags, with a penalty ranging from Rs 2,500 to Rs. 3 lakh for violators.

6. Dr Harsh Vardhan launches ‘TB Harega Desh Jeetega’ Campaign: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan has launched the new TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign. The Union Health Minister also flagged off a van for the National TB Prevalence Survey. All twenty-five vans will be part of the prevalence survey, which shall take 6 months and be carried out across the country. In April 2018, the government launched the ‘Nikshay Poshan Yojana’, a direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme to provide nutritional support to TB patients. Under the scheme, TB patients have been receiving Rs 500 per month for the entire duration of treatment.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 2nd 'Singapore - India' Hackathon organised at IIT Madras: 2nd edition of ‘Singapore - India Hackathon’ has been organised at IIT Madras, Chennai to promote innovation. India-Singapore Hackathon is the first of its kind joint International hackathon between India and Singapore during which the selected bright students from India and Singapore. They will work in collaboration to develop an innovative and out-of-the-box solution for some of the daunting problems faced by our societies. This year, the hackathon is focused on quality education, Good Health and clean energy. 20 teams with 6 team members each is participating in the hackathon.

2. Mahatma Gandhi's 80-year-old letter wishing Jews "era of peace" unveiled in Israel: A short-hand- written letter by Mahatma Gandhi 80-years-ago has been unveiled for the first time by the National Library of Israel (NLI). Gandhi Ji was wishing the "afflicted (Jewish) people" an "era of peace" in the letter, written on the same day World War II broke out. Gandhi wrote the letter to Head of the Bombay Zionist Association, A E Shohet, who was trying to enlist the support of Indian leaders in favour of the movement to establish a national home for the Jewish people. Written on Rosh Hashana (Jewish new year) on September 1, 1939, the letter also marked the beginning of the war when Germany invaded Poland. It also set the stage for the despicable atrocities of the Holocaust.

3. For the first time, Saudi Arabia to offer tourist visas: Saudi Arabia will offer tourist visas for the first time as a measure to expand its economy away from oil. As a part, it will open applications for online tourist visas to citizens of 49 countries. Enhancing tourism is a one among the targets in Vision 2030 reform programme of Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman. It also launched e-tourist visa during the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) in Riyadh.

Note: Saudi Arabia Capital: Riyadh; Currency: Saudi riyal

4. World Rabies Day: 28 September: World Rabies Day is observed on 28th September (since-2007) across the world to raise awareness about the rabies disease and its preventable measures. The day also marks the anniversary of French chemist and microbiologist Louis Pasteur's death, who developed the first rabies vaccine. The World Rabies Day 2019 theme is Rabies: Vaccinate to Eliminate. This year’s theme focuses on vaccination, the foundation of all rabies control efforts.

5. International Day for Universal Access to Information: 28 September: The International Day for the Universal Access to Information (also known as Access to Information Day) is a UNESCO recognised day held on 28 September ever year. Theme 2019: “Access to Information: Leaving No One Behind!”. The day was first held on 28 September 2016.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Rupa Gurunath appointed as first woman president of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association: Rupa Gurunath was appointed as the first woman president of Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) at the 87th Annual General Meeting of TNCA held at Chepauk MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. With this appointment, she also became the first woman to head a state-level cricket body in the country. Also Justice K. Kannan, retired judge of Punjab and Haryana Courts, was appointed as the ombudsman and Justice M. Jeyapaul, retired judge Madras High Court, was appointed as the ethics officer during the meeting.

Note:

BCCI President: C.K. Khanna; Headquarter of BCCI: Mumbai.

2. Deepak Punia clinched top spot in UWW’s rankings- 86 kg category: Indian wrestler Deepak Punia, aged 20, clinched the top spot in the rankings released by United World Wrestling (UWW), an international federation for wrestling, in the 86 kg category with 82 points. He had recently won silver in the World Wrestling Championships 2019 held in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. Iran’s Hassan Aliazam Yazdanicharati was ranked second. In the 65-kg category, Bajrang Punia lost the first spot to Russia’s Gadzhimurad Rashidov. Latter has a 9-point lead over the former. In the 57-kg category, Ravi Kumar Dahiya was ranked 5th with 39 points. In the 61-kg category, Rahul Aware was ranked 2nd. In women’s rankings, Vinesh Phogat jumped to number two in 53kg category. Seema Bisla ranked 3rd in 50 kg category while Pooja Dhanda is ranked 5th in 59kg, two places behind compatriot Manju Kumari.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. PNB MetLife India Insurance Co. Ltd. ties-up with Religare Health Insurance: PNB MetLife India Insurance Co. Ltd. has tied-up with Religare Health Insurance to offer a product which covers health, death and illness. The tie-up will offer additional earning opportunity for the life insurer’s distribution channel partners. The product will be a seamless integration exercise to ensure that it comes as a single policy to a customer.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Cochin International Airport wins award for passenger satisfaction: Airport Council International has recognised Cochin International Airport Limited as the best airport in terms of services offered to passengers. As per the annual Airport Service Quality survey conducted by the ACI, CIAL was ranked amongst the best airports in the 5-15 million category in the Asia Pacific region for the year 2018. The award was presented to the authorities of Cochin International Airport at the second Annual ACI Customer Experience Global Summit held at Bali, Indonesia. ACI ASQ survey is world-renowned and established airport service quality benchmarking programme measuring passengers’ satisfaction.

2. Infosys Bags UN Global Climate Action Award for ‘Carbon Neutral Now’ Category: IT major Infosys has received the United Nations Global Climate Action Award in the ‘Climate Neutral Now’ category. Infosys is the only corporate from India to earn the recognition for its efforts to combat climate change. The announcement of the winners was made after the UN Climate Summit in New York convened by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The award will be presented to Infosys at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP25) in Santiago, Chile (December 2019).

Note: Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Infosys: Salil Parekh.

DEFENCE

1. Air Marshal HS Arora appointed new IAF Vice Chief: Air Marshal HS Arora has been appointed as the Vice Chief of Indian Air Force. He will succeed Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria who will take over as the Chief of Air Staff. Air Marshal Arora is currently heading the Gandhinagar headquartered South Western Air Command of the Air Force. He was also deputed as Defence Attache at the Embassy of India, Bangkok, Thailand from 2006 to 2009. In another re-shuffle, Air Marshal B Suresh has been appointed as Western Air Commander of the Air Force, in New Delhi. Suresh will succeed Kargil war hero Air Marshal Raghunath Nambiar.

OBITUARIES

1. Owner of the Britannia & Co restaurant, Boman Rashid Kohinoor passes away: Mr Boman Rashid Kohinoor, senior partner at the iconic Britannia & Co restaurant (Mumbai) has passed away at the Parsee General Hospital in Mumbai, Maharashtra due to cardiac arrest. Boman Kohinoor’s father Rashid Kohinoor, a Zoroastrian immigrant from Iran started this restaurant in the south Mumbai, in the year 1923.

Daily GK Updates - 27th September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India Tourism Mart 2019 inaugurated in New Delhi: Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture (I/C) Shri Prahlad Singh Patel inaugurated the exhibition of India Tourism Mart (ITM) 2019 in New Delhi. The Ministry of Tourism and the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism and Hospitality (FAITH) have jointly organized this Mart. Over 240 international delegates from 51 countries and 160 exhibitors from across the country are taking in the part in the second edition of ITM. The Mart will provide a platform at the national level for trade and hospitality service providers in the country to interact and conduct business with their counterparts from overseas.

2. UP govt. announces ₹6,000 annual aid for ‘triple talaq’ victims: Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath announced an annual support of ₹6,000 to the victims of triple talaq till their rehabilitation and they will get free legal aid. The victims of triple talaq came under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) and govt also gives rights over waqf properties and also called for several welfare measures that should be undertaken for their rehabilitation.

Note: ‘Triple talaq’ is a form of Islamic divorce which has been used by Muslims in India. It allowed any Muslim man to legally divorce his wife by uttering the word talaq (the Arabic word for "divorce") three times in oral, written or, more recently, electronic form.

3. Centre approves construction of 1.23 lakh houses under PMAY-Urban: The Indian government has approved the construction of 1.23 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban). The approval was given by the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC). With this approval, over 90 lakh houses have so far been sanctioned against the target of 1.12 crore by 2022 under PMAY (Urban).

Note: Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (launched in June 2015) is an initiative by Government of India in which affordable housing will be provided to the urban poor with a target of building 20 million affordable houses by 31st March 2022.

4. Justice C.K. Abdul Rehim- Acting CJ of the Kerala, Justice Vineet Kothari- Acting CJ of Madras: According to law and justice ministry’s notification the President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind has appointed senior High Court (HC) judge Justice C.K. Abdul Rehim as the acting Chief Justice(CJ) of the Kerala High Court after incumbent Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy was elevated as the Supreme Court (SC) Judge.

Also Justice Vineet Kothari of Rajasthan, the senior-most judge of Madras High Court (HC), appointed as its Acting Chief Justice (ACJ). He replaces Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani who recently resigned her post.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Global Goals Jam 3.0 hosted by World University of Design: World University of Design (WUD) hosted Global Goals Jam 3.0. The Indian edition of the global event focusing on design thinking and service design methodologies was hosted with the theme: eWaste. 70 participants from across India, divided into ten groups, participated in the workshop and presented their ideas and vision for the future. GGJ is an international platform for inclusive learning where people from all around the world contribute to the 17 global goals for sustainable development of UNDP by sharing their stories, projects, and visions for the future.

2. Bangladesh lifts ban on Hilsa export to India: Bangladesh has lifted the ban on the exports of Hilsa fish to India as a goodwill gesture during the Durga Puja. Bangladesh will allow 500 tonnes of Hilsa fish for the occasion as a onetime arrangement. Export of the popular Hilsa or ‘Ilish’ fish from Bangladesh was banned in 2012 after local business establishments called for controlling the price of fishes. Bangladesh accounts for nearly 75 percent of world Hilsa production and nearly 2 million people get direct and indirect employment from its cultivation.

Note: Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Taka; PM: Sheikh Hasina.

3. 21st session of FAO-WHO Coordinating Committee of Asia for 2019 held in Panaji, Goa: The 21st session of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and World Health Organisation (WHO) Coordinating Committee of Asia for 2019 was held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Goa- Panaji, Goa from September 23-27, 2019. It was the second session of the Coordinating Committee in Asia, organized by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in collaboration with the WHO and FAO of the United Nations (UN). The aim of the session was to identify issues and explore best practices in food safety at primary production in the region and delegates from 18 member countries participated in the session.

4. World Tourism Day: 27 September: The United Nations observes 27 September every year as World Tourism Day. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness of the role of tourism within the international community and to demonstrate how it affects social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide. This year India is hosting the official celebrations of World Tourism Day with the theme ‘Tourism and Jobs: a better future for all’.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu conferred the National tourism awards in various categories at a function in New Delhi. Andhra Pradesh has bagged the Best State Award for overall growth in tourism category while Goa and Madhya Pradesh were joint winners in the Adventure Tourism category. Uttarakhand was awarded best film promotion friendly state and Telangana for the best state in the innovative use of IT category.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Ministry of Sports to create 20 National Centres of Excellence to groom athletes: Ministry of Sports will create 20 National Centres of Excellence to groom athletes for 2024 and 2028 Olympics. The new scheme will ensure that athletes in the same premises have access to similar facilities unlike before. According to sports minister Kiren Rijiju, standardising training on campuses will enable athletes to attain much higher performances in their respective sport. Each Centre of Excellence will offer funds for four to six specific sports. The centres are in Patiala, Trivandrum, Chandigarh, Sonepat, Lucknow, Guwahati, Imphal, Kolkata, Bhopal, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Gandhinagar.

2. Facebook bags digital content rights for ICC matches in South Asia: The International Cricket Council has inked an agreement with Facebook, under which the social media platform will get exclusive digital content rights for select cricket matches in the Indian subcontinent including the Women’s T20 World Cup 2020-22, Men’s T20 World Cup 2020-21 and the Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023. The social media platform also bagged the rights for match recaps for rest of the world for the next 4 years.

Note: Chief Executive Officer of ICC: Manu Sawhney.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. The search engine ‘Google’ is celebrating its 21st birthday: The Internet search engine ‘Google’ is celebrating its 21st birthday on 27 Sept, 2019. American multinational technology company ‘Google’ has shown this special occasion of the 20-year journey by making doodles (An old computer is shown in Google's doodle). Google was founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were PhD students at Stanford University in California. Google (operating in 100 languages) is one of the four big technology companies along with Apple, Amazon, Facebook.

Note: Indian American Sundar Pichai (Pichai Sundararajan) is the chief executive officer (CEO) of Google LLC. Headquarters: 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, California, U.S.

OBITUARIES

1. 4-time Emmy Award winner J. Michael Mendel passes away: An American television producer 4-time Emmy Award winner J. Michael Mendel (54-years) passed away at his home in Los Angeles, US. He won four Emmys for ‘Lisa’s Wedding’ (in 1995), Homer’s Phobia (in 1997), Trash of the Titans (in 1998) and Pickle Rick (in 2018). He joined ‘The Simpsons’ (in 1989), where he produced shows such as The PJs, The Oblongs, Drawn Together, Sit Down, Shut Up, and Napoleon Dynamite.

Daily GK Updates - 26th September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 112 single emergency helpline number launched in Delhi: A single emergency number ‘112’ has been launched for police, fire and ambulance emergency services. Now, the citizens of Delhi can avail the facility of all these three emergency services by dialling the number '112'. This call immediately passes to the Control Room for providing immediate assistance to the distress caller. Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy today inaugurated the Emergency Response Support System. Under this, the call simultaneously passes to Police Control Room as well as to at- least nearby 5 persons through a mobile app, which are volunteers to help the people in need.

2. Home minister Amit Shah launches private security agency licensing portal in New Delhi: The Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah launched ‘Private Security Agency Licensing Portal’ in New Delhi in order to help in reducing formalities in getting license to the private security agencies. Information such as no. of licensed agencies will also be available in the portal in order to prevent fraudulent activities. This portal will be regulated under The Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005. This portal will also help people in cross checking police verification of all security guard and will be made available in languages like Hindi, Gujarati, Telugu and Tamil within 3 months.

3. Madhuri Dixit to be Maharashtra poll goodwill ambassador: Actor Madhuri Dixit has been chosen as "goodwill ambassador" by the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in Maharashtra to create awareness among people about the importance of voting. Madhuri Dixit will be seen in a video titled ‘Let’s Vote' speaking about the democratic process and role of voters in the development of the country. Maharashtra State Assembly polls are scheduled for 21st October and results will be declared on 24th October 2019.

4. Govt Reconstitutes EAC-PM for Two Years Till 2021: Centre has reconstituted the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) for a period of two years. Bibek Debroy of Niti Aayog continues to be the Chairman of the EAC-PM. The reconstituted advisory panel will be effective from September 26, 2019. The strength of the reconstituted EAC-PM has been reduced from five to four, comprising of two full-time members and two part-time members.

Members of reconstituted EAC-PM: (1) Bibek Debroy- Chairman (full-time); (2) Ratan Watal (Niti Aayog’s principal advisor and former Finance Secretary)- Member Secretary (full-time); (3) Sajjid Chenoy (India economist at JP Morgan)- part-time member; (4) Ashima Goyal (Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research professor)- part-time member.

5. General Bipin Rawat to take over as Chairman COSC: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat will take over as the new Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC). He will replace Air Chief BS Dhanoa as the Chairman COSC as Air Chief BS Dhanoa is set to retire. The Chairman Chiefs of Staffs Committee is the senior most officer in the three defense forces. Soon the Chairman COSC will be replaced with the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

6. AYUSH Ministry Launches ‘Professor Ayushman’ Comic Book to Teach Children Ayurveda Treatment: The AYUSH Ministry has unveiled a comic book series for children with ‘Professor Ayushman’ as the central character to make them aware of the importance of medicinal plants and their use for home remedies in New Delhi. The comic book has been developed by the National Medicinal Plants Board (NMPB). The comic book, conceived by the National Medicinal Plants Board, talks about plants like Aloe Vera, Tulsi, Amla, Giloy, Neem, Ashvagandha and Brahmi. This book is available for free and could be bought by schools approaching NMPB.

7. Book titled ‘Reset: Regaining India’s Economic Legacy’ authored by Subramanian Swamy launched: Former president Pranab Mukherjee has launched a book titled ‘Reset: Regaining India’s Economic Legacy’ authored by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy in New Delhi. The book tracks the country’s economic development over the years and offers solutions for future growth. The book has been published by Rupa Publications India.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Bulgaria's Kristalina Georgieva appointed new IMF chief: Bulgarian economist Kristalina Georgieva (66-years) has been selected as the new managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a five-year term starting on 1st October. She will succeed Christine Lagarde, who is leaving to become head of the European Central Bank (ECB). Ms Georgieva is the first person from an emerging market economy to lead the IMF. Prior to this, she was the Chief Executive Officer of the World Bank in January 2017. She was also the interim president of the World Bank Group from February 1– April 8, 2019.

Note: It is an international organization which promotes international monetary cooperation and provides policy advice and technical assistance to help countries build and maintain strong economies. It presently has 189 member countries. Headquarters: Washington, D.C. (United States).

2. PM Modi Announces $14 Million Grant to Caricom: The first-ever India-Caricom Leaders’ Summit was held in New York on September 25, 2019. During the summit, PM Modi announced USD 14 million grant for community development projects in the grouping of Caribbean Nations. Another 150 million line of credit was announced for solar, renewable energy and climate change related projects in the Caricom. The Caribbean Community (Caricom) is an organisation of fifteen member states and five associate members formed in 1973 to promote economic growth and trade.

3. World Maritime Day 2019: September 26: Every year the World Maritime Day is observed on the last Thursday of September to celebrate the international maritime industry’s contribution towards the world’s economy, especially in shipping. In 2019, World Maritime Day is being observed on September 26. 2019 theme- “Empowering Women in the Maritime Community”. This year's theme provides an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of gender equality, in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to highlight the important - yet under-utilized - contribution of women within the maritime sector.

Note: The National Maritime Day 2019 was observed on 5th April 2019. WMD was first observed in 1978 and it also marks date of adaptation of International Maritime Organization (IMO) Convention in 1958.

4. International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons: September 26: The United Nations recognised International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons is observed every year on September 26. The day creates public awareness on nuclear disarmament matters, educates people on the potential threat by nuclear weapons and stresses the need for their elimination. It was declared by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2013 and was first celebrated in 2014.

5. World Environmental Health Day: September 26: World Environmental Health Day (WEHD) was observed on September 26, 2019 under the theme “Climate change challenges, time for global Environmental Health to act in unison”. The day was declared by the International Federation of Environmental Health (IFEH) to review environmental health issues and take appropriate actions. It was first observed in the year 2011 in Indonesia.

6. World’s biggest transport spaceship Kounotori8 launched by Japan: Japan’s unmanned H-2B rocket lifted off with cargo vessel Kounotori8 towards the International Space Station (ISS) from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan, which is considered as the world’s biggest transport spaceship. It intends to deliver about 5.3 tonnes of supplies to astronauts at the ISS. Kounotori8 means “white stork” in Japanese. The main contractor for the Japanese H-2B rocket was Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI).

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Indian duo of Pankaj Advani and Aditya Mehta clinched IBSF World Snooker Team Championship 2019: The Indian duo of Pankaj Advani and Aditya Mehta clinched International Billiards & Snooker Federation (IBSF) World Snooker Team Championship 2019 held in Mandalay, Myanmar by defeating Thailand’s C.Pongsakorn and D.Poramin by 5-2. It was the 23rd world title for Advani and the first title for Mehta.

Note: Myanmar Open Billiards 2019 which consisted of the 150 Up World Billiards Championship and World 6Reds, World Team Snooker championships 2019 was held from September 9-25, 2019 and was hosted by Myanmar Billiards & Snooker Federation (MBSF).

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. ADB cuts India’s GDP growth forecast to 6.5% from 7% for FY 2019-20: The Manila-headquartered Asian Development Bank (ADB) in its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2019 update cut India’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth to 6.5% from 7% for FY 2019-20 after growth slowed down to 5% in the Q1 April–June FY 2019-20 which is a six-year low in the first quarter.  The reasons for the decline are unexpected decline in manufacturing and investment, subdued lending by banks and other financial institutions, stress in the rural economy, and a weakening external outlook. It predicted that India is expected to rebound to 7.2% growth in the FY 2020-21. South Asia’s growth forecasts are lowered to 6.2% for 2019 and 6.7% for 2020.

Note: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established on 19th December 1966, Headquartered in the city of Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines. ADB has 68 members: 49 members from the Asian and Pacific Region, 19 members from Other Regions.

2. PNB Launches Preventive Vigilance Portal: In order to promote vigilance awareness, the Punjab National Bank (PNB) has introduced 1st of its kind Preventive Vigilance (PV) portal to facilitate all staff members to contribute towards arresting procedural lapses and unhealthy practices and promote coherent climate conducive to banking for the modern age. The portal was launched by Central Vigilance Commissioner Sharad Kumar during a function held at PNB Corporate Office. In a bid to promote a central theme of ‘Integrity- A way of Life’, the bank introduced e-pledge mission, social outreach through technological platforms & modern technology based solutions through the Preventive Vigilance (PV) portal.

Note: PNB Headquarters: New Delhi; Managing Director: Sunil Mehta

3. Airtel payments bank joins hands with HDFC ERGO to offer mosquito-borne diseases protection policy: India’s first Payments Bank, the Airtel Payments Bank has joined hands with India’s leading private sector general insurance company, HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company to offer unique Mosquito Diseases Protection Policy (MDPP) to protect against mosquito-borne diseases. This partnership aims to contribute to the financial inclusion of the country through the strong distribution network of Airtel Payments Bank and strong innovation of HDFC ERGO (Housing Development Finance Corporation Ltd). The MDPP will provide cover on 7 common mosquito-borne diseases, including Dengue, Malaria, Chikungunya, Japanese Encephalitis, Kala-azar, Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis) and Zika virus. The product, which is part of HDFC Ergo’s ‘wallet insurance portfolio’, will be offered to Airtel Payments Bank remittance consumers at a nominal premium of Rs 99 per year.

Note: Airtel Payments Bank Headquarters: New Delhi; MD, CEO: Anubrata Biswas

HDFC ERGO Headquarters: Mumbai; Managing Director & CEO: Mr. Ritesh Kumar

4. Hyundai motor signs agreement with BoB for vehicle finance: Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL) has signed an agreement with Bank of Baroda (BoB) to provide preferred financing to its dealers and consumers. Under this partnership, BoB will create a detailed financing structure (as per its existing product program of supply chain finance) for customers and dealers, which will help the bank, expand its presence in the Hyundai Motor India Limited network.

Note: HMIL Founded: 6 May 1996; Headquarters: Chennai, Tamil Nadu; CEO: Seon Seob Kim

BoB Headquarters: Vadodara, Gujarat; MD & CEO: P. S. Jayakumar

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. HDFC Bank retains the top spot in India’s Most Valuable Brand for the 6th consecutive year: WPP and Kantar Millward Brown report 2019: As per the report, “BrandZ Top 75 Most Valuable Indian Brands 2019 ranking” released by WPP and Kantar Millward Brown, HDFC Bank (Housing Development Finance Corporation Limited) was declared the country’s most valuable brand for the sixth consecutive year with the brand value of $ 22.70 billion (1.61 lakh crore rupees). The aggregate value of the top 75 brands rose to $228.2 billion, increasing at a moderate 6 % against 2018, far slower than 34 % recorded in 2017.

Top 5 Valuable Brands of the Country:

Rank	Brand	Category	Brand value (Rupees)	Change in value
1	HDFC bank	Bank	1.61 Lakh Crore	5%
2	LIC	Insurance	1.43 Lakh Crore	2%
3	TCS (Tata Consultancy Services)	Technology	1.29 Lakh Crore	21%
4	Airtel	Telecom	72,988 Crore	-10%
5	SBI (State Bank of India)	Bank	59,640 crores	7%

About the BrandZ top 75Most Valuable Indian Brands Ranking: It was commissioned by WPP (a British multinational advertising and public relations company). The valuation behind the brands was conducted by brand equity research experts Kantar.

Note: HDFC bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; Managing Director: Aditya Puri

WPP Headquarters: London, United Kingdom; Chief Executive Officer: Mark Read

2. India ranked 44th in world digital competitiveness rankings: India has been ranked at 44th position in terms of digital competitiveness in the world as per the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2019 (WDCR). The US has been ranked at 1st place in the IMD World Digital Competitiveness Ranking 2019. Singapore is second, Sweden is third, and Denmark is fourth while Switzerland is fifth.

3. UNCTAD predicts India’s GDP growth rate for 2019 at 6%: The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in its Trade and Development Report 2019 forecasted India’s economic growth rate at a 7-year low of 6% in calendar year (CY) 2019 from 7.4% in 2018. The estimates were reduced due to sharp fall of growth to 5.8% in the first quarter of CY19, the risk of shadow banking in countries such as India and China, lower-than-targeted tax collections and limited public spending.

Note: UNCTAD: Formation: 30 December 1964; Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; Secretary General: Dr Mukhisa Kituyi

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Rajasthan’s Payal Jangir becomes the first Indian to receive the Changemaker Award 2019: Rajasthan’s Payal Jangir, aged 17, became the first Indian to receive the Changemaker Award 2019 at the Goalkeepers Global Goals Awards 2019 presented by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation at a ceremony held in New York, United States. She hails from Hinsla village, Rajasthan and was awarded for her work towards the abolition of child marriage in her village and other neighbouring areas. She is the President of her village’s Children’s Parliament (Bal Panchayat).

OBITUARIES

1. Telugu film actor Venu Madhav passes away: Popular Telugu film comedian ‘Venu Madhav’ (39-years) passed away at the Yashoda Hospital in Hyderabad. Venu Madhav (born in Kodad in Suryapet district) wasn’t active in cinema for quite a while owing to his ill health. Venu Madhav has acted in around 170 movies in a career spanning over two decades.

2. Former French president Jacques René Chirac passed away: A two-term (1995-2007) French president Jacques René Chirac, aged 86, passed away in Paris, France. Born 29 November 1932 in Paris, he was the first leader to accept France’s role in the Holocaust (World War II genocide) and opposed the United States invasion on Iraq in 2003. Nicknamed as “Le Bulldozer”, he also served as the Prime Minister of France, Mayor of Paris, President of Rally for the Republic, Minister of the Interior, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.