Daily GK Updates - 18th September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Hyderabad-Karnataka Region Renamed ‘Kalyana Karnataka’: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa announced that the Hyderabad-Karnataka region has been renamed as ‘Kalyana Karnataka’ and a separate secretariat would be established for its development. Hyderabad Karnataka region comprising six north-eastern districts of the State - Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal and Ballari.

Note: Karnataka Capital: Bengaluru, Governor: Vajubhai Vala.

2. Himachal Government launched Mukhyamantri Seva Sankalp Helpline ‘1100’: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has launched a helpline number ‘1100’ (Mukhya Mantri Service Resolution Helpline) for the speedy and time-bound redressal of public grievances. The helpline number will make use of the latest technologies to help people register their complaints online, making the whole procedure paperless and lessen the footfall in government offices. Now, Himachal Pradesh has become the fourth state (after Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh) in the country to have such a helpline. Around 56 departments and 6500 officers working under government have been linked to Chief Minister’s Service Resolution Helpline by Geo Mapping and Go Tagging.

Note: Mukhya Mantri Service Resolution Helpline will function 6 days a week (Monday-Saturday) from 7 am to 10 pm Every complaint will be resolved within a period of 7-14 days.

3. Wing Commander Anjali Singh becomes India's first female military diplomat: Wing Commander Anjali Singh (41-years) has become India's first female military diplomat to be posted in any of the Indian missions abroad. She has joined the Indian Embassy in Russia as the Deputy Air Attache. Until now, only male officers from the three services (Indian Air Force, Navy and Army) were appointed as military attaches in overseas Indian missions. Anjali Singh (hails from Bihar) is from the aeronautical engineering branch of the Indian Air Force (IAF) with 17 years of service, trained on MiG-29 aircraft.

Note: A military diplomat is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission, often an embassy. In the Indian Air Force, Navy and Army, the women constitute 13% (highest among armed services), 6% and 3.80% of the workforce respectively.

4. ISRO, DRDO sign MoUs to provide technologies for Human Space Mission: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) joined hands with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the development of human-centric systems for the Human Space Mission to demonstrate its human space flight capabilities. The purpose behind the development is to provide technologies for human-centric systems and technologies specific to the Human Space Mission. ISRO aims to demonstrate human spaceflight capability before the 75th anniversary of India’s independence in 2022.

5. Wipro Infrastructure and BEML sign MoU: Defence PSU Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and Wipro Infrastructure Engineering (WIN) have signed an MoU to work together in the areas of aerospace, industrial automation, 3-D printing, artificial intelligence and hydraulic system engineering. The MoU entails the two firms working together on projects, products, systems, services and projects for DRDO Labs and other government entities in India as well as overseas. Key focus areas include aerospace components and parts through SEZ, metal additive manufacturing and design optimization for new critical aggregates, legacy components & spares, and process automation.

Note: Chairman & Managing Director of BEML: D K HOTA. Headquarters: Bengaluru.

6. Documentary film based on life of Uttarakhand farmer nominated for Oscars: Moti Bagh, a documentary film based on the struggle of a farmer in a remote Uttarakhand village, has been nominated for the Oscars. The film, based on the life of Vidyadutt Sharma, a farmer living in Pauri Garhwal region, also won the 1st prize at the International short film festival in Kerala. This documentary film was directed by Nirmal Chandra Dandriyal.

Note: CM of Uttarakhand: Trivendra Singh Rawat; Governor: Baby Rani Maurya; Capital: Dehradun.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Sri Lanka unveils South Asia’s tallest tower: Sri Lanka unveiled South Asia’s tallest tower, costing over $100 million, 80% of which has been funded by China under the controversial Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The 350-metre-tall 17-storey Lotus Tower, located in the heart of Colombo city. The tower spread over an area of 30,600 sq. metres. The project which began in 2012 under the then-president Mahinda Rajapakse.

Note: Sri Lanka Capitals: Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte; Currency: Sri Lankan rupee; Prime minister: Ranil Wickremesinghe; President: Maithripala Sirisena.

2. Kerala govt inks MoU with Maldives on cancer care: Kerala signs a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Maldives to strengthen cancer care in the island nation. The Kerala government and the Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) have jointly signed the MOU with the health ministry of Maldives as part of improving cooperation between the two countries. The MoU was signed between Maldivian Minister Abdulla Ameen and Kerala Health Minister KK Shylaja in the presence of the state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Note: Capital of Kerala: Thiruvananthapuram; Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan.

Capital of Maldives: Male; Currency of the Maldives: Maldivian Rufiyaa; President of the Maldives: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

3. Takehiko Nakao to step down as Asia Development Bank President: The president of the Asia Development Bank (ADB) Takehiko Nakao (63-years) has planned to step down from the post on 16th January 2020. Mr. Nakao took the ADB post in 2013 and was re-elected to a second five-year term in 2016.

Note: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established on 19th December 1966. The headquarters of the bank is at 6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippine. As of 23rd March 2019, Asian Development Bank has 68 members (49 members from the Asian and Pacific Region and 19 members from Other Regions).

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Dinesh Mongia announces retirement froms all form of cricket: Former Indian Cricket all-rounder Dinesh Mongia announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. He ended with an aggregate of 57 ODIs but never played a Test. His first-class record of 121 matches included 21 centuries. He also played for Lancashire and Leicestershire. Mongia is a member of the Indian team, which finished runner-up in the 2003 World Cup, his last appearance on the field was in 2007 for Punjab before he joined the Indian Cricket League (ICL) and was subsequently banned by the BCCI.

2. US swimmer Sarah Thomas criss-crosses Channel in 54-hour feat: An American swimmer Sarah Thomas (37-years) became the first person to swim across the English Channel four times non-stop in a 54-hour feat of endurance. Ms Thomas swam from England to France and back - twice - in just over 54 hours. It should have been a total distance of about 80 miles (129 km) but the tidal pulls in the Channel increased the distance by more than 60%, meaning she ended up swimming nearly 130 miles (209 km). Sarah Thomas completed treatment for breast cancer a year ago.

Note: The English Channel is the body of water that separates southern England from northern France and links the southern part of the North Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Govt waives three-year lock-in period on investments made by NRIs in IDFs: As per Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) notification, the Union government has waived the three-year lock-in period on investments made by non-residents in infrastructure debt funds (IDFs), to promote funding in the infrastructure sector. Now, any amount of interest received by non-resident or foreign company from investment in such IDFs is charged at a reduced tax rate of 5%. IDFs are investment vehicles to accelerate the flow of long-term debt to the sector.

Note: If a non-resident transfers rupee-denominated bonds of IDF to another non-resident outside India, such transfer is not regarded as transfer for the purpose of capital gain, and no capital gain tax is charged on such transfer.

DEFENCE

1. India successfully flight-tested indigenous air-to-air missile Astra: Indian Air Force has successfully flight-tested air-to-air missile Astra from the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Odisha. The missile was launched from a Sukhoi Su-30 MKI combat aircraft. The missile was tracked using radars, electro-optical tracking sensors and struck its target successfully. The missile has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the premier research and development organisation of the armed forces.

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

OBITUARIES

1. Filmmaker Shyam Ramsay of Ramsay Brothers passes away: Popular filmmaker Shyam Ramsay (67-years) from the Ramsay Brothers passed away in Mumbai. He is one of the seven Ramsay Brothers who were active in Indian cinema throughout the 1970s and the 1980s. They produced the number of horror movies such as Darwaza, Purana Mandir and Veerana.