Daily GK Updates - 19th March, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Indian Navy installs Quarantine Facility at Visakhapatnam: Indian Navy has established a Quarantine Camp at INS Vishwakarma in Eastern Naval Command (ENC) for Indian nationals being evacuated from COVID-19 affected countries. The Quarantine Camp has the capacity to accommodate nearly 200 personnel with all appropriate facilities. Indian nationals being evacuated from COVID-19 affected countries will be closely monitored by a team of naval personnel and medical professionals of ENC.

Note: Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.

2. SC clears permanent commission for women in Indian Navy: The Supreme court of India cleared permanent commission for women officers in the Indian Navy. A bench headed by Justice D Y Chandrachud said, there cannot be any excuses for not granting gender equality in the armed forces. The court was contrary to the Centre’s policy of 1991 and 1998 which lifted the statutory bar on the induction of women officers in the Navy. It also granted pension benefits to women officers who have retired and were not granted permanent commission.

Note: Navy Day in India is celebrated on 4th December.

Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.

3. L&T Services and IIT-Kanpur collaborate for research in industrial cyber security: The Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and L&T Technology Services have collaborated to carry out joint research in industrial and infrastructure cybersecurity. They will jointly set up a Center of Excellence (CoE) at the IIT Kanpur campus and conduct research in the areas of Honeypot, intrusion detection systems, malware analysis, blockchain, vulnerability assessment and penetration testing and provide cybersecurity awareness and training programs.

Note: Headquarters of L&T Technology Services (LTTS): Vadodara, Gujarat; CEO of L&T Technology Services (LTTS): Dr Keshab Panda.

4. Konark Sun Temple & Statue of Unity to be included in ‘Iconic Sites’ list: According to Union Culture and Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel, the famous Black Pagoda, the Sun temple in Konark in Puri district of Odisha is to be included in the ‘Iconic Sites’ list of 19 monuments. The Sun temple will be developed as an iconic site by the Centre. The Statue of Unity in Gujarat and the Sun temple in Odisha will be included in the said list as the total number of monuments in the list is to be raised from 17 to 19.

5. Banihal to Katra railway link to be completed by 2022: Railway Minister Piyush Goyal announced that Banihal to Katra railway link (111-km long) in Jammu and Kashmir will be completed by 2022. The railway line will include the Chenab Bridge, which will be the highest railway structure of its kind in the world with a height of 359 m above the river. The railway is expected to cross over 750 bridges and pass through over 100 km of tunnels, the longest of which is 11,215 m.

6. Centre issues gazette notification for adaptation of 37 central laws in J&K: The Center has issued a gazette notification for the adaptation of 37 Central laws in the Concurrent List for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. It contains 37 Central laws including the representation of people act, the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, the Protection of Human Rights Act, the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code among others. The notification, issued by the Home Ministry's Department of J&K and Ladakh Affairs.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. $100 Billion coronavirus relief package signed by Donald Trump: To ensure sick leave to Americans workers who fall ill from the new coronavirus, President of the United States, Donald Trump has signed a $100-billion emergency aid package. The $100 Billion coronavirus relief package aims to strengthen the protective measures against the pandemic caused by COVID-19. The relief package will facilitate free coronavirus testing for those who need it, sick pay and paid family leave.

Note: Capital of USA: Washington, D.C.; Currency: US Dollar.

2. Iraqi President appoints Adnan al-Zurfi as new PM-designate: Iraqi President Barham Salih has appointed Adnan al-Zurfi (54-years) as the country's new prime minister-designate in the latest bid to resolve a months-long political crisis. He will succeed Mohammed Allawi, the 1st politician named by the president as PM-designate who withdrew his candidacy for the post. Al-Zurfi has 30 days to form his cabinet which he must then put to a vote of confidence in Iraq's fractious Parliament.

Note: Capital of Iraq: Baghdad; Currency of Iraq: Iraqi dinar.

3. A. Ajay Kumar becomes India’s next High Commissioner to Republic of Uganda: A. Ajay Kumar has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Uganda. A. Ajay Kumar is currently posted as the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. Ajay Kumar is a 2001 batch IFS officer.

Note: Union Minister of External Affairs: Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

President of Uganda: Yoweri Museveni; Capital of Uganda: Kampala; Currency of Uganda: Ugandan shilling.

4. World Cities Summit 2020 to be held in Singapore: The 7th World Cities Summit (WCS) 2020 will be held from 5 to 9 July 2020 in Singapore. It is organized by Singapore’s Centre for Liveable Cities and the Urban Redevelopment Authority. The theme for WCS 2020 is ”Livable and Sustainable Cities: Adapting to a Disrupted World”.  The World Cities Summit is an exclusive platform for government leaders and industry experts to address liveable, sustainable city challenges, and forge new partnerships.

Note: Currency of Singapore: Singapore dollar; Capital of Singapore: Singapore.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Euro 2020 & Copa America postponed until 2021: The UEFA Euro 2020 football tournament has been postponed by over a year due to fears over the spread of the coronavirus. It is the first time in the competition's history that the final stages have been postponed. This year's Copa America has been postponed until 2021.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Arundhati Bhattacharya resigns from Crisil board: Ex-SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya has submitted her resignation from Crisil board. She was serving as the independent director of the Crisil. Her resignation will be effective on April 15, 2020. She has submitted her resignation as she will be joining as a Chairperson and CEO for the India operations of Salesforce, USA.

Note: Chairman of Crisil Board: John Berisford; Managing Director and CEO of CRISIL: Ashu Suyash.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Karan Bajwa becomes new MD of Google Cloud India: Google Cloud India has appointed Karan Bajwa as its new Managing Director(MD). Karan Bajwa will manage various operations for Google Cloud’s extensive solution portfolio such as Google Cloud Platform and G Suite. He will also guide Google Cloud’s continued work with local developer ecosystem as well as India-based Global System Integrators (GSIs). Earlier, Karan Bajwa served as the Managing Director of IBM for India and South Asia.

DEFENCE

1. DAC approves procurement of Tejas fighter aircraft for IAF: Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) gave approval for procurement of 83 indigenous Tejas fighter aircraft for Indian Air Force. The Light Combat Aircraft Tejas indigenously-designed by Aircraft Development Agency (ADA) under the DRDO and manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is going to be the backbone of Indian Air Force in future. The DAC also accorded approval for the acquisition of indigenous Defence equipment for about 1,300 crore rupees.

Note: Chief of the Air Staff: Air Chief Marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria.