Daily GK Update- 14th Jan, 2024

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Uttar Pradesh To Welcome 5 New Airports In Expansion Drive: Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has announced the inauguration of five new airports in Uttar Pradesh. New airports in Azamgarh, Aligarh, Moradabad, Chitrakoot, and Shravasti aim to improve air connectivity in the state, facilitating greater accessibility and economic development.

 

2. Maheshwar Rao Appointed As MD Of Bangalore Metro: The Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has appointed Maheshwar Rao as the full-time managing director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL). The appointment addresses the demand for a full-time MD, which has been persistent since the former MD, Anjum Parvez, assumed the additional chief secretary role in rural development last year. Rao has served as the commissioner of industrial development and director of industries and commerce. He has also served as the deputy commissioner and district magistrate in Dakshina Kannada and Mandya districts. BMRCL recently reached a new milestone when it recorded a whopping 2 crore ridership in December 2023—around 6.8 lakh passengers on an average daily—fetching a fare revenue of Rs 55 crore.

 

3. Supreme Court Questions Govt on GM Crops: On January 11, the Supreme Court asked why the government’s Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) did not consider expert reports on genetically modified (GM) crops. The GEAC approves the release of GM organisms. SC Hearing Pleas Against GMOs The court ..

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Henley Passport Index 2024; India Ranks 80^th: The Henley Passport Index 2024 has been released to highlight the “power” of passports of 199 countries. The index, which ranks countries based on the number of destinations that allow visa-free entry to their passport was topped by France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, and Spain. Passports of all these countries have visa-free access to 194 destinations, three more than last year. Japan and Singapore have continued to top the list for five years now. South Korea, Sweden, and Finland rose one spot to take joint second place, with access to 193 countries.

 

2. Bhutan’s Tshering Tobgay becomes PM for second time: Bhutanese voters have elected Tshering Tobgay to become Prime Minister for a second time after his party won nearly two-thirds of seats. Tobgay, head of the liberal People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who served as prime minister of the Himalayan kingdom from 2013 to 2018, won 30 of 47 seats in Tuesday’s election, official figures showed. Bhutan also lies sandwiched between the globe’s two most populous countries, China and India, who watched the vote with keen interest as they eye strategic contested border zones. Bhutan is a landlocked mountain nation of about 800,000 people, similar in area to Switzerland.

 

3. Inaugural IUCN Assessment of the Himalayan Wolf: The Himalayan Wolf (Canis lupus chanco) is a prominent lupine predator found across the Himalayas. Its taxonomic status had been unclear until recently. The animal has now been assessed for the first time on the International Union for Conservation

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE

 

1. Indian Navy to host multi-national naval exercise MILAN in Feb: In a move to strengthen maritime cooperation and security in the Indian Ocean region, the Indian Navy will host the 12th edition of the multi-national exercise MILAN 24 in Visakhapatnam from February 19 to 27. Earlier 11th edition of this exercise was held in Feb-Mar 22 in Visakhapatnam under the Eastern Naval Command with the theme ‘Camaraderie-Cohesion-Collaboration’. MILAN is a biennial multi-national naval exercise that started in 1995 with participation of four foreign countries (Indonesia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand) in consonance with India’s ‘Look East policy’. The MILAN Exercise flourished under the aegis of Andaman and Nicobar command till its 10th edition. Visakhapatnam is chosen as the preferred venue for future MILAN exercises.

 

2. Operation Sarvashakti Launched: The Indian Army has launched Operation Sarvashakti in Jammu and Kashmir. It involves security forces on both sides of the Pir Panjal range. The goal is to flush out terrorists who have ambushed Indian troops in Rajouri and Poonch. Background ..

 

3. Army Allows Specialized Lt Cols to Skip Command Roles: The Indian Army is bringing a new policy to let some officers stay longer in their specialty field. Normally, Lieutenant Colonels who are promoted to Colonel must change roles to command assignments. But the new rules let these officers keep.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Indian Bank Launches ‘Indian Bank One Co-Branded Credit Card’: Indian Bank has launched an ‘Indian Bank One co-branded credit card’ with FPL Technologies. Leveraging the Visa and RuPay platforms, these cards will be issued by Indian Bank and managed by FPL Technologies. The Indian Bank One co-branded credit card boasts of international validity with a 1% forex fee and aims to offer a range of features tailored to the diverse needs of digitally savvy Indian consumers. “By offering the card on not one but two networks, we aim to introduce a new paradigm in credit accessibility and usability,” said Anurag Sinha, Co-founder & CEO of FPL Technologies.