Daily GK Update- 20th Jan, 2024

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi inaugurates Boeing’s India Engineering and Technology Center: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated Boeing’s new global engineering and technology centre campus near Bengaluru city. Built at a cost of Rs 1,600 crore, the 43-acre Boeing India Engineering and Technology Centre (BIETC) campus is the plane-maker’s largest such investment outside the US.

The campus at Hightech Defence and Aerospace Park in Devanahalli on the city outskirts will become a cornerstone for partnerships with the vibrant startups, private and government ecosystem in India, and will help develop next-generation products and services for the global aerospace and defence industry. PM also launched the ‘Boeing Sukanya Programme’ that “aims to support the entry of more girl children from across India into the country’s growing aviation sector.

 

2. West Bengal CM inaugurates 47th International Kolkata Book Fair: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has inaugurated the 47th edition of the International Kolkata Book Fair. The United Kingdom is the theme country for this year’s fair, which has about 1,000 stalls and is scheduled to run from January 18 to January 31 at Salt Lake’s Central Park here. Nearly 20 countries were participating in this year’s book fair, which has become a big festival for Kolkata.

This year marks the U.K. as the theme country for the fourth time at the International Kolkata Book Fair. The U.K. pavilion is designed to immerse visitors in the essence of British culture, highlighting its modern contributions to education, the English language, and the arts.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India, France to jointly fund science research projects: India and France have agreed to jointly fund scientific research projects in the fields of health, decarbonized hydrogen, marine sciences, and applied mathematics. The decision was taken during a meeting of the Indo-French Joint Committee on Science and Technology (JCST) in the India International Science Festival. The two sides also pointed out the key role of mobility and networking in preparing future cutting-edge scientific cooperation.

 

2. WHO Issues Guidance on Healthcare AI Ethics: The World Health Organization published comprehensive recommendations on the ethical governance of emerging large multi-modal AI models (LMM) increasingly used in healthcare like symptom analysis chatbots. Their rapid uncontrolled adoption makes determining proper oversight urgent. Key Healthcare Application Areas WHO ..

 

3. Alliance for Global Good-Gender Equity and Equality: At the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos organized around the theme of “Rebuilding Trust”, India participated embodying the spirit of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” – ready to shape a shared future underpinned by global cooperation. A key outcome was the launch ..

 

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE

 

1. Daljit Singh Chaudhary appointed Director General of SSB: Senior IPS officer Daljit Singh Chaudhary has appointed as the Director General of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Chaudhary, a 1990 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, is presently working as Special Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his appointment as the DG, SSB for a period up to November 30, 2025. The SSB guards India’s frontiers with Nepal and Bhutan.

 

SPORTS

 

2. South Africa host ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup 2024: South Africa is hosting the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup 2024. The World Cup started on 19 January and will conclude on 11 February. This 50-over tournament will feature 16 teams, with a total of 41 matches scheduled to be played. The initial phase of the tournament organizes the teams into four groups, each containing four teams. This will be followed by the Super Six stage, comprising two groups of six teams each. This stage will be crucial in determining which teams advance to the semifinals and ultimately compete in the final. The ICC U19 World Cup 2024 in India will be broadcast on Star Sports Network TV channels. The live streaming will be available on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website for free.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. ICICI Bank Canada Launches ‘Money2India (Canada)’ Mobile Banking App: ICICI Bank Canada, a subsidiary of ICICI Bank Ltd., has launched the app Money2India, which allows customers of any Canadian bank to send money to any bank in India without an account with ICICI Bank Canada.

Customers can send money directly through the app via Visa or Mastercard. Customers can send up to $22,446 in a single transaction and can set up recurring transfers. The app features two-factor authentication and a one-time password. The introduction of the ‘Money2India (Canada)’ app reflects our commitment to providing users with a convenient and enriched experience.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. EIL conferred with SCOPE Eminence Award: Engineers India Limited (EIL) has been conferred with the prestigious SCOPE Eminence Award in the category of Women Empowerment for the period 2019-20. The award recognizes EIL’s exemplary commitment to fostering an inclusive & diverse work environment and celebrates the outstanding achievement of its women workforce.

The award was presented to EIL by the Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar and received by EIL’s Director (Finance) Sanjay Jindal and Director (Commercial) Atul Gupta, during an award ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.