Daily GK Update- 28th Apr, 2024

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. NTPC inks pact with RINL for supply of limestone: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between NTPC Limited and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), the corporate entity of Visakhapatnam Steel Plant (VSP), for the supply of 9 lakh metric tonnes of limestone. Limestone is a raw material for the flue-gas desulphurisation system which is being installed at the coal-based thermal plants of the NTPC for reduction of sulphur di oxide emission. This MoU will cater to the needs of various plants of the NTPC.

 

2. Sunil Kumar Yadav appointed as Director of MoHUA: Sunil Kumar Yadav (IRS) has been appointed as Director of Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA). Yadav selected for the appointment to the post under the Central Staffing Scheme for a period of five years.

Yadav is an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of 2010-batch.

 

3. Madras HC Directs Tamil Nadu Government to Implement Guidelines for Eliminating Corporal Punishment: The Madras High Court has instructed the Tamil Nadu government to implement the Guidelines for Elimination of Corporal Punishment in Schools (GECP) provided by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). Justice S M Subramaniam issued the directive.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. 26 April – International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day: International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day is observed every year on 26 April. The day is dedicated to remember the victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. It creates awareness about the catastrophic accident, in which approximately 8.4 million people were exposed to the harmful nuclear radiations. The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant exploded on 26 April 1986, spreading a radioactive cloud over the Soviet territory now comprising Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. The explosion devastated the area, causing extensive damage to crops, plants, and other infrastructure.

 

2. 27 April – World Healing Day: World Healing Day (WHD) is celebrated every year on the last Saturday of April. This year, it celebrated on 27 April. World Healing Day is dedicated to promoting the benefits of mind-body practices and the emerging medical research on the subject. The day grew out of the founding event of World Tai Chi & Qigong Day. World Healing Day was initially started by World Tai Chi & Qigong Day organizers in many countries, and it soon became a platform for teachers, groups, and organizations of various mind-body arts to showcase their work.

 

3. REC Ltd Secures Japanese Green Loan: REC Ltd, a Maharatna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) and leading Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC) under the Ministry of Power, Government of India, has successfully availed a green loan of Japanese Yen (JPY) 60.536 billion (approximately Rs 3,200 crore) to ..

 

4. China Launches Shenzhou-18 Mission: Recently, China launched the Shenzhou-18 spacecraft carrying a three-member crew to its orbiting Tiangong space station. The mission is part of China’s ambitious space program, which aims to put astronauts on the moon by 2030. The Shenzhou-18 spacecraft lifted off 

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

 

SPORTS 

 

1. Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced India legend Yuvraj Singh as an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador. Yuvraj, who famously hit 36 runs in an over during the first-ever T20 World Cup in 2007 which he and India ultimately won. He joins Chris Gayle and Usain Bolt as the first ambassadors to be announced, who will each add to the excitement of what will be the biggest T20 World Cup ever. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will be played from 1-29 June with co-hosts USA taking on Canada in the opening fixture at Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas.

       

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

1. Mapping Indian Ocean Floor for Climate and Weather Prediction: India is the country being surrounded by the Indian Ocean, plays a critical role in understanding ocean currents and their impact on weather and climate prediction. A recent study by scientists at the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services ..

 

2. Astronomers Detect Rare Giant Flare from Magnetar: Scientists have detected the most distant-known instance of a giant flare from a magnetar, a type of neutron star with immensely strong magnetic fields, residing in the Messier 82 (M82) galaxy, also known as the “Cigar Galaxy.” The flare, a ..

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. NABARD unveils Climate Strategy 2030: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) unveiled its Climate Strategy 2030 document on the occasion of Earth Day. The comprehensive strategy aims to address India’s escalating need for green financing. Despite the pressing demand, where India requires approximately $170 billion annually to reach a cumulative total of over $2.5 trillion by 2030, current green finance inflows are critically insufficient. 1NABARD’s Climate Strategy 2030 is structured around four key pillars to address this demand:

 

2. NIPFP forecasts India’s FY25 GDP growth at 7.1%: Economic think-tank National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) has estimated India’s GDP growth at 7.1 per cent for the current fiscal, using high-frequency models. NIPFP, in a series of tweets, said the Centre is on a fiscal consolidation path through buoyancy in taxes and revenue expenditure compression. While NIPFP’s forecast stands at 7.1%, other entities such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Fitch Ratings estimate a growth rate of 7%. In contrast, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), S&P Global Ratings, and Morgan Stanley project a slightly lower growth rate of 6.8% for FY25, indicating varying perspectives on India’s economic trajectory.

 

3. RBI Curbs on Kotak Bank: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) directed Kotak Mahindra Bank to immediately stop onboarding new customers through online and mobile banking channels. The central bank also barred the private lender from issuing fresh credit cards, citing significant concerns observed during.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. 60-Year-Old Argentinian Wins Miss Universe Buenos Aires Pageant: A 60-year-old lawyer Alejandra Rodríguez created history by winning the Miss Universe Buenos Aires title in Argentina. Rodríguez was contesting the pageant with 34 other contestants aged between 18 to 73 years of age. According to a report on Hola, Rodriquez thought she had surpassed the age limit for global beauty pageants, but her perspective shifted with the revised regulations. Initially, Miss Universe contestants had to be unmarried and childless, aged between 18 and 28, since its establishment in 1952.