Daily GK Updates - 30th May, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Uttarakhand governmentt starts “Mukhyamantri Swarozgar Yojana” for returnee migrants: Uttarakhand chief minister, Trivendra Singh Rawat has inaugurated the “Mukhyamantri Swarozgar Yojana” for returnee migrants. The project aims at giving self-employment opportunities to youth and a boost to reverse migration, especially entrepreneurs returning to Uttarakhand and encourage skilled and unskilled artisans, handicrafts and unemployed youths to start their own business. The scheme will offer credit facility through nationalised banks, scheduled commercial banks and cooperative banks.

Note: Capital of Uttarakhand: Dehradun; Governor of Uttarakhand: Baby Rani Maurya.

2. Madhya Pradesh Government Launches ‘Rozgar Setu’ scheme to provide employment to Migrant Labourers: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has launched a scheme ‘Rozgar Setu’ for skilled workers who have returned from other states. As per the state government, Madhya Pradesh is the first to devise such a work plan, to provide work to the maximum number of returned skilled workers. The State government will act as a setu [bridge] between workers and employers so that both are benefited. The scheme will provide a platform to the workers and connect them with those needing them, thus fulfilling the manpower requirement of industries as well as provide employment to workers during the COVID-19 pandemic The government will survey the skilled workers who were employed at industries elsewhere, but have now returned, based upon which they will be provided employment in industries, construction works and other activities according to their skills.

3. IndiGo appoints Venkataramani Sumantran as independent director: Venkataramani Sumantran has been appointed the independent director of airline company IndiGo for the next five years. Earlier, he served as the chairman and managing director of Chennai-based Celeris Technologies. He serves as an adjunct professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is on several statutory and advisory boards in India, Europe and the US. He will hold the post for the next five years.

Note: Indigo Airlines Headquarters: Gurugram, Haryana; Indigo Airlines Established: 2006.

4. Power Finance Corporation board Appoints R S Dhillon as CMD: State-run Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has appointed Ravinder Singh Dhillon as the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the company. He will succeed incumbent CMD Rajeev Sharma, who is attaining superannuation on May 31, 2020. Dhillon’s appointment will be with effect from 01 June 2020, till the date of his superannuation (May 31, 2023) or until further orders.

5. Govt. approves Rs. 445 cr for implementation of JJM in Chhattisgarh: The Union Govt. has approved 445 crore rupees for implementation of Jal Jeevan Mission in Chhattisgarh during 2020-21. The aim of the mission is to provide adequate potable drinking water of prescribed quality on a regular and long-term basis to every rural household of the country by 2024. A budget of 3 lakh 60 thousand Crore rupees has been allocated for this scheme. Chhattisgarh has planned to have 100 Percent Functional Tap Water Connection by 2023-24.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. US joins G7 Group’s Partnership on Artificial Intelligence to counter China: United States has finally joined the rest of the G7 countries in the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (AI), in an effort to contain China‘s influence on AI. The Trump administration had been the only nation among leaders of the Group of Seven which was not the part of the Global Partnership on AI, set up by France and Canada in 2019. However, looking at how Chinese technology companies are attempting to shape international standards on facial recognition and surveillance at the United Nations, the US decided to join the international panel for setting ethical guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence. The Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence aims to guide the responsible adoption of AI based on shared principles of “human rights, inclusion, diversity, innovation and economic growth”, among the member nations.

G7 Members: France, Canada, Italy, Germany, Japan, UK and US

2. IMF approves 732 million emergency assistance to Bangladesh for COVID-19: The IMF Executive Board approved an emergency financial assistance worth dollar 732 million for Bangladesh to address the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. The assistance has been approved for Bangladesh to meet its urgent Balance of payment and fiscal needs as Corona pandemic has led to a sharp decline in its exports and income from remittances. Earlier, ADB provided 500 million assistance to Bangladesh to deal with the Corona pandemic

3. Russia hosts BRICS Heads of Tax Authorities meet: The meeting of the Heads of Tax Authorities of the BRICS countries, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa was held on 29 May. The meeting was hosted by the Federal Tax Service of Russia, which currently holds the BRICS Presidency, to discuss the response of BRICS Tax Authorities to the COVID-19 pandemic and to explore potential areas of cooperation in tax matters.

Note: Members of the BRICS: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

4. World No-Tobacco Day:  31st May: World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed every year on 31 May, globally to inform the public on the dangers of using tobacco and to discourage the use of tobacco in any form. Theme of the 2020 WNTD is ‘Tobacco and related industry tactics to attract younger generations’. The Day was created by the member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1987.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Sandip Pradhan's tenure as SAI Director General extended by two years: The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has extended the tenure of Sandip Pradhan as Director-General of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) by two years. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal of Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for the extension (effect from 6 June 2020). SAI's Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the resumption of training in sports facilities was recently approved by the Sports Ministry.

Note: Sports Authority of India Headquarters: Delhi; Sports Authority of India Founded: 25 January 1984.

2. WADA Imposes 4-Year Ban on Long-Distance Runner Kiranjeet Kaur For Doping Violation: The World Athletics’ anti-doping body has handed a four-year ban to long-distance runner Kiranjeet Kaur, for testing positive for a banned substance. The World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) accredited laboratory tested her samples, taken in December 2019. Her ban period is effective from 15 December 2019. The 32-year-old Kaur won the Tata Steel Kolkata 25K among the Indians in December 2019. This award will also be taken away from her.

Note: President of WADA: Sir Craig Reedie; Headquarters: Montreal, Canada.

BANKING AND FINANCE

11. RBI Penalises Bank of India, Karnataka Bank and Saraswat Co-op Bank Over Deficiencies in Rule Compliance: The Reserve Bank said it has imposed a penalty of Rs 5 crore on state-owned Bank of India for non-compliance with certain provisions, including those related with NPA. The central bank also imposed a penalty of Rs 1.2 crore on Karnataka Bank for non-compliance with NPA norms. RBI also imposed a penalty of Rs 30 lakh on Saraswat Co-operative Bank for non-compliance with directions on ‘Income Recognition and Asset Classification (IRAC) norms.’

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. India’s GDP growth slows to 11-year low of 4.2%: National Statistical Office, under Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, has estimated India’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 4.2 per cent in 2019-20 as compared to 6.1 per cent expansion in 2018-19, the slowest growth in GDP in 11 years. The earlier estimate by various arms of the government was 5 per cent growth in ‘19-20.

2. Zomato elevates food-delivery CEO Mohit Gupta as co-founder: Food ordering platform Zomato has elevated Mohit Gupta, the CEO of its food delivery business by making him a co-founder. Gupta had joined Zomato in 2018 from MakeMyTrip. Previously, Gaurav Gupta was promoted as a co-founder by Zomato in 2019.

DEFENCE

1. Foundation Stone for Missile Park ‘Agneeprastha’ Laid at INS Kalinga, Visakhapatnam: The foundation stone for setting up a Missile Park named ‘Agneeprastha’ was laid at INS Kalinga, Naval base in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, by Commodore Rajesh Debnath, Commanding Officer Eastern Naval Command (ENC), on 28 May 2020. Once completed, the Missile Park will be dedicated to all the officers, sailors and support staff of the INS Kalinga, who have served in this premier naval base of the ENC since its establishment in 1981. ‘AGNEEPRASTHA’ will have glimpses of Missile History of INS Kalinga since 1981 till date. A 2 megawatt solar photovoltaic plant was also commissioned at INS Kalinga by Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain. It is the largest plant in the Eastern Naval Command, and has an estimated life of 25 years. INS Kalinga is an Indian Navy establishment reporting to the Eastern Naval Command. It is responsible for preparing, storing and delivering advanced missiles to ships of the Eastern Fleet.

OBITUARIES

1. Veteran lyricist Yogesh Gaur Passes Away: Veteran Bollywood lyricist Yogesh Gaur, best-known as Yogesh in the film industry, has passed away. He was 77. Yogesh has given Bollywood several hit songs in the 60s and 70s. Some of his best known songs are Zindagi Kaise Yeh Paheli and Kahin Door Jab Din Dhal Jaaye for Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna’s 1971 film Anand.

2. Veteran Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla passes away: The world-renowned astrologer, Bejan Daruwalla, has passed away suffering from pneumonia. He was 89. Daruwalla was a great Ganesha devotee. He combined the principles of various techniques like Vedic astrology, Numerology, Palmistry, I-Ching, Tarot, Kabalah and even Western astrology for his predictions. His name figured among the 100 great astrologers of the last 1,000 years in ‘The Millennium Book of Prophecy’, published by Harper Collins. His astrological predictions were keenly followed by millions of people in the country.

Daily GK Updates - 1st April, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Ministry of Tourism launches ‘Stranded in India’ portal: The Ministry of Tourism launched a portal ‘Stranded in India’ to extend support to the foreign tourists stuck in various parts of the country. The portal will disseminate information regarding the services that can be availed by foreign tourists who are stuck far away from their homeland.

Note: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Tourism: Prahalad Singh Patel.

2. Validity extension of expired Driving Licences and Vehicle Registration: In an advisory to all states and Union Territories, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has extended the validity of documents that expired since 1st February 2020. The validity of these documents has been extended till 30th June 2020. The documents include fitness, driving licence, permits (all types), registration or any other concerned document under the Motor Vehicle Rules.

Note: Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways: Nitin Jairam Gadkari.

3. Utkal Divas or Odisha Day is celebrated on 1 April: Utkal Divas (Odisha Day) is celebrated every year on 1st April all over Odisha. It is celebrated to commemorate the sacrifices made by leaders for the formation of Odisha as a separate State when it was carved out of the combined Bengal-Bihar-Orissa province. After losing its complete political identity in 1568 due to the defeat-death of Mukunda Dev the last Hindu king, led to the formation of a separate state under British rule based on the language on 1 April 1936. This year marks the 83rd Utkal Divas or the foundation day of Odisha.

Note: Governor of Odisha: Ganeshi Lal; Chief Minister of Odisha: Naveen Patnaik; Capital of Odisha: Bhubaneswar.

4. Karnataka Government Launches ‘Corona Watch’ App to Track Movement History of Corona Positive Patients: The State government Karnataka has launched a mobile application named “Corona Watch” for people to track the movement history of patients, who tested positive, before their detection so that they can take precautions. The quarantined persons have to declare their location every day during the 14-day period failing which the person will be send to government quarantine institution. The app will give the date and time of visit to spots by the patients. The app also has a list of government designated first response hospitals for COVID-19 where citizen with symptoms can go.

The mobile app “Corona Watch” can be downloaded from Google Playstore: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ksrsac.drawshapefile

Note: Chief Minister of Karnataka: B. S. Yediyurappa; Governor: Vajubhai Vala.

5. IIT Kanpur to develop COVID-19 portable ventilator: Amidst the rising cases of COVID-19 in the country, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Kanpur is developing portable ventilators which will be significantly cheaper than the ones available in the market. The prototype of this ventilator will be ready very soon and just after assembling, it can be used as a life support system. The ventilator is very important medical equipment for COVID-19 Patients, especially those who are old and the virus can prove fatal to them. Bio Science and Bio Engineering department of IIT Kanpur has prepared a design of live saver portable ventilator.

6. “Active Case Finding Campaign” begins in Himachal Pradesh: Himachal Pradesh government has started “Active Case Finding Campaign” in the state. The campaign has been rolled out in the state to provide information about the symptoms of COVID-19 to the people at their doorsteps.

Note: Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh: Jai Ram Thakur; Governor: Bandaru Dattatraya.

7. GoI introduced dedicated Twitter handle for COVID-19 updates: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has launched a dedicated Twitter handle for COVID-19 updates. This dedicated twitter handle has been set up to share news and updates about the novel coronavirus. The account is named as #IndiaFightsCorona and it uses the handle @CovidnewsbyMIB. The twitter handle would be responsible for sharing authentic information and all updates on Novel Coronavirus. In its first tweet, the dedicated twitter handle has shared the helpline numbers for information on the COVID-19 pandemic.

8. GoI extended foreign trade policy to March 2021: The Government extended the existing foreign trade policy (2015-20) for 1 year till March 2021 amid COVID-19 and the lockdown to contain the virus spread. Validity of DFIA and EPCG authorizations for import purposes has also been extended. Advance authorization is issued to allow duty free import of inputs, which is physically incorporated in export product. Exports during April-February dipped by 1.5% to 292.91 billion dollars and imports declined by 7.3%.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. NATO Secretary General Appoints ‘Reflection Group’ to study the alliance’s political direction: The NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has announced the appointment of a group of experts on 31 March 2020 to support his work in a reflection process to further strengthen NATO’s political dimension. The group of five men and five women will be co-chaired by former German defence minister Thomas de Maziere and Washington’s former top diplomat for Europe, Wess Mitchell and will report to the Secretary General. The panel will offer recommendations to reinforce alliance unity, increase political consultation and coordination between allies, and strengthen NATO’s political role. The following people have been appointed to the group: Greta Bossenmaier (Canada), Anja Dalgaard-Nielsen (Denmark), Hubert Védrine (France), Thomas de Maizière (Germany), Marta Dassù (Italy), Herna Verhagen (The Netherlands), Anna Fotyga (Poland), Tacan Ildem (Turkey), John Bew (United Kingdom) and Wess Mitchell (United States).

Note: Member countries of NATO: 30; Founded:  4 April 1949; Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium.

2. IMF declares that World is now in “Recession”: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced that the world has clearly entered a recession due to the coronavirus pandemic. It has emphasized that the current recession is even worse than that of 2009. The statements about the world economy were made after the meeting of governing body of the IMF, the International Monetary and Financial Committee.

Note: Managing Director of IMF: Kristalina Georgieva.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. 2021 World Athletics Championships Being Moved to 2022: The World Athletics has informed that the 2021 world athletics championships in Eugene, Oregon, United States, is now being shifted to 2022 to accommodate the re-arranged Tokyo Olympics. The 2020 Tokyo Games has been postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic and will now take place on July 23-August 8, 2021. The world athletics championships was earlier scheduled to take place in Eugene on August 6-15, 2021. It will now take place in August 2022.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. ICICI Lombard, BharatPe launch COVID-19 insurance cover for shopkeepers: BharatPe has partnered with ICICI Lombard to roll out 'COVID-19 Protection Insurance Cover' for shopkeepers of the age group-18 to 65 years. On diagnosis of COVID-19 (positive), 100% of the sum will be given, irrespective of hospital expenses with a premium starting at Rs 199. It will also provide value-added benefits such as health assistance and CHAT/ virtual assistance, teleconsultation and ambulance assistance.

Note: CEO & Co-founder of Bharatpe: Ashneer Grover; Headquarters of Bharatpe: New Delhi.

MD of ICICI Lombard: Bhargav Dasgupta; Headquarters of ICICI Lombard: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

2. Public sector banks announce deferment of EMI payments on loans: Public sector banks have announced suspension of EMI payments on loans to customers for three months in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. RBI has already allowed 3-month moratorium on loan payments. Banks like State Bank of India, Punjab and Sind Bank, Canara Bank, UCO Bank, Syndicate Bank and Bank of Baroda have announced the offer of the moratorium already to customers via tweets.

3. S&P Further Slashes India’s GDP Forecast to 3.5% from 5.2% for FY21: S&P Global Ratings has further slashed India’s growth forecast to 3.5% from a previous downgrade to 5.2% for the fiscal year 2020-21. The latest downgrade is due to the slump in demand, because of the Covid-19 outbreak, which is leading to declining credit quality and rising defaults particularly among non financial corporates with weaker credit profiles. For the Financial year 2019-20, the rating agency has estimated growth forecast of 5%. However the S&P expects the Indian economy to bounce back to 7.3% in FY22.

FY’20- 5%

FY21- 3.5%

FY22- 7.3%

4. Fitch Solutions Predicts India GDP growth forecast at 4.6% for FY21: Fitch Solutions has predicted India’s GDP growth rate for 2020-21 (FY21) at 4.6%. This is less than its earlier prediction of 5.4%. For FY20, Fitch Solutions has predicted India’s GDP Growth rate at 4.9%.

OBITUARIES

1. Princess of Spain Maria Teresa Passes Away Due to COVID-19: Spanish Princess Maria Teresa has become the first royal to pass away due to COVID-19. She was born on July 28, 1933, and studied in France and became a professor at Paris’ Sorbonne as well as a professor of Sociology at Madrid’s Complutense University. She was known for her outspoken views and activist work, which led to her nickname the “Red Princess.”. The Princess was the cousin of King of Spain Felipe VI.

2. Legendary NCERT Historian Arjun Dev Passes Away: Professor Arjun Dev, the legendary educationist and historian, has passed away. He was 81. Prof. Arjun had worked as a historian at the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). He has written a number of extremely popular textbooks for the NCERT on Modern and Contemporary India and the World.

Daily GK Updates - 31st March, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Government Sets up special emergency fund ‘PM CARES Fund’ to Fight Against COVID-19: The Government of India has set up a public charitable trust under the name of ‘Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund’ (PM CARES Fund)’. The primary objective of this dedicated national fund is to deal with any kind of emergency or distress situation, like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prime Minister is the Chairman of this trust while Defence Minister, Home Minister and Finance Minister are its other members. The fund has been set up to enable micro-donations, allowing a large number of people to be able to contribute with smallest of denominations. Donations to this fund will be exempted from income tax under section 80(G) of the IT Act. Citizens and organisations can go to the website pmindia.gov.in and donate to PM CARES Fund. The country’s largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI) will be hold the account of the PM Cares Fund.

2. DRDO develops casualty evacuation bags: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has designed a casualty evacuation bag to transport or isolate persons infected with COVID-19. The bag is water and air-proof and treated to deal with biological agents. It is made of non-woven, water-repellant fabric with air and waterproof zippers as well as a ventilator with a film to cater Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) environment with requisite protection against blood and viral penetration. DRDO will be procuring an initial lot of 500 such bags. DRDO’s Defence Bioengineering and Electromedical Laboratory (DEBEL), which carries out research in aero-medical engineering and life support equipment and Nuclear Chemical and Biological (NBC) protection systems, has developed this bag.

Note: DRDO Chairman: G Satheesh Reddy; Established: 1958; Headquarters: New Delhi.

3. Jharkhand govt launches ‘PRAGYAAM’ App to issue e-passes to everyone associated with delivery of essential services amid lockdown: The Jharkhand Government has launched a mobile app named PRAGYAAM to issue e-passes to those associated with delivery of essential services such as regular supply services, medical, banking and other necessary services, during the national lockdown to combat COVID-19. The District Transport Officers have been given authority to issue e-passes to vehicles through online mode after verification of the documents uploaded through the app. Officials can also verify the status of the e-passes on the app and other details, including mobile number and identity card of the person engaged in such duties to curb the chances of fake e-passes.

Note: Governor of Jharkhand: Droupadi Murmu; Capital: Ranchi

4. Rajasthan Police launches a mobile app “RajCop citizens app”: Rajasthan police launched a mobile app named ‘RajCop citizen app’ to enable individuals and company employees in the state take permission for venturing out in necessary conditions. It will deliver an advance lockdown pass system to ease the life of people involved in essential services. It has been launched on Android Play Store in English. The app has been developed by Data Ingenious GLobal Limited.

Note: CM of Rajasthan: Ashok Gehlot; Capital of Rajasthan: Jaipur; Governor of Rajasthan: Kalraj Mishra.

5. Andhra Pradesh government set up Mobile Hand-wash facilities: Andhra Pradesh State government has set up Mobile Hand-wash facilities for the benefit of Slum Dwellers amidst lockdown. This facility has become handy for both the state authorities and slum dwellers to access facility of hands cleaning as sanitization and social distancing is the only way of protection for COVID-19. A water tanker is fitted to a vehicle with four tap connections, four wash basins, 2 soap dispensers for better health access and sanitation facilities.

Note: Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh: Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy; Governor of Andhra Pradesh: Biswa Bhushan Harichandan; Capital of Andhra Pradesh: Amaravati.

6. IIT Guwahati team develops drone to sanitise large areas: Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati has developed a drone to sanitize large areas such as roads, parks and footpaths. The drone comprises of automated sprayer which will help the authorities to sanitize large areas in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The drone has a signal range of 3 km and can cover more than 1.2 hectare in one flight and more than 60 hectares in a day.

7. IIT Bombay develops two apps to track quarantine violations: IIT Bombay develops two smartphone apps ““Corontine” and “Safe” to track quarantine violations. CORONTINE uses GPS-enabled geofencing to create a virtual geographic boundary and alerts authorities when boundaries are breached. SAFE was used by IIT-B for attendance. It records the time and location data of the place and uses facial recognition software to verify the person uploading the data.

8. ‘Modi Kitchen’ set up in Tamil Nadu:  A ‘Modi Kitchen’ has been set up in the Kovai (Coimbatore), Tamil Nadu. The kitchen which has a capacity to serve 500 meals per day will remain operational till 14th April 2020. The kitchen has decided to deliver food parcels within a radius of 10 kms till April 14th. The meal includes a main dish, two kinds of side dishes and a sweet and is prepared under advice from nutrition experts.

Note: Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu: Thiru Edappadi K. Palaniswami; Governor of Tamil Nadu: Banwarilal Purohit.

9. New Technology To disinfect Maharashtra hospitals in Covid 19 fight: Pune based startup company has developed a new air-purifying technology named as ‘scitech airon’ which offers an effective solution for India’s fight against Covid 19 by reducing the viral load of infected areas within a room significantly within an hour. The technology has been developed under the NIDHI PRAYAS program initiated by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) that has release Rs 1 crore to scale up the product.

10. GoI extended crop loan interest benefits to farmer till 31 May: Government has extended the benefit of 2% Interest Subvention to Banks and 3% Prompt Repayment Incentive to all farmers till 31st of May 2020 due to national lockdown in the wake of COVID-19. The interest subsidy has been extended to all crop loans upto 3 lakh rupees given by banks. This will help farmers to repay such loans at the extended period at 4% per annum interest without attracting any penalty.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ADB to invest USD 100 million in Indian infrastructure sector via NIIF: Asian Development Bank (ADB) will invest USD 100 million funding for the Indian infrastructure sector through the government-promoted National Investment and Infrastructure Fund’s (NIIF). ADB will be investing in the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund’s (NIIF) fund of funds which will ensure that the actual money invested will be a few times more than the USD 100 million. The total size of NIIF’s fund of funds has now grown to USD 700 million, with ADB’s commitment. This will help NIIF commit money to private equity fund managers who may be struggling to raise money from overseas sources. NIIF is India’s first sovereign wealth fund that was set up by the Government of India in February 2015.

Note: President of ADB: Masatsugu Asakawa; Formation of ADB: 19 December 1966; Headquarters of ADB: Manila, Philippines; Membership of ADB: 68 countries.

2. Tata Power’s JV Commences Commercial Operations of 178MW Shuakhevi Hydro Power Project in Georgia: Adjaristsqali Georgia LLC (AGL), a Joint Venture between Tata Power, Norway’s Clean Energy Invest (CEI), and International Financial Corporation (IFC) started its commercial operation of the 178 MW Shuakhevi Hydro Power Project (HPP) on 30 March 2020 in southwest Georgia. The Shuakhevi HPP is the only project in Georgia’s energy sector which has been funded by three of the largest financial institutes comprising of European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and IFC, a member of the World Bank Group. It is also the largest energy project built in Georgia in the last seven decades. The overall cost of the project is approximated at USD 500 million. The project will generate around 450 GWh of clean energy to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases by more than 200,000 tonnes a year.

Note: TATA Power CEO: Praveer Sinha; TATA Power headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra.

3. Apple launches COVID-19 information app: Apple has launched a new dedicated app and website for users across the US. The app provides accurate and credible information to users about the COVID-19 pandemic. The new COVID-19 app and website provide the needed guidance and latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Note: Apple Inc. CEO: Tim Cook; Headquarters of Apple Inc: California, USA.

4. International Transgender Day of Visibility: 31 March: The International Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) occurs annually on March 31 to raise awareness of discrimination faced by transgender people worldwide, as well as a celebrate their contributions to society. The day was founded by US-based transgender activist Rachel Crandall of Michigan in 2009.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 rescheduled to year 2021: The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 have been postponed by one year and will be held from 23 July to 8 August, 2021. The Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 was earlier scheduled to be held from 24 July to 9 August 2020. The decision to postpone the 32nd edition of the tournament was taken by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) along with the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Government of Japan. The decision has been taken by the IOC amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Note: Prime Minister of Japan: Shinzo Abe; Capital: Tokyo; Currency: Japanese yen.

President of International Olympic Committee (IOC): Thomas Bach; Tokyo 2020 President: Mori Yoshiro.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. MCA introduces ‘Companies Fresh Start’ Scheme: Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) has introduced the “Companies Fresh Start Scheme, 2020” and modified “LLP Settlement Scheme, 2020”. The new scheme has been introduced to provide relief to law abiding companies and the Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) amid COVID-19 pandemic. MCA has also revised “LLP Settlement Scheme, 2020”. The scheme also provides immunity from penal proceedings against delayed filings. Substantive violation of law will not be exempted.

Note: Union Minister of Corporate Affairs: Nirmala Sitharaman.

2. IBBI amended CIRP regulation: Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) amends CIRP Regulations on to provide relief in corporate insolvency resolution process due to COVID-19 outbreak. According to it lockdown period shall not be counted in relation to a corporate insolvency resolution process. The amended regulations are effective from 29th March 2020. These are available at www.mca.gov.in and www.ibbi.gov.in.

3. Ind-Ra cuts GDP growth forecast for India to 3.6 pc for FY21: Credit rating agency India Ratings (Ind-Ra) has cut its FY21 growth forecast for India to 3.6% due to coronavirus lockdown. It has assumed that a full or partial lockdown will continue till end of April and economic activities will be gradually restored only after May.

OBITUARIES

1. Tamil folk singer and actress Paravai Muniyamma passes away: Tamil folk singer and actress Paravai Muniyamma passed away suffering from age-related ailments. She was born on June 26, 1937, in Paravai, Madurai, Tamil Nadu (TN). The acting career of Muniyamma began in the year 2003 in the film Dhool. Her song “Madurai Veeran” became a huge hit. She had appeared in over 50 films, usually playing grandmother roles. In March 2019, Muniyamma was honoured with the Kalaimamani title by the Tamil Nadu government.

2. Japanese comedian Ken Shimura passes away due to coronavirus: Veteran Japanese comedian Ken Shimura (70 years) passed away due to coronavirus. The actor was set to star in his first feature film “God of Cinema”, directed by Yoji Yamada. Shimura grew up in the west Tokyo neighbourhood of Higashimurayama and he started his career in showbiz when he joined the Japanese rock band and comedy group The Drifters, famous for an opening for The Beatles during their early tours of Japan. Shimura tested positive for COVID-19 on March 23.

Daily GK Updates - 22nd March, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Govt Forms high level committee of medical experts for prevention & control of COVID-19: The Government of India has constituted a high level technical committee of Public Health Experts to provide guidance about the prevention and control activities for COVID-19 in the country. The 21 member committee will be headed by NITI Aayog member Dr V K Paul. Union Health Secretary Preeti Sudan and Director General Indian Council of Medical Research are the Co-Chair.

2. J&K Government to start doorstep ration distribution: Due to the rising cases of COVID-19 pandemic, Government of J&K is considering to start doorstep ration distribution and other essential commodities to the consumers. This is in order to swipe away large gatherings at ration depots. Number of quarantine rooms with requisite facilities with the availability of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff must be enhanced in addition.

3. Uttarakhand abolishes quota in promotion for govt employees: Uttarakhand government abolished reservation in promotion in the state government jobs. The state government also issued orders regarding Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC). The move came after over 1.5 lakh General/OBC employees went on an indefinite strike from March 2 demanding the removal of quotas.

Note: Uttarakhand Chief Minister: Trivendra Singh Rawat; Governor of Uttarakhand: Baby Rani Maurya.

4. Tamil Nadu’s sanitary workers to be called ‘cleanliness workers’: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami announced in the Assembly that 64,583 sanitary personnel employed by urban and rural civic bodies in the State will from now on be called ”cleanliness workers” to honour their work. As many as 64,583 sanitary workers are employed with 15 corporations, 121 municipalities, 528 town panchayats and 12,525 village panchayats.

5. A book entitled ‘Messiah Modi: A Great tale of expectations’ released: A book entitled ‘Messiah Modi: A Great Tale of Expectations’ penned by senior journalist & author Tavleen Singh has been released. The book has been published by HarperCollins India. The book talks about helpless dissatisfaction with Narendra Modi the Prime Minister (PM), his cabinet, the story of his first term as a journey from lynchings to demonetization up to Article 370, the foremost controversial law CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) & the guarantees he made in his first term.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Nepal Commits NPR 100 million to SAARC emergency fund to fight COVID-19 outbreak: Nepal has committed NPR 100 million to the SAARC emergency fund proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to help combat the coronavirus pandemic in the region. The announcement in this regard was made by Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli during his first address to the nation after undergoing a kidney transplant.

2. COVID-19 outbreak: BRICS New Development Bank approves nearly USD 1 bn loan to China: China is set to receive a loan worth RMB 7 billion (USD 989 million) from the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) in order to combat the epidemiological threat and economic disruption caused by the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak. The loan is the largest ever awarded in the NDB’s history and is also the first emergency assistance given to one of BRICS’ member

3. Online Tawajudi service introduced in UAE: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, United Arab Emirates introduced a new service on its website: "Tawajudi for residents". This will facilitate the safe return of UAE residents residing outside to the UAE. Residents who are currently abroad can register for this service through MoFAIC's website, thus facilitating communication with them in case of emergency.

4. US FDA approved first COVID-19 diagnostic test: The US Food and Drug Administration has approved a corona virus diagnostic test that can be conducted entirely at the point-of-care and can deliver results in 45 minutes. It will be rolled out by March 30, 2020. It is developed by California based company ‘Cephid’. Point-of-care testing means results are delivered in the patient care settings like hospitals, urgent care centres and emergency rooms, instead of samples being sent to a laboratory.

5. ADB announces $6.5 billion initial response to COVID-19 pandemic: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced a 6.5 billion dollar initial package to address the immediate needs of its developing member countries (DMCs) as they respond to novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The initial package includes about 3.6 billion dollars in sovereign operations for a range of responses to the health and economic consequences of the pandemic, and 1.6 billion dollars in non-sovereign operations for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, domestic and regional trade, and firms directly impacted.

6. World Water Day: 22 March: World Water Day is observed globally on 22nd March every year. It focuses on the importance of freshwater. World Water Day celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2.2 billion people living without access to safe water. A core focus of World Water Day is to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030. The theme of World Water Day 2020 is “Water and Climate Change”.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. IRDAI Constitutes Panel Under Pravin Kutumbe to Review Guidelines on Corporate Governance Systems of Insurers: The insurance regulator, Insurance Regulation and Development Authority (IRDAI), has set up a 16-member committee to find ways to improve its current guidelines on corporate governance systems of insurers, in a bid to further strengthen the guidelines. The committee will be Chaired by Shri Pravin Kutumbe, member-finance and investment at IRDAI. It will also consists of six other members from the insurance regulator, members from the Reserve Bank of India and the Securities and Exchange Board of India along with other industry participants. The committee will submit the report to IRDAI in three months.

2. SBI launches COVID 19 Emergency Credit Line (CECL) facility for existing borrowers: State Bank of India has launched an emergency loan facility for its existing loan customers whose business has been hit due to Coronavirus 2019 (COVID 19). The loan facility has been named COVID 19 Emergency Credit Line (CECL). It has been launched to meet the temporary liquidity mismatch arising out of covid-19. The interest rate under this facility will be 7.25% per annum. Which accounts are eligible: All standard accounts as on March 16, 2020 and till the date of sanction are eligible. With CECL, SBI will facilitate funds up to Rs 200 crore which will be available till June 30, 2020.

Note: Chairperson of SBI: Rajnish Kumar; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded : 1 July 1955.

3. SBI Funds Management adopts stewardship code as mandated by SEBI: SBI Funds Management, a joint venture between India’s largest bank SBI and European asset manager Amundi, has become the first fund house to implement the stewardship code in India from April 1,2020 Stewardship code which requires the fund house to monitor its investor companies and establish voting policies.  This is aimed at complying with markets regulator SEBI’s directive, which mandated all mutual funds and alternative investment funds in the country to adopt a stewardship code, which is applicable for investments in listed equities.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Satyarup Siddhanta, First Indian to Complete Seven Volcanic Summits enters ‘Limca Book of Records’: An Indian mountaineer, Satyarup Siddhanta has entered the coveted Limca Book of World Records for his extra-ordinary achievement of being the first Indian to climb the highest volcanoes of each of the 7 continents. The Bengaluru-based 37-years-old techie mountaineer holds a world record for being the youngest in the world to summit the highest mountains (7 Summits) of each continent. He climbed the highest volcano of Antarctica – Mt Sidley to complete his 7 summits and Volcanic 7 summits. His Seven volcanic summits are: Ojos del Salado (6,893 m) – Chile – South America, Mt Kilimanjaro (5,895 m) – Tanzania – Africa, Mount Elbrus (5,642 m) – Russia – Europe, Mount Pico de Orizaba (5,636 m) – Mexico – North America, Mt Damavand (5,610 m) – Iran – Asia, Mt Giluwe (4,368 m) – Papua New Guinea – Australia and Mt Sidley (4,285 m) – Antarctica.

He has many firsts attached to his name including being the first Indian in the world to play the National anthem with flute at Antarctica. He already has his name in some of the prestigious record books such as Guinness Book of World Records, Asia book of Records, India Book of Records, Champions Book of Records, British Book of records etc.

OBITUARIES

1. Legendary country music singer Kenny Rogers passes away: Country music icon, Kenny Rogers, who dominated the country charts and pop music era of the 1970s and 1980s, died. He was 81. Rogers was a three-time Grammy winner, six-time Country Music Awards winner and a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was well known for hits like ‘Lady’, ‘The Gambler,’ ‘Islands in the Stream’, ‘Lucille’, ‘She Believes In Me’, and ‘Through the Years’.

Daily GK Updates - 17th October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. J&K’s Chenani-Nashri Tunnel to be renamed after Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee: India’s longest Tunnel Chenani- Nashri on NH 44, in Jammu and Kashmir will be named after Bhartiya Jansangh Founder Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. According to Union Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, it is the humble homage to Mukherjee whose battle for Kashmir, One Nation One Flag. Syama Prasad Mukherjee was an Indian politician, barrister and academician, who served as the Minister for Industry and Supply in Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet. With the help of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS), Mr Mukherjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the predecessor to the Bharatiya Janata Party (in 1951).

Note: Jammu and Kashmir governor: Satya Pal Malik.

2. Railways Minister Piyush Goyal flagged off 9 ‘Sewa Service’ trains: Railways Minister Piyush Goyal flagged off 9 ‘Sewa Service’ trains. These trains are connecting small towns to major cities and one of those, the Vadnagar-Mehsana train, was the railways’ gift to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who sold tea at the Vadnagar station during his younger days. The 9 “Sewa Service” trains were launched without any additional investment by the railways and it was an example of how to use existing resources to the maximum. The trains are – Delhi to Shamli, Bhubaneswar to Nayagarh town, Murkongselek to Dibrugarh, Coimbatore to Palani, Coimbatore to Pollachi, Vadnagar to Mehsana, Asarya to Himmatnagar, Karur to Salem, Yesvantpur to Tumkur.

3. Shirui Lily Festival inaugurated in Manipur: Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Tourism & Culture Prahlad Singh Patel has inaugurated ‘2019 Shirui Lily Festival’ (3rd) at Shiru Vangayan Ground of Ukhrul in Manipur. The festival featured demonstrations of the age-old traditions and culture of the inhabitants of the district of Ukhrul. This initiative will provide an opportunity to youth outside the region to develop a positive perception of North-East. Mr Patel along with N. Biren Singh (Manipur Chief Minister) jointly inaugurated the Strength of Unity Statue as a mark of opening the third edition of the four-day state festival.

Note: Governor of Manipur: Padmanabha Balkrishna Acharya; Capital of Manipur: Imphal.

4. GOAL: Digital Skill Training Programme for Tribal Women: Arjun Munda (Union Minister of Trible Affairs) has announced the 2nd phase of programme GOAL (Going online as leaders) for tribal women. The objective of this GOAL program is to digitally mentor 5000 young women in India’s tribal-dominated districts. Ministry of Tribal Affairs partners with Facebook and Niti Aayog are running GOAL for tribal women. The GOAL program will give technical support to the socially and economically marginalized women for their needs to succeed, using the technology they may otherwise have not had access to.

5. Andhra Pradesh CM launches 'YSR Rytu Bharosa - PM KISAN' scheme: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy has launched 'YSR Rytu Bharosa - PM KISAN' in Nellore. Under the scheme, farmers will get financial assistance of Rs 13,500 per annum in three instalments. The State Government contributing Rs 7,500 and the Centre Rs 6,000. Andhra Pradesh Government allocated budget of Rs 5,500 crore for the scheme and the number of beneficiaries is initially put at roughly Rs 40 lakh.

6. Textiles Secretary Inaugurates IHGF-Delhi Fair 2019: Textiles Secretary, Ravi Capoor, inaugurated the 48th edition of the Indian Handicrafts and Gifts Fair (IHGF) at the India Expo Centre & Mart at Greater Noida. More than 3,200 Indian exhibitors are participating in the fair. Around 110 overseas buyers from 110 countries are participating in the event as well. They are here to source furniture, fashion, lifestyle and textiles products of the exhibitors. The sector earns around Rs 43,000 crores (2015) of rupees annually. Out of this, it earns an export of Rs 10,000 crores annually. The theme of IHGF-Delhi Fair 2019: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

7. Kiran Uniyal, w/o a serving Colonel of Indian Army sets Guinness World Records: Kiran Uniyal, w/o a serving Colonel of Indian Army has created Individual Guinness World Records for “The most full contact knee strikes in three minutes (one leg) (female), 263 strikes” & “The most full contact knee strikes alternate legs in one minute(female),120 strikes”. The earlier records were of 177 strikes and 102 in female category respectively. The objectives of both her records were to promote martial arts for girls and women safety and self-defence. While creating the record for the most full contact knee strikes for three minutes, she surpassed the existing male category record of 226 knee strikes. She has so far achieved 15 World Records, including 10 Guinness World Records in Martial Arts, Fitness and Social Work.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. President Kovind embarks on a two-nation visit to Philippines and Japan: President Ram Nath Kovind has left for a two-nation visit to the Philippines and Japan. The president will hold delegation-level talks with his Filipino counterpart Rodrigo Roa Duterte in Manila and attend business and community events ((17th to 21st October). Mr Kovind is visiting Japan (from 21st to 23rd October) to attend the enthronement ceremony of the Emperor of Japan Naruhito.

Note: The Philippines (world's 5th largest island country) is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Capital of Philippines: Manila, Currency: Philippine peso

Japan (world's 4th largest island country) is an island country in East Asia, Located in the Pacific Ocean. Capital of Japan: Tokyo, Currency: Yen

2. India-Bangladesh rail links closed after 1965 war with Pakistan will reopen: Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina has announced that all the rail links with India closed after the 1965 war will be reopened. Trains from Bangladesh to Darjeeling via Siliguri operated till 1965. Earlier, PM Sheikh Hasina has inaugurated the first intercity train between Dhaka and Kurigram.

The first rail line between India and Dhaka was opened in 2008 when Maitree express between Dhaka and Kolkata was started. In 2017 Bandhan express was also started between Kolkata and Khulna.

Note: At present, there are four operational rail links between India and Bangladesh. Two more rail links namely Karimganj/Mahisasan in India to Shahbazpur in Bangladesh and Haldibari in India to Chilhati in Bangladesh are being revived to connect West Bengal and Assam with Bangladesh.

3. UAE announces establishment of world’s 1st AI University: UAE announced the establishment of the Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in Abu Dhabi. This is the first graduate-level, research-based AI university in the world. MBZUAI will enable graduate students, businesses and governments to advance the artificial intelligence field. MBZUAI will introduce a new model of academia and research to the field of AI, providing students and faculty access to some of the world’s most advanced AI systems to unleash its potential for economic and societal development.

Note: Currency of UAE: Dirham, Capital: Abu Dhabi.

4. India hands over 2nd pair of Mi-24V helicopters to Afghan Air forces: India handed over the second pair of Mi-24V helicopters to war-torn Afghanistan, boosting the capability of the Afghan Air forces. The helicopters were officially handed over by Indian Ambassador Vinay Kumar to Afghanistan’s acting Defence Minister Asadullah Khalid at a ceremony held in the military airport, Kabul. These helicopters are a replacement for the four attack helicopters previously gifted by India to Afghanistan in 2015 and 2016. The combat performance and offensive firepower that the helicopters provide will increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the Afghan Air Force (AAF) in ensuring that the ANDSF maintain an agile and robust Counter-Terrorism capability.

Afghanistan Capital: Kabul; Currency: Afghan Afghani; President: Ashraf Ghani

5. India ranked 82 in the 2019 World Giving Index: India ranked 82 spots among the 128 countries surveyed in the World Giving Index (WGI). The average figures for India over the past decade show that 34 per cent people helped a stranger, 24 per cent donated money and 19 per cent volunteered or donated their time. According to the WGI, the USA stood at the top followed Myanmar, New Zealand and Australia.

6. NASA unveils spacesuits to be worn by the first woman on the moon: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has unveiled its next-generation space suits for upcoming Artemis programme, which aims to land the first woman and next man on the moon by 2024. The garment is known as the exploration extravehicular mobility unit (xEMU). The xEMU suits will allow astronauts to move more freely on the moon and during spacewalks. The suit has been designed for exploring the lunar surface, specifically the South Pole – the target for Nasa’s next crewed lunar landing.

7. International Day for the Eradication of Poverty: 17 October: The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is an international observance celebrated on 17th October throughout the world each year since 1993. The main objective of this day is to raise awareness about the efforts being made to eradicate poverty in the world community. The theme of 2019 is ‘Acting together to empower children, their families and communities to end poverty’.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Mumbai's Yashasvi Jaiswal, youngest cricketer to score 200 in One Day cricket: Mumbai teenager Yashasvi Jaiswal (17 years- 192 days) has become the youngest cricketer in the world to score a double century in One Day Cricket. Playing in his debut Vijay Hazare season, Yashasvi Jaiswal (left-handed batsman) scored 203 runs (in 154 balls-12 sixes and 17 fours) against Jharkhand at Alur, Karnataka. Yashasvi Jaiswal became the seventh Indian batsman to score a double century in List A cricket and fourth to achieve it in the domestic circuit.

Riding on Jaiswal's quickfire double hundred, Mumbai posted 358 for 3 in 50 overs and bowled out the opposition for 319.

2. Indian Women football Team wins 3rd SAFF U-15 Women’s Championship 2019: The Indian football team won the 3rd Edition of the SAFF U-15 Women’s Championships 2019 by beating Bangladesh by 5-3 in the penalty shoot-out. The tournament was organized by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) and was held at Changlimithang Stadium in Thimpu, Bhutan. Indian captain Shilky Devi slotted home from the final spot-kick to hand her side 5-3 win.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI guidelines for ‘on tap' payment systems: Reserve bank Of India (RBI) has issued some instructions and guidelines 'on tap' authorisation of payment systems. The RBI has been decided to offer on-tap authorisation for Bharat Bill Payment Operating Unit (BBPOU), Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS) and White Label ATMs (WLAs). The payment system operators should ensure interoperability among different retail payment systems. As per the guidelines, interested entities should have a minimum of 100 crore rupees net worth and should always be maintained. TReDS scheme is to facilitate the financing of invoices and bills of MSMEs drawn on corporate buyers by way of discounting by financiers.

2. Mastercard launches an initiative to promote digital payments in India: Mastercard has tied up with Indian Cricketer M.S. Dhoni (brand ambassador of Mastercard) to launch a nationwide initiative to accelerate the acceptance and adoption of digital payments in India. The initiative dubbed as ‘Team Cashless India‘. The objective of this initiative to bring consumers and merchants to the “forefront of the digital payments dialogue”. Mastercard will work together with Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), acquirer banks and financial technology companies to support nominated merchants to deploy digital payments acceptance infrastructure.

Note: To take part in ‘Team Cashless India’, anyone can either nominate merchants online or give a missed call to 9016861000. Team Cashless India’ is an important step towards Mastercard’s goal to equip 10 million merchants in India with digital payments acceptance capabilities by 2020. Mastercard Founded: 1966; Headquarters: New York, US.

3. India Post launches mobile banking facility for savings accounts: The Department of Post announced that it has launched mobile banking for its savings account customers. The facility will be available all the post office savings account holders of the CBS (core banking solutions) post offices. The launch of the mobile banking facility comes almost a year after the Department of Post launched Internet banking facility for its savings account holders.

AWARDS & HONOURS

1. Lionel Messi wins 3rd straight Golden Shoe as top scorer in European Leagues: Barcelona captain Leo Messi received his 6th Golden Shoe as the top scorer in the European leagues. Messi won the trophy for a 3rd straight year after scoring 36 goals, 3 more than his closest challenger, Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain. Messi now has two more Golden Shoes than his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo. The award was created in 1967 when it was won by Eusebio.

DEFENCE

1. India-Japan joint Air Force Exercise ‘Shinyuu Maitri’ in West Bengal: The Indian Air Force and Japanese Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) has carried out the annual joint military exercise ‘Shinyuu Maitri’ at Air Force Station, Arjan Singh, Panagarh, West Bengal (17 to 23rd October). C-130 J aircraft of the Special Operations Squadron of IAF and C-130 H of Tactical Airlift Squadron of JASDF is participating in the exercise. The focus of the exercise, to undertake Joint Mobility and Tactical interoperability among the two forces.