Daily GK Updates - 30th April, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to held in Varanasi : The next Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be held in the holy city of Varanasi from January 21 to 23, 2019.The theme of the 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is “Role of Indian Diaspora in building a New India”.The Ministry of External Affairs will also organize four Know India Programmes and online “Bharat Ko Jaaniye Quiz”.

2. Ayushman Bharat Diwas on 30th April : As part of Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, Ayushman Bharat Diwas is being celebrated across the country on 30th April.During the event, information regarding Ayushman Bharat Scheme is being provided to people during health camps organised in rural areas.The Ayushman Bharat programme seeks to provide easily available and affordable medical facilities in the remote parts of the country.

3.  Dadasaheb Phalke’s birthday : Google dedicated a Doodle to ‘Father of Indian Cinema’ Dadasaheb Phalke on his 148th birth anniversary.Phalke made his directorial debut in 1913 with “Raja Harishchandra”, India’s first full-length feature.In 1969, the Government paid homage to this visionary filmmaker by dedicating an award in his name, Dadasaheb Phalke Award, which recognises lifetime contributions to Indian cinema.

4. Kavinder Gupta is new deputy CM of J&K : Former Jammu and Kashmir speaker Kavinder Gupta took oath as a minister in the Mehbooba Mufti government.Gupta took oath as the deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, replacing BJP’s Nirmal Singh, who will now become the assembly speaker.Kavinder Gupta is a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Gandhinagar constituency in Jammu district.

5. Odisha launched Odisha Skills : Odisha government has inaugurated ‘Odisha Skills 2018’, the state-level chapter of India Skill competition organised by National Skill Development Corporation.The competition would give a platform to the students of Odisha to show their talents.A skill-cum-common facility centre for filigree craftsman of the city was also inaugurated.

6. Gujarat to launch water conservation project : The Gujarat Government will start a month-long initiative from May 1 to increase its water conservation capacity.Tasks like deepening ponds, desilting water reservoirs and check dams & repairing Narmada canal networks will be undertaken during the 31-day statewide “Sujalam Sufalam Water Conservation Initiative”.The government aims to increase rain water conservation capacity in the state.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India, Pakistan to take part in war games : In a first, India and Pakistan will be part of a multi-nation counter-terror exercise in Russia in September.The military exercise will take place under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.The military drill would be held in the Ural mountains of Russia, and almost all SCO member countries will be part of it.

2. World’s oldest spider discovered in Australia : Scientists have discovered what may be the world’s oldest recorded spider – a 43-year-old arachnid in Australia.The Giaus Villosus trapdoor matriarch, had outlived the previous world record holder, a 28-year old tarantula found in Mexico.The spider has recently died during a long-term population study.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. HDFC Bank launched humanoid IRA 2.0 : HDFC Bank has announced the launch of IRA 2.0, its interactive humanoid in Bengaluru.IRA will interact with customers, answer bank-related queries, frequently asked questions, and guide them inside the branch with voice-based navigation.HDFC Bank also launched its virtual assistant ‘EVA’ on Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.The first version of IRA is currently stationed in Kochi.

2. PHDCCI, Indian Yoga Association sign MoU : The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) and the Indian Yoga Association (IYA) signed a MoUThe MoU will facilitate interaction and cooperation between the two organisations to promote wellness, spiritual and cultural tourism in the Krishna Circuit.Places associated with Lord Krishna constitute the Krishna Circuit in Uttar Pradesh.

SPORTS:

1. Pankaj Roy, Gaekwad to get Lifetime Award : Former India batsman and two-time national coach Anshuman Gaekwad and former opener, late Pankaj Roy, have been recommended for the prestigious Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement award by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).The cash prize for the award is ₹25 lakh each.The BCCI Annual Awards will be held before the historic Test between India and Afghanistan in Bengaluru.

2. Prajnesh won maiden singles title : Prajnesh Gunneswaran has clinched his first ever singles tennis title on the ATP Challenger circuit.The 28-year-old from Chennai, ranked 260, pocketed $21,600 and earned 125 points.It was second final at the Challenger level for left-handed Prajnesh, who had lost the Pune summit clash to Sadio Doumbia in October 2016.

3. N Sikki Reddy recommended for Arjuna Award : Women’s doubles shuttler N Sikki Reddy has been recommended for Arjuna Award by the Badminton Association of India.G Sudhakar Reddy, who coached Kidambi Srikanth in his early days, has been recommended for Dronacharya Award.The 24-year-old Sikki had won the mixed team gold medal and the women’s doubles bronze at the recent Commonwealth Games 2018 in Gold Coast.

Daily GK Updates - 29th April, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Every village now has access to electricity : According to the government data, all of India’s 597,464 census villages now have access to electricity.The last village to be brought on the national power grid was Leisang village in the Senapati district of Manipur.Prime Minister Modi in his Independence Day speech on 15 August 2015 promised to electrify all un-electrified villages within 1000 days.

2. Budgam shortlisted for Modi’s excellence award : Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district has been shortlisted for PM Modi’s excellence award for promoting digital payments and cashless economy.Digital payments facility has been installed at 670 places across the district so far.In order to ensure successful implementation of the digital payments, the district administration has trained hundreds of local residents at Common Services Centers.

3. India’s longest serving chief minister : Pawan Chamling has created history by surpassing the record of former communist ruler of West Bengal, Jyoti Basu, as the longest serving chief minister in the country.Chamling became the chief minister of Sikkim on December 12, 1994, and has ruled the tiny Himalayan state ever since.Chamling joined politics in 1973, and was elected to the Sikkim assembly for the first time in 1985.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1.North Korea to rejoin South’s time zone : North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will move country’s clocks 30 mins forward to unify with South’s time zone.The 2 countries on divided peninsula had different time zones since 2015 when North changed its standard time to 30 mins behind the South.North will move to the time zone used before Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule of peninsula to mark the 70^th anniversary of its liberation from Tokyo.

2.International Buddhist meet begins in Lumbini : The International Buddhist Conference got underway in Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha.The conference aims to disseminate teachings of Buddha and spread the messages of nonviolence, brotherhood, co-existence, love and peace to the international community.Representatives from 16 countries including U.S., Japan, India, China, Indonesia and Sri Lanka will attend the conference.

3.Pompeo sworn in as new US secretary of state : Former CIA Director Mike Pompeo has been sworn in as the 70th US secretary of state after the Senate voted to confirm him, 57-42.Mike Pompeo replaces President Donald Trump’s first Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.His confirmation creates avacancy atop the CIA that will be filled, at least for now, by Gina Haspel,the intelligence agency’s No. 2 official.

4.Saudi Aramco appoints the first woman to the board : Saudi Arabia’s Aramco, the world’s top oil company has appointed its first female board member among five new members to its board of directors.Lynn Laverty Elsenhans, the former chairwoman, president and CEO of U.S. oil refiner Sunoco is the first female board member of Aramco.Elsenhans was named by Forbes as one of the world’s most powerful women in 2008.

5.World Day for Safety and Health at Work : The World Day for Safety and Health at Work is an annual international campaign to promote safe, healthy and decent work.It is held on 28 April and has been observed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 2003.The theme for World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2018 is: Occupational safety health (OSH) vulnerability of young workers.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Most trusted Internet brand in India : According to the TRA Brand Trust Report 2018, With 1.2 trillion searches per year Google is the most trusted Internet brand in India, followed by Facebook.E-commerce major Amazon, which had been ranking second since 2015, slipped to third position while e-Bay ranked fourth.The biggest falls in trust were seen by Snapdeal, who fell by 142 ranks over last year, Hike and Myntra.

SPORTS:

1. Sumit, Nikhat strike gold at Belgrade Boxing : Sumit Sangwan and Nikhat Zareen were among the three gold-medallists in India’s stupendous campaign at the 56th Belgrade International Boxing Tournament in Serbia.Also claiming a gold was Himanshu Sharma, who defeated Algeria’s Mohammed Touareg 5-0 in his final bout.India ended the tournament with three gold, five silver and five bronze medals in all.

2. India won South Asian U-12 Tennis Championship : India has won the South Asian Under-12 Qualifying Tennis Tournament, defeating host Nepal in the finals.Indian girls and boys team defeated their Nepali opponents in the final by 2-0.Now both the Indian teams will participate in ITF Asian 12 and Under Team Championship to be played in Kazakhstan later this year.

3. ICC scraped 50-over Champions Trophy : International Cricket Council has decided to convert the 2021 Champions Trophy, scheduled in India, into a World T20 event.Champions Trophy was the second-biggest 50-overs tournament after the World Cup. The number of teams competing varied over the years.This means that there would now be two ICC World T20 events in 2 years — the 2020 edition in Australia and the 2021 edition in India.

Daily GK Updates - 28th April, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. POCSO Act to be made gender-neutral : The Centre has proposed to amend the POCSO Act and make it gender-neutral.In 2017, the govt. had instructed the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to look into the issue.As of right now, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POSCO) does not cover boys who suffer from sexual abuse.

2. Delhi govt to set up Rogi Kalyan Samiti : Delhi government has decided to set up ‘Rogi Kalyan Samitis’ in each constituency and ‘Jan Swasthaya Samitis’ in dispensaries and clinics.

These Assembly Rogi Kalyan Samitis will play advisory role and will assist health facilities, develop and customize strategies.‘Assembly Rogi Kalyan Samiti’ and ‘Jan Swasthaya Samiti’ will be provided Rs 3 lakh per annum as grand-in aid.

3. Saraswati Samman for Sitanshu : Eminent Gujarati poet Sitanshu Yashaschandra’s poetry collection “Vakhar” has been chosen for the Saraswati Samman for 2017.The selection for the award is made by a high level ‘Chayan Parishad’ (selection committee), presided over by former secretary general of Lok Sabha, Subhash C Kashyap.The Saraswati Samman is awarded annually by the K K Birla Foundation.

4. UNCCD workshop on land degradation : A four-day Asia Pacific Regional Workshop of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) was held in New Delhi.The workshop was jointly held jointly hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and UNCCD Secretariat.Its objective was to discuss on how to build the capacity of the Asia-Pacific Region to monitor and report on land degradation

5. Rahul Bhatia as interim CEO of Indigo : InterGlobe Aviation Ltd.’s director Rahul Bhatia has taken over as the interim chief executive officer after its president and director Aditya Ghosh unexpectedly resigned.Indigo is jointly owned by Rahul Bhatia and Rakesh Gangwal.Indigo is the biggest airline in India and the biggest budget airline in Asia by market valuation.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. A historic event: North-South Korea meet : In a historic turn of events, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on April 27, 2018 stepped into South Korean border for a day of talks with the Southern President Moon Jae-in.Kim and Moon signed “Panmunjom Declaration,” named after the truce village in the Demilitarized Zone between the two Koreas.Both leaders also agreed to work jointly for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

2. Wuhan summit: India-China to collaborate : India and China have decided to launch together a launch joint economic project in war-torn Afghanistan.This would be the first ever Sino-Indian joint initiative in a third country.The two sides also decided give to momentum to economic partnership and joint global projects in health and disaster management

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Fitch retains India rating at ‘BBB-‘ : Global credit rating agency Fitch has affirmed India’s sovereign rating at ‘BBB-’ with ‘stable’ outlook.‘BBB-’ rating indicates lowest investment grade.The rating was assigned to the country 11 years ago. Fitch had last upgraded the rating from ‘BB+’ to ‘BBB-’ with stable outlook on August 1, 2006.Fitch has projected India’s growth at 7.3 percent in current the fiscal.

2. RBI eases rules for foreign investors : RBI has removed the restriction that limited foreign investors to only investing in government and corporate bonds with tenures of three years or more.This decision can bolster the domestic bond market.The move comes after weak investor interest in two recent auctions that led to a spike in sovereign debt yields.

DEFENCE:

1. Tejas fires air-to-air BVR missile : Indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft Tejas has successfully fired an air-to-air beyond visual range (BVR) missile.With this major milestone, Tejas has demonstrated its overall capability as an effective combat jet, and inched closer to receive final operational clearance.Nirmala Sitharaman complimented the DRDO and other agencies involved in making Tejas a world-class aircraft.

SPORTS:

1. Tennis: Ankita Raina included in TOPS : Tennis player Ankita Raina has been included in the government’s Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).She has displayed good form this season both in the Fed Cup and the professional circuit.Ankita recently broke into the top-200, reaching a career-best 197 in the WTA rankings, becoming the third Indian to do so.Before Ankita, Sania and Nirupama Vaidyanathan have made it to the top-200.

2. Archery World Cup-India shines : India has won bronze in the compound mixed team event at the Archery World Cup.Abhishek Verma and Jyothi Surekha Vennam combined to beat the Turkish team of Yesim Bostan and Demir Elmaagacli by a score of 154-148.This win is Verma’s seventh overall World Cup medal and India’s second bronze in compound archery at the World Cups since the start of 2017.

Daily GK Updates - 27th April, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India to get database on disasters by 2020 : India will get a national database on disasters, which includes information on deaths, people affected and economic losses, by 2020.As India is a signatory to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, it has become imperative for the country to have a database ready by 2020.A baseline, using data from 2005-15, will be developed in order to track improvements in disaster management.

2. 23rd meeting of Western Zonal Council : Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the 23rd meeting of Western Zonal Council at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.During the last 3 years or so, two Council meetings and 3 Standing Committee meetings of the Western Zonal Council were held.Zonal Councils were set up under the States Reorganization Act, 1956 to foster Inter-State co-operation and co-ordination among the Stat

3. BIS grants first license for Liquid Chlorine : Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) granted First Licence to M/s Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Ltd for Liquid Chlorine on All India basis.This is the First Licence granted on All India basis. The license has been made operative with effect from 12th April, 2018 for a period of one year.This product is in liquid form and stored in metal containers and used in paper, pulp, textile bleaching.

4. Indu Malhotra sworn in as SC Judge : Senior lawyer Indu Malhotra was sworn in on 27th April as Supreme Court Judge.It is for the first time that the apex court has two women judges — the other being Justice R. Banumathi. Justice Malhotra is the fifth woman Judge of the top court.Justice Fatima Bibi was the first woman Judge of the Supreme Court.She is the 1st woman lawyer from the Supreme Court bar to be directly elevated

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Christine appointed as envoy on Myanmar by UN : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Christine Schraner Burgener of Switzerland as his new special envoy on Myanmar.Burgener was the Ambassador of Switzerland to Germany since 2015.From 2009 to 2015, she served as Ambassador to Thailand and led efforts to mediate between the two sides in the violence that erupted in Thailand in 2010.

2. India-Nepal IGC meeting began in Kathmandu : India-Nepal Inter-Governmental Committee (IGC) meeting on trade, transit and cooperation to control unauthorised trade in Kathmandu started on 26th April.The meeting provides a regular platform to review the implementation of past trade and transit agreements.IGC also deliberate upon day-to-day problems in regulation of Nepalese traffic-in-transit and issue of Indian investments in Nepal.

3. Intellectual Property Day observed on 26 Apr : World Intellectual Property Day is observed annually on 26 April.The event was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2000 to “raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact on daily life”.The theme for this year was “Powering Change: Women in Innovation and Creativity”.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. NITI & ITC to transform agriculture sector : NITI Aayog and ITC will collaborate in the area of agriculture and allied sectors in order to strengthen farming systems.The partnership is for a period of four years till April 2022 .The prime objective is to increase net returns from farming through reduction in costs of production and increasing productivity of major crops in each of the identified district.

2. World Bank loan for Biopharma Mission : The government has secured a loan of about Rs. 1,600 crore from the World Bank to develop new vaccines, medical devices and medicines.The money will be disbursed over five years and is part of the Department of Biotechnology-led National Biopharma Mission.The goal is to have 6 to 10 new products in the next five years and it will create a slew of jobs.

3. CSIR bags Intellectual Property Award : The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has been awarded the National Intellectual Property Award, 2018 for being the top research and development organisation for patents and commercialisation.The award was handed over by Union Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu to mark the World Intellectual Property Day.The CSIR was established in 1942.

DEFENCE:

1. BARC offers first indigenous bulletproof vest : The Bhabha Atomic Reseach Centre (BARC) has developed a next-generation bulletproof jacket for the Indian armed forces, which is not only cheaper but also much lighter.The bullet jacket, named Bhabha Kavach, will reduce the weight of jacket by nearly 50%.Bhabha Kavach is made of boron carbide and carbon nanotube polymer composite.

SPORTS:

1. AITA nominates Yuki, Bopanna for Arjuna award : The All India Tennis Association (AITA) has nominated country's top singles player Yuki Bhambri and doubles expert Rohan Bopanna for the Arjuna award.Recently, Yuki Bhambri reclaimed his place in top-100 (career-best rank - 83) after a string of impressive performances.Rohan Bopanna had won the French Open mixed doubles title last year with Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski, was nominated last year after the deadline had passed.

Daily GK Updates - 26th April, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. M-Awas for allotment of Govt. homes : Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs (I/C) launched a Mobile App (m-Awas) for allotment of Government accommodations in General Pool Residential Accommodation (GPRA).The application has been developed by NIC.The dedicated application of online allotment i.e. e-Awas will support this App.The app is user friendly and can be made operative from an android mobile phone.

2. Kerala CM launched Pravasi Pension Scheme : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan launched Pravasi pension scheme.The scheme gives those hailing from Kerala but living outside the state or country, a pension of 2,000 a month.People over the age of 60 years are eligible for the pension.The scheme is not applicable for state and central government employees.

3. New system to measure air quality : India is tying up with the United States and Finland to develop a pollution-forecast system.The system will help anticipate particulate matter (PM) levels at least two days in advance and at a greater resolution than what is possible now.The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) will be coordinating this exercise and the plan is to have a system in place by winter.

 4. Sagar Kavach’ began in Kerala : A two-day coastal security exercise ‘Sagar Kavach’ began to strengthen and assess theloopholes in the coastal security mechanism along Kerala shores. The Coast Guard, the Navy, Coastal Police and Marine Enforcement wing are participating in the exercise.3 ships of the navy, 10 of Coastguard, four fishing boats, besides 20 coastal police stations are taking part in the drill.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. EAM to attend India-Mongolia Joint Committee : External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will co-chair the 6th round of India-Mongolia Joint Consultative Committee meeting with her Mongolian counterpart in Ulaanbaatar.The meeting will discuss trade, economic, cultural and scientific co-operation.Mrs Swaraj became the first Indian External Affairs Minister to visit the Mongolia in 42 years

2. Govt to relax Restricted Area Permit regime : The Restricted Area Permit regime in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep will be relaxed for tourism promotion.This was decided during the third meeting of Island Development Agency chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi.The Island Development Agency reviewed the progress made towards preparation of Development Plans for identified Islands.

3. Bangladesh, Nepal launched trial bus service : Bangladesh and Nepal have launched a trial bus service between their capitals through India.

The proposed commercial bus service comes under the purview of BBIN (Bangladesh-Bhutan-India-Nepal) Motor Vehicles Agreement.Currently, passengers use the Lalmonirhat-Burimari-Changrabandha-Siliguri route to go to Kathmandu.

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE:

1. Dakota DC-3 aircraft to be inducted into IAF : Dakota DC-3 aircraft of 1940’s vintage would be inducted shortly into the Vintage Aircraft Flight of the Indian Air Force (IAF).Built in 1944, the aircraft served in the military with the RAF and was also operated by various civil airlines.In 1988, a large fleet of Dakota DC-3 served in the Indian Air Force. It was one of the most versatile transport aircraft of its time.

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. Dalmia Bharat Adopts Red Fort, Delhi : Dalmia Bharat Limited has signed a MoU with Ministry of Tourism for adoption of Red Fort monument under the “Adopt a Heritage” project.The adoption will enable to construct, landscape, illuminate and maintain activities related to provision and development of tourist amenities.The Adopt a Heritage Scheme was launched by President Ram Nath Kovind on World Tourism Day on 27th September 2017.

SPORTS: 

1. India to host Asian Weightlifting C’ships : Indian will host the prestigious Asian Weightlifting Championship in 2019.The Championship was awarded to India at the Executive Board Meeting and Congress of the Asian Weightlifting Federation held on April 22 at Urgench, Uzbekistan.The last edition of the Asian Championship was held in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, from April 23-29.

2. Rizvi gets silver at ISSF World Cup : Shahzar Rizvi clinched India’s first medal at the ISSF World Cup, winning a silver in the 10m air pistol event.Rizvi had won the gold medal in the ISSF World Cup in Guadalajara, Mexico in March. Russia clinched the gold medal while the bronze went to Bulgaria.

Daily GK Updates - 25th April, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.Indian Navy inducts 3rd LCU at Port Blair:The Indian Navy has inducted the third ship of the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) Mk-IV project at Port Blair.LCU MK-IV ship is an amphibious ship and is capable of transporting combat equipment such as Main Battle Tanks Arjun, T72, and other Armored Vehicles.The command oversees India’s Andaman and Nicobar Island territories, including the strategic Strait of Malacca in the Indian Ocean.

2. NITI Aayog launched Atal New India Challenge:The Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) under the NITI Aayog launched the Atal New India Challenge on April 26.

Under the Atal New India Challenge, AIM will invite prospective innovators/MSMEs/start-ups to design market-ready products.Applicants showing capability, intent and potential to productize technologies will be awarded grants up to Rs. 1 crore.

3. National Bamboo Mission restructured:The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National Bamboo Mission under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture.The mission is to ensure holistic development of the bamboo sector.The Mission will focus on the development of bamboo in limited states where it has social, commercial and economical advantage, particularly in the North Eastern region.

4. Manipur’s Shirui Lily festival began: Manipur’s five-day Shirui Lily State Festival commenced on 24th April in the Ukhrul district headquarters.The festival, organized by the State Tourism Department, aimed to spread awareness and conserve the endangered state flower ‘Shirui Lily’, while also promote the hill district as a potential tourist destination.The campaign is organized by The Giving Tree and Hill Wild.

5.HRD Ministry launches Unnat Bharat Abhiyan-2:Human Resource Development Ministry launched the Unnat Bharat Abhiyan-2 in New Delhi.Under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, students from 750 higher educational institutions from across the country will adopt villages and visit them.Under the scheme, the institutions have been selected on a Challenge Mode and has been extended to 750 reputed Higher Educational Institutes.

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6. Gauri became Brand Ambassador for Haryana: The Haryana government has appointed shooter Gauri Sheoran as the Brand Ambassador for its Measles-Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign & Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK). Under the MR campaign, about 80 lakh children aged between 9 months and 15 would be vaccinated.RBSK is an initiative aimed at covering defects at birth, deficiencies, diseases, and disability.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India, Malaysia to hold military exercise: The Indian and Malaysian armies will hold a two-week military exercise beginning April 30 in Malaysia.The joint exercise ‘Harimau Shakti’ will take place in the dense forests of Sengai Perdik in Malaysia.This is the first instance wherein a joint training exercise of this magnitude involving Indian and Malaysian soldiers is being organized in Malaysia.

2. Government makes an agreement with World Bank:The government has entered into a legal agreement with the World Bank for financing the research towards early development for bio-pharmaceuticals.The aim is to make India a hub for design and development of novel, affordable and effective bio-pharmaceutical products.

This mission will mark the beginning of a new partnership between the Department of Biotechnology & the World Bank.

3.India’s ranking in Press Freedom falls to 138:India’s ranking in the Press Freedom Index has fallen two places to 138.Norway topped the list of having the world’s freest press for the second year in a row.North Korea remained the most repressive country followed by Eritrea, Turkmenistan, Syria and then China. The report is published annually by Reporters Without Borders, the Index measures the level of media freedom in 180 countries

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. IMF unveils new corruption policy: The International Monetary Fund will systematically address corruption and its impact on economic growth with all its member countries under new guidelines.The new policy also tackles how rich countries contribute to corruption in the developing world by failing to prevent bribery and money laundering.The IMF will not investigate specific instances of corruption.

SPORTS:

1. BCCI recommends Shikhar & Smriti for Arjuna:BCCI recommended Indian cricketers Smriti Mandhana and Shikhar Dhawan for the Arjuna Award.Shikhar Dhawan currently opens the innings for the Indian Premier League (IPL) side Sunrisers Hyderabad.Last year, the BCCI had recommended Cheteshwar Pujara and Harmanpreet Kaur for the award given by the Government of India’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

Daily GK Updates - 24th April, 2018

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.National Panchayati Raj Diwas: In India, April 24th is celebrated as National Panchayati Raj Diwas every year.This day marks the passing of the Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 that came into force with effect from 24 April 1993.The first National Panchayati Raj Day was celebrated in 2010.

2.First digital village in Arunachal:Nirjuli village-1 in Papum Pare district was declared as the first digital village of Arunachal Pradesh.Digital village aims at cashless transactions even in sabji mandis to make payment through mobile.The state government also promised to  promote V-set linked customer service point (CSP) for digitalisation.

3.India’s first hospital for eye tumours: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is India’s first public hospital to start plaque brachytherapy facility for the treatment of eye tumours.The facility is a form of local radiation delivered to the eye through a radioactive device which is attached to the eye for a temporary period of time.AIIMS was established in 1956.

4.Newton wins best film honour: Actor Rajkummar Rao-starrer “Newton” has won the best film honour at the Hong Kong International Film Festival.Amit Masurkar-directed “Newton”, which also stars Anjali Patil, is a political satire.It had its world premiere at the 67th Berlin Film Festival where it won the International Federation of Art Cinemas (CICAE) award in its Forum segmen

5. Quality Mark Award Scheme: The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries has supported the National Dairy Development Board developed initiative of “Quality Mark” Award Scheme for dairy Cooperatives.The NDDB is in the process of registering the quality mark logo under Trademarks Act, 1998.Since its formation on 6th January, 2016, NDDB has received 53 applications for award of the Quality Mark.

6. Utkrisht Double-Decker AC Yatri Express:The Indian Railways will launch in July the Utkrisht Double-Decker AC Yatri (Uday) Express+ , a special class service for overnight journey that will ply on high-demand routes.The main USP of this train is that it will have fares lower than that of 3AC class.It runs at a speed of 110 km/hr.

 INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. New types of blood cells discovered: Scientists, including those of Indian origin, have identified new types of blood cells in the human immune system.The cells are new classes of types of white blood cells called dendritic cells and monocytes.Researchers used a technique called single-cell genomics to analyse gene expression patterns in individual human blood cells.

2. Freight train connects Russia with China: A freight train connecting Russia with China arrived in Ganzhou an inland city in Jiangxi province, carrying goods from Moscow on April 24.The freight train travelled more than 7000 km.This freight train connecting Russia and China is expected to bring resources from Europe and boost local development.

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS/ECONOMY:

1. GNFC wins Golden Peacock Award: The Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd (GNFC) won the prestigious Golden Peacock Award in the category of InnovativeProduct/Service for pioneering a cashless township transformation model.The Awards were established by the Institute of Directors in 1991.The GNFC won from among 313 applicants.

SPORTS:

1. Cricket removed from 2018 Asian Games:  One of the sports to miss out from the programme list of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang is cricket.Apart from cricket, skateboarding, sambo and surfing have also been removed.This measure was taken as a part of the series of changes aimed at reducing the total number of events from 493 to 431.Also omitted from the list are kurash and belt wrestling events.

2.Nadal wins 10th Monte-Carlo title:  Rafael Nadal won the Monte Carlo Masters for a record-breaking 10th time by defeating  Albert Ramos-Vinolas.He, who now has 50 clay court titles and 70 in all, will be aiming for a 10th French Open title as well next month. He became the first man in the Open era to win the same event 10 times.