Daily GK Updates - 19th April, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Gagandeep Kang Becomes First Indian Female FRS: Professor Gagandeep Kang has become the first Indian female scientist to be elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in the UK fellowship's 358-year-history. ii. The 56-year-old is the Executive Director of Translational Health Science and Technology Institute at Faridabad. Other notable FRS inducted in 2019 includes Fields Medal-winning mathematicians Akshay Venkatesh and Manjul Bhargava.

2. 14 products from different states received GI tag: Himachali Kala Zeera, Jeeraphool from Chhattisgarh and Kandhamal Haldi from Odisha are among the 14 products that have received Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the government for 2019 year. The other products which received this tag include Coorg Arabica coffee from Karnataka, Wayanad Robusta coffee from Kerala, Araku Valley Arabica from Andhra Pradesh, Sirisi Supari from Karnataka and Himachali Chulli oil.

3. Deutsche Bank Appoints Kaushik Shaparia As CEO For India: Deutsche Bank appointed Kaushik Shaparia as the chief executive officer for India to succeed Ravneet Gill. Gill left the bank to head private lender YES Bank. Shaparia’s appointment will be effective from May 2019. Shaparia served as Asia Pacific Head of Corp­orate Banking Coverage within Institutional and Treasury Coverage, as well as Global Head of Subsidiary Coverage and has a 30-year experience at the bank. Deutsche Bank Headquarters: Frankfurt, Germany.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Sri Lanka’s 1st Satellite ‘Raavana-1’ launched Into Space: Sri Lanka’s first satellite ‘Raavana-1’ was launched into space from NASA’s Flight Facility on Virginia’s east shore. ‘Raavana 1’ weights around 1.05 kg and the lifespan of the satellite is around one and a half years. The satellite was designed and built at the Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan by two Sri Lankan research engineers. Its camera mission is to capture images of Sri Lanka and its neighboring countries.

2. 7th China International Technology Fair kicked off: The 7th China International Technology Fair opened on 18 April 2019 in Shanghai, a national-level professional fair focused on international technology trade. With an exhibition space covering 35,000 square meters, the fair has five exhibition areas including professional technologies, technological innovation, and trade services.

3. India suspended LoC trade with Pakistan: India has suspended the trade across the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan from 19 April 2019. This was done after probe agencies found the route was being misused to smuggle illegal weapons, drugs and fake currency.

4. Mali's PM Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga Resigns: Mali’s Prime Minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga has resigned along with his whole government, following a motion of no confidence over its failure to handle violence in the West African country. President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita’s office stated that the President accepts the resignation of the prime minister and that of the members of the government.

5. Christina Koch To Set Record For Longest Spaceflight By A Woman: ASA astronaut Christina Koch is going to have her mission on the International Space Station (ISS) extended to 328 days, which would set a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman. Koch, who arrived at the space station on March 14 is scheduled to remain in orbit until February 2020, will eclipse the record of 288 days set by former NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson in 2016-17. 

6. World Liver Day being observed today: The World Liver day is observed on the 19th April every year to spread awareness about the second largest organ ‘liver’ in the body. The theme of World Liver Day 2019 is 'Love Your Liver and Live Longer’. Liver diseases can be caused by hepatitis A, B, C, alcohol, and drugs.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Bajrang Regains Top Spot In World Wrestling Rankings: India's Bajrang Punia has regained the world number one spot in the men's 65-kilogramfreestyle category rankings. The rankings were released by United World Wrestling. Punia, who won Gold in the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games as well as  a silver in the World Championships in 2018, secured 58 points ahead of Akhmed Chakaev of Russia

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. BoM Joins M1Xchange TReDS Platform for MSME Bill Discounting: Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has partnered with M1Xchange Trade Receivables Discounting System (TReDS) platform for MSME bill discounting. TReDS is a digital platform to support micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to get their bills financed at a competitive rate through an auction where multiple registered financiers can participate. Mynd Solutions is a technology management firm which runs the TReDS platform of M1Xchange. The main purpose of TReDS platform is to facilitate smooth flow of liquidity in the system and make finance available at a competitive rate.

2. ICICI Bank launches insta car, two-wheeler loans: ICICI Bank has announced the launch of insta car and two-wheeler loans that will provide existing customers final sanction letters instantly. The first service, called 'Insta Auto Loan', enables over two million pre-approved customers to avail the final sanction letter of a car loan instantly and digitally up to Rs 20 lakh for a tenure of up to seven years. The second initiative, named 'Insta Two-Wheeler Loan', offers over 12 million pre-approved customers the facility to get instant sanction of loan up to Rs 2 lakh for a tenure of up to three years. Both the plans will offer 100 per cent of the on-road price of vehicle.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1.  Indian Peacekeepers Awarded UN Medal of Honour: A total of 150 Indian peacekeepers serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) have received medals of honour for their dedicated service and sacrifice. Under the UNMISS, the Indian Horizontal Mobility Engineering Company had completed the renovation of 145 km of roadway connecting Bentiu and Leer in South Sudan, easing the way for the delivery humanitarian aid, trade, and inter-communal dialogue.

2. India Ranks 140th In World Press Freedom Index 2019, Norway Topped: India ranked 140th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index 2019, released by Reporters Without Borders. The index is topped by Norway. Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF), or Reporters Without Borders, is a non-profit organisation that works to document and combat attacks on journalists around the world.

Daily GK Updates - 18th April, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES

 1. Guwahati fuel station to go cashless: In a major step towards Digital India, the petrol pump owners of Guwahati, the capital city of Assam and the gateway to the Northeast have decided to go cashless completely from 18 April until the on-going parliamentary elections are over. As per reports, the petrol pump owners have been facing a trouble over cash transaction after the enforcement of Model Code of conduct (MCC) for the Lok Sabha Elections.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES

 1. Nepal and Sri Lanka Launches Its First Satellite From USA: Nepal successfully launched its first satellite ‘NepaliSat-1’ into space. The satellite developed by the Nepalese scientists was launched from Virginia in the United States. It is a low orbit satellite which will be in the 400-km distance from the Earth's surface. Sri Lanka's first satellite 'Raavana-1' was also launched into space, marking Sri Lanka's entry into the global space age. 

2. Saudi Arabia To Host G20 Summit In 2020: Saudi Arabia announced that it will be hosting the G20 summit in November 2020 in its capital Riyadh. This would be the first G20 summit in the Arab world. Last year's G20 meeting was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had represented the Kingdom. 

3. 3-member women team set out to summit Mt Everest: For the first time, a three-member team of women climbers from India, Nepal and China  set out to scale the world's highest peak, Mt Everest, to spread the message of women empowerment, world peace and friendship. The expedition, supported by the Visit Nepal Year 2020 campaign of the Nepal Tourism Board, was flagged off on 16 April 2019. The three women who will climb the 8848-metre Everest are Kalpana Dash from India, Kanchhi Maya Tamang from Nepal and Liyamu Ma from China

OTHER UPDATES

BANKING/BUSINESS NEWS

1. Bajaj Finserv launches industry first proposition to pay electricity bill on EMIs: Bajaj Finance Ltd. has launched the #BijliOnEMI campaign wherein customer buying air conditioners will also have the option to pay for their electricity bill on EMI. Customers buying air conditioners of Rs 20,000 and above will be eligible for an Instant Credit loan of Rs 5000. For those purchasing air conditioners above Rs 40,000 will receive Rs 7000 as an Instant Credit loan to their Wallet. This will assist the customer to pay the installations charges of the air-conditioner and their electricity bills on EMI.

2. CRISIL Board Gives Nod for Transfer of Ratings Business To New Subsidiary: CRISIL Ltd, a diversified global analytics company, will transfer its rating business to its proposed new wholly-owned subsidiary. The board of CRISIL gave the nod for the transfer, which is being done to comply with SEBI norms of 2018. Earlier, SEBI had modified its regulations for credit rating agencies and mandated the segregation of rating and non-ratings businesses of credit-rating agencies. 

2. ETMONEY Becomes India’s First Comprehensive Financial Services App to Integrate With UPI: ETMONEY India’s largest app for financial services has integrated with Unified Payment Interface (UPI) as a payment method. The reason for this is to double its monthly user base by the end of 2019. This integration will simplify the mutual fund payment for millions of ETMONEY users. ETMONEY is owned by Times Internet which is a part of the Times Group.

3. Mukesh Ambani among TIME's List Of 100 Most Influential People: The Time 100 Most Influential People 2019 list has been released, naming the world's most influential pioneers, leaders, titans, artists, and icons of the year. Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani and public-interest litigators Arundhati Katju and Menaka Guruswamy, who spearheaded a historic legal battle for LGBTQ rights in India, are the Indian names that appeared in the list.The famous names in the list include Indian-American comedian and TV host Hasan Minhaj, US President Donald Trump, Pope Francis, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Pakistan PM Imran Khan, and iconic golfer Tiger Woods.

4. Rakesh Suryakant Shah resigned as Adani CFO: Rakesh Suryakant Shah has tendered his resignation as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with effect from 16 April 2019

APPOINTMENT

 1. Padmaja Alaganandan- new Chief People Officer PwC: PwC has appointed Padmaja Alaganandan as the firm’s new Chief People Officer -CPO. Padmaja takes over the role from Jagjit Singh who is moving on after a successful stint.

IMPORTANT DAYS

1. World Heritage Day: The 'World Heritage Day' is being observed across the globe on 18th April every year to celebrate cultural heritage and encourage people to conserve our rich past. The day aims to spread awareness of the importance of protecting and preserving various sites around the world that have achieved world heritage status. The theme of this year is ‘Rural Landscapes’.

SPORTS

 1. ICC partners with UNICEF: International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket for Good partnership with UNICEF announced #OneDay4Children, a tournament-wide campaign focused on bringing the world of cricket together as one team to help build a better world for every child, at the World Cup. Former England batsman and #OneDay4Children ambassador Nasser Hussain along with all-rounder Chris Woakes launched the campaign.

2. FIFA Banned Former Football President: Former Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) president Jose Maria Marin has been banned for life from all football activities by FIFA. In 2018, Marin was sentenced to four years in prison for racketeering and corruption offences, becoming the first person to be imprisoned as the result of the US investigation into corruption at world football's governing body. He was found to have taken bribes in exchange for the media and marketing rights to various tournaments, including the Copa America.

Daily GK Updates - 17th April, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Home Expo India 2019 begins: The 8th edition of Home Expo India 2019 began at India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida on 16 April 2019. It covers sectors with maximum thrust and growth potential in home decor, furnishing, furniture, flooring and textiles. The three-day exhibition has been organized by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts. 

2. India’s First Foreign Interactive Bird Park Launched in Mumbai: India’s first exotic Bird Park ‘Essel World Bird Park’ was launched by EsselWorld Leisure Pvt. Ltd, the entertainment arm of the $6-billion Essel Group in Mumbai. The Park is spread over 1.4 acres of land and surrounded by flora and fauna. It is home to over 500 exotic birds from more than 60 species of flying, terrestrial and aquatic birds and has 200 species of special plants and trees for the birds.

3. EC cancels polling in Vellore constituency on grounds of misuse of money: Accepting the recommendations of the Election Commission, President Ram Nath Kovind cancelled polling in Vellore constituency, making it the first Lok Sabha  in the history of independent India seat to have had its elections countermanded over abuse of money power. Vellore was scheduled to go to polls with the rest of Tamil Nadu on April 18.

4. Mahavir Jayanti is celebrated across the country today: Today, the birth anniversary of 24th and last Jain ‘Tirthankar Bhagwan Mahavir’ is being celebrated across the country. It is one of the most sacred days for Jain people. The followers of Lord Mahavir celebrate this festival by chanting prayers, offering Prasad and participating in chariot processions.

5. Ajay Dixit appointed CEO of Cairn Oil & Gas: Cairn Oil & Gas, a vertical of Vedanta Limited, has appointed Ajay Dixit as its chief executive officer (CEO). Mr. Dixit succeeds Sudhir Mathur who, after seven successful years with the company, moves on to pursue personal endeavours.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Mohammed Ishtayeh- PM of Palestine: The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has appointed Mohammed Ishtayeh as the new Prime Minister. Mohammed Ishtayeh will succeed Rami Hamdallah. Palestine Capitals- Ramallah & East Jerusalem, Currency: Israeli new shekel and Jordanian dinar. 

2. Google Opens Its First African AI Lab in Ghana: Google has opened its first African artificial intelligence (AI) centre in Ghana’s capital Accra, one year after announcing the project. The research laboratory will host software engineers and research scientists to work on projects dedicated to next-generation technology. CEO Google: Sundar Pichai.

3. IMF & World Bank Launched 'Learning Coin' For In-House Purposes: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have together launched a private blockchain with a pseudo-token. The new token, called “Learning Coin” and only accessible within the IMF and World Bank, has a purpose to teach relevant individuals within the organizations about blockchain. Though the coin has no real value– hence the description pseudo-token – staff members who pass educational milestones will receive the tokens which can then be redeemed for certain rewards. World Bank President: David Malpass, Headquarters in Washington DC, USA, Established in 1944. MD of IMF- Christine Lagarde, Headquarters in: Washington DC, USA.

4. World Haemophilia day- 17 April: Every April 17 World Haemophilia Day is recognised worldwide to increase awareness of haemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders. World Haemophilia Day was started in 1989 by the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) which chose to bring the community together on April 17 in honour of WFH founder Frank Schnabel’s birthday. This year’s theme: ‘OUTREACH & IDENTIFICATION’. Hemophilia is a rare disorder in which your blood doesn't clot normally because it lacks sufficient blood-clotting proteins.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Mithali Raj Named Goodwill Ambassador of Team India At The Street Child Cricket World Cup: Indian women's cricket team captain Mithali Raj has been named the goodwill ambassador of Team India at the Street Child Cricket World Cup (SCCWC). Mithali joins IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals and former captain Sourav Ganguly in supporting the team.

2. Arantxa Sanches Vicario- ambassador of TCS World 10K run: Former women's world no 1 tennis player Arantxa Sanchez Vicario was named the ambassador of the IAAF Gold Label TCS World 10K run. Vicario will encourage the 25,000 runners of the 10k run through her story of determination and never-say-die-attitude. The Spanish legend accumulated 14 Grand Slam titles -- four singles, six doubles, and four mixed doubles and is also considered to be one of the most decorated Olympians in Spanish history with two silver and as many bronze.

BANKING AND FINANCE:

1. Bandhan Bank Gets CCI Nod For Merger With Gruh Finance: Bandhan Bank has received approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI)for the proposed scheme of amalgamation of Gruh Finance with the bank. Bandhan Bank had, in January 2019, announced the merger of Gruh Finance with it.

2. IDBI Bank Launches 'NRI-Insta-Online' Paperless Account Facility: IDBI Bank has launched 'NRI-Insta-Online' account opening process for NRIs residing in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) member countries. The person will not be required to furnish physical documents as well as KYC proofs for opening an account with the bank.

3. ADB Committed Highest-ever $3 bn In Sovereign Loans To India In 2018: ADB committed to provide USD 3 billion in sovereign loans to India in 2018, the highest level of assistance since sovereign operations began in the country in 1986. In all, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), owned by 68 member countries, committed a total of USD 3.88 billion, including sovereign loans and co-financing during the year ended December 2018. ADB Headquarters: Manila, Philippines, President: Takehiko Nakao.

4. Canara Bank Becomes The First Public Sector Bank In India To Meet RBI’s EMV Mandate: ACI Worldwide, a global provider of real-time electronic payment and banking solutions, announced that Canara Bank has successfully rolled out major new functionality to support EMV card acquiring across its ATM network and Aadhaar Authentication, leveraging ACI’s UP Retail Payments solution to achieve market firsts.

5. RBI puts into circulation Rs 50 banknotes signed by Governor Shaktikanta Das: The Reserve Bank of India has put into circulation 50 rupees denomination banknotes signed by its Governor Shaktikanta Das. According to RBI, the design of these notes is similar in all respects to 50 banknotes in Mahatma Gandhi new series. All banknotes in the denomination of 50 issued by the Reserve Bank in the past will continue to be legal tender.

6. IDRBT Sets Up 5G Lab For Banking, Financial Sector: The Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT), an arm of Reserve Bank of India, has launched a 5G Use Cases Lab for banking and financial sector. The 5G technology, along with blockchain, will be progressively adopted by banks. Department Of Telecommunications had already launched test beds for 5G use in the academia in Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore to develop 5G for Indian use. 

7. Punjab National Bank appoints Rajesh Yaduvanshi as Executive Director: Punjab National has appointed Rajesh Kumar Yaduvanshi as the Executive Director of the bank with effect from April 15. Yaduvanshi brings with him a diversified experience of over 3 decades in the banking industry, having held senior positions in the banking sector both in India and abroad. 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. India Becomes Net Steel Importer In 2018-19: India was a net importer of steel during the 2018-19 fiscal year, the first time in three years, as the country lost market share among its traditional steel buyers and imports jumped on demand for higher-quality steel domestically. The country's finished steel exports fell by 34% in the fiscal year that ended in March to 6.36 million tonnes, according to preliminary government data given to Reuters on Friday. During the same period, finished steel imports rose 4.7% to 7.84 million tonnes.

AWARDS AND HONOURS:

1. NY Times, Wall Street Journal Win Pulitzers for Trump Probes: The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal were awarded Pulitzer Prizes for their separate investigations of President Donald Trump and his family. The ‘Associated Press’ won a Pulitzer for international reporting for its coverage of the war in Yemen. Reuters was honoured for international reporting for its coverage of atrocities committed against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. About Award: The Pulitzer Prize is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine and online journalism, literature, and musical composition in the United States. It was established in 1917.

2. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo To Receive 2019 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize: Reuters journalists, Kyaw Soe Oo, and Wa Lone have been selected for UNESCO/Guillermo Cano Press Freedom Prize 2019. Currently, they are serving 7-year prison sentences in Myanmar.  They collected classified military records that revealed extrajudicial assassinations of Rohingya Muslims by the army in Rakhine State. About Award: The award is a tribute to Colombian journalist Guillermo Cano Isaza. In December 1986, he was killed in front of the offices of his newspaper El Espectador in Bogota, Colombia. UNESCO Headquarters: Paris, France.

3. Fincare Small Finance Bank Awarded the Celent Model Bank 2019 Award: Fincare Small Finance Bank (SFB) has been awarded the prestigious Celent Model Bank 2019 Award in the category of Financial Inclusion, for 'Redesigning Lending to Reach Small Businesses'. The award recognizes LAP (Loans Against Property) D.Lite, a tab-based solution designed and developed in-house by Fincare SFB for origination and instant underwriting of loans against property targeted at micro and small enterprises. MD & CEO of Fincare Small Finance Bank: Mr. Rajeev Yadav.

4. Indian Teams Win Awards at NASA Annual Rover Challenge: Three teams from India have won awards at the NASA’s annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge which invites high school and college students to build and test roving vehicles for future missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond. Indian Teams Awarded

(i) The team from KIET Group of Institutions in Ghaziabad Uttar Pradesh, won the “AIAA Neil Armstrong Best Design Award”, which recognises systems best designed to meet the Rover Challenge performance requirements.

(ii) The team from Mukesh Patel School of Technology Management and Engineering from Mumbai, Maharashtra, won the “Frank Joe Sexton Memorial Pit Crew Award” for ingenuity and persistence in overcoming problems during the race as well as the “System Safety Challenge Award”.

(iii) The team from Lovely Professional University in Phagwara, Punjab, won the “STEM Engagement Award”, presented to the team that best-informed others about rocketry and other space-related topics.

5. Aretha Franklin wins posthumous Pulitzer Prize: Aretha Franklin has been posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize. She was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her contribution to American music and culture. The music icon passed away last year at the age of 76 after battling pancreatic cancer. Aretha is also the first individual woman to earn this special citation since 1930. She sold millions of albums and won countless awards, including 18 Grammys, the National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

DEFENCE

1. Indian Navy-Vietnam Peoples’ Navy Bilateral Exercise Concludes: The Indian Navy undertook the second edition of the bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and Vietnam Peoples’ Navy, (IN – VPN BILAT EX) at/ off Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. The exercise was undertaken as a part of the ongoing Overseas Deployment of Eastern Fleet ships to South East Asian countries.

2. Coast Guard Patrol Ship Veera Commissioned: Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat commissioned the Indian Coast Guard Ship ‘Veera’ at a ceremony held at Naval Jetty at the dockyard at Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Veera, third in the series of offshore patrol vessels of the Coast Guard, was built by L&T at its shipbuilding facility at Kattupalli in Chennai.

OBITUARIES

1. Renowned Space Scientist SK Shivakumar Passes Away: Former Director of Indian Space Research Organisation Satellite Centre (ISAC), SK Shivakumar died at the age of 66 in Bengaluru. He hailed from Mysuru, Karnataka. He was part of the team which had developed telemetry system for India’s first moon mission Chandrayan -I.

Daily GK Updates - 16th April, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Cabinet approves the creation of one post of 'Deputy CAG' : The Union Cabinet has given its approval to create one post of Deputy Comptroller and Auditor General (Coordination, Communication and Information System) in the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. The Deputy CAG shall oversee the coordination among state audits, audit of telecommunication and coordinate the various information systems initiatives within the Indian Audit & Accounts Department.

2. Union Cabinet approves the continuation of GSLV Phase  4 programme: The Union Cabinet approved five more GSLV satellite launch vehicles for the period 2021-24 under the next phase 4 of the ongoing GSLV continuation programme.  The Phase 4 will enable the launch of two tonne class of satellites for Geo-imaging, Navigation, Data Relay Communication and Space Sciences. The programme will meet the launch requirement of satellites for providing critical Satellite Navigation Services, Data Relay Communication for supporting the Indian Human spaceflight programme and the next interplanetary mission to Mars. The GSLV has so far launched ten national satellites, the last one in December 2018.

                                                              

3. EC bars SP, BSP and BJP leaders from poll campaigning: The Election Commission has barred Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath (72 hours) and BSP chief Mayawati (48 hours) from poll campaigning over violating Model Code of Conduct by making objectionable statements in speeches. Election Commission has also barred BJP leader and Union Minister Maneka Gandhi for 48 hours and Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan for 72 hours from poll campaigning.

4. First-Of-Its-Kind ‘Voter Park’ Inaugurated in Gurugram: Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Rajeev Ranjan has inaugurated India’s first-of-its-kind ‘Voter Park’ in Gurugram, Haryana. At the park, voters will get information about the polling process and the history of elections in the country. The objective of establishing Voter Park was to motivate eligible people to vote in the Lok Sabha election so that they can contribute to the progress of the country.

5. 4th RC Asia-Pacific Congress 2019 began: The 4th Resilient Cities Asia-Pacific Congress 2019 organised by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) and co-hosted by South Delhi Municipal Corporation started in New Delhi. It will conclude on 17th April 2019.It offers a lot of innovative solutions that build resilience to climate change at the sub-national level.

6. Himachal Pradesh Celebrates 72nd State Day: Himachal Pradesh celebrated 72nd Himachal Day on 15th April with gaiety and fervour. Governor Acharya Devvrat unfurled the national flag at an event on the historic Ridge maidan in Shimla to mark the day. He inspected an impressive parade led by Parade Commander Deputy Superintendent of Police Shakti Singh.

7. DoT approves the merger of Tata Tele Unit & Airtel With Riders: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has approved the merger of Tata Teleservices with Bharti Airtel Ltd., subject to the condition that it furnishes a Rs 7200 crore bank guarantee. Earlier, Telecom Minister Manoj Sinha gave his conditional nod for the merger.

8. Jitendra Chaddah- New Chairman of IESA:  Industry body India Electronics and Semiconductor Association (IESA) has appointed Jitendra Chaddah as its New Chairman. IESA Executive Council also appointed of Dr Satya Gupta, Co-Founder & CEO SenzOpt Technologies India being as the new Vice Chairman and Veerappan V, Co-Founder & Director, Tessolve Semiconductor as the new Treasurer.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Social Democrats party wins general elections in Finland: Finland's leftist Social Democrats have recorded a razor-thin victory in general elections, holding off the far-right Finns Party. With 100 per cent of ballots counted, the Social Democrats, led by Antti Rinne, bagged 40 seats in the 200-member Parliament, while the Finns Party picked up 39 seats. Finland Capital: Helsinki, Currency: Euro

2. Fire guts Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris: A massive fire consumed Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, one of the France’s most famous landmarks. The 850 year old Gothic buildings spire and roof have collapsed but the main structure and two bell towers, has been saved.  A Unesco World Heritage site, it was built in the 12th and 13th centuries.

3. Last female of world's rarest turtle died: The only known female member of one of the world's rarest turtle species has died on 13^th April 2019. The female Yangtze giant softshell turtle died at Suzhou zoo in southern China.  The death means only three giant softshell turtles remain in world. One male in Suzhou zoo, the other two live in Vietnam, but their genders are unknown.

4. China Successfully Tests World's 1st Armed Amphibious Drone Boat: China has successfully tested the world's first armed amphibious drone boat which the Chinese military analysts claimed could be used in land assault operations and is capable of forming a combat triad with aerial drones and other drone ships. Built by Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group under China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC), the drone ship, named Marine Lizard.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. ICC World Cup-Indian squad announced: India announced their 15-man squad for the ICC World Cup to be played in England from 30th of next month. Virat Kohli will lead the team. Dinesh Karthik (33-year-old) returned to India's World Cup squad after 12 years for the second wicket-keeper's slot. India's World Cup Squad:

Virat Kohli (C), Rohit Sharma (VC), KL Rahul, Dinesh Karthik, Shikhar Dhawan, Kedar Jadhav, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni (WK), Mohammad Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravindra Jadeja, Hardik Pandya.

2. Harsheel Dani won Dutch International title: India’s Harsheel Dani defeated Denmark's Mads Christophersen,  world no. 149, to won the 20th Victor Dutch International Badminton title at Wateringen, Netherlands. About Award: The Victor Dutch International is the Netherlands’ second biggest badminton event Prize money of $10.000.

3. Kento Momota won Singapore Open: Japan's Kento Momota withstood a barrage of smashes from Indonesia's Anthony Sinisuka Ginting to rally for a thrilling 10-21, 21-19, 21-13 victory in the Singapore Open final. In the women's singles final, Tai Tzu-ying claimed her second Singapore Open title with a 21-19, 21-15 victory over Japan's Nozomi Okuhara. 

4. Budenholzer received NBCA Coach of the Year: Milwaukee Bucks Head Coach Mike Budenholzer is the 2019 recipient of the Michael H. Goldberg NBCA Coach of the Year Award.

About Award: The Michael H. Goldberg NBCA Coach of the Year Award recognizes the dedication, commitment and hard work of NBA Head Coaches and is presented annually to a Head Coach who helps guide his players to a higher level of performance on the court and shows outstanding service and dedication to the community off the court. 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Datamatics Won IMC Digital:  Datamatics Global Services Ltd. (DGSL), a global IT & BPM company, won IMC Digital Technology Awards 2018 under the Excellence in Emerging Technology category for TruBot, its Robotic Process Automation product and TruAI, its Artificial Intelligence platform. The award ceremony was held on 12th April 2019 at St Regis, Mumbai.

OBITUARIES

1. Actress Bibi Andersson passes away: The Swedish actress Bibi Andersson (83-years) passed away at Stockholm, Sweden. Bibi Andersson had received several awards including the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the Berlin international film festival in 1963. She is best known for starring in many of Bergman classics including The Seventh Seal (1957), Wild Strawberries (1957) and Persona (1966).

2. Renowned Hindi poet Pradeep Choubey passes away: Renowned Hindi poet Pradeep Choubey (70-years) passed away at his home in Gwalior. Choubey (70) was the younger brother of the celebrated humorist, satirist and poet Shail Chaturvedi. He quit his job at Dena Bank to pursue his passion for poetry and travelled across the nation enthralling audiences with his punches, several of them targeted at the orthodox elements of society.

Daily GK Updates - 15th April, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1.India Successfully Test Fires Sub-Sonic Cruise Missile 'Nirbhay' : The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test fired the underdevelopment long range subsonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’ from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur in Odisha. It has a range of 1000 km and can fly very low to the ground to avoid detection by enemy radar called terrain hugging capability. The missile was primarily designed and developed by the Advanced Defence Establishment of DRDO located in Bengaluru.

2. Airtel, FICCI Ladies Organisation Launch Women’s Safety App: Telecom operator Bharti Airtel and the FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) launched a safety app named ‘My Circle’ aimed at aiding women in event of distress or an emergency situation, by sending an SOS alert. My Circle app enables women to send SOS alerts to any five of their family or friends in 13 languages including English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Punjabi, Bangla, Urdu, Assamese, Oriya, and Gujarati. FICCI Founded in: 1927, Headquarters: New Delhi

3. New year celebrated in 3 states: President Ram Nath Kovind and PM Narendra Modi greeted people on the occasion of Bengali New Year ‘Poela Boisakh’, Assamese New year ‘Bohag Bihu’ and Malayalam New Year ‘Vishu’.

4. BK Nayak Appointed FIH Health And Safety Committee Chair: Bibhu Kalyan Nayak became the first Indian to be appointed Chair of International Hockey Federation (FIH) Health and Safety Committee by the world governing body.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. UAE to Host World’s Foremost Artificial Intelligence Summit: UAE is set to host the world’s foremost Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit to empower global dialogue on the future of government, business and society. The inaugural ‘AI Everything’, AIE will take place at the Dubai World Trade Centre (30^th April to 1^st May). UAE Capital: Abu Dhabi, Currency: United Arab Emirates Dirham.

2. Benjamin Netanyahu re- elected as Israel’s Prime Minister: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has won fifth term in office. His closest opponent’s party The Blue and White party conceded, clearing the path for the Netanyahu to set up a coalition government. Israel Capital: Jerusalem, Currency: Israeli new shekel

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Gelete Burka and Abrha Milaw Win Paris Marathon: Ethiopian athletes Gelete Burka (women’s race) and Abrha Milaw (men’s race) won the 43rd edition of the Paris Marathon. Milaw won the men’s race with a time of 2 hours 07 minutes and 50 seconds. Burka was the fastest woman with 2 hours 22 minutes and 48 seconds. In the wheelchair race, Julien Casoli won for a third time.

2. Tiger Woods Wins 2019 Masters To Claim 15th Major in Golf : Tiger Woods has sealed one of the greatest comebacks in sport with a momentous Masters victory at the Augusta National, capturing his first major in 11 years. At 43, and two years after spinal fusion surgery, Woods captured his fifth Masters title and his 15th major with a one-shot victory.

3. Lewis Hamilton Wins Formula One’s 1,000th Race: In motor racing, Lewis Hamilton won the Chinese Grand Prix for a record sixth time. He seized the overall lead from his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas in Formula One’s 1,000th world championship race. The comfortable win was the 75th of Hamilton’s career, and second in a row.

4. Meena Kumari Maisnam Clinches Gold in Boxing World Cup 2019: India bagged a Gold and two Silver medals at the Boxing World Cup at Cologne in Germany. Meena Kumari Maisnam (from Manipur) claimed the Gold medal in the 54 kg category.  The 2014 Asian Championships bronze medallist defeated Thailand’s Machai Bunyanut in the final. Sakshi in 57 kgs and Pwilao Basumatary in 64 kgs had to settle for Silver medals after they lost their final bouts. India finished the tournament with five medals.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Dr A K Singh Conferred with Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr A K Singh, director at Life Sciences, DRDO, was honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award 2019 during 4th APJ Abdul Kalam Innovation Conclave at Chandigarh University, Mohali. for his rich contribution in the field of life sciences, aerospace and aeronautics. The DST scientist has more than 18 patents and has contributed in more than 57 research publications at an international and national level.

2. John Moore Won the World Press Photo Award 2019: An image of a little girl crying, as she and her mother have been taken into custody by US border officials in Texas won the prestigious World Press Photo of the Year. Veteran Getty photographer John Moore took the picture in the Rio Grande Valley in June 2018.

Daily GK Updates - 14th April, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Prasar Bharati releases booklet based on Dr. Ambedkar's speeches: Prasar Bharati Chairman, Dr A Surya Prakash released a booklet on ‘Selected Speeches of Babasaheb in the Constituent Assembly’ in New Delhi on 12 April 2019. The event was organized to mark the 128th birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar falling on 14 April 2019.

2. Sanjay Dutt appointed as chairman of RICS South Asia board: The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) a global body to promote professionalism and standards in real estate sector, has  appointed Tata Housing's MD & CEO, Sanjay Dutt as chairman of the South Asia Board.

                          

3. Gargi Kaul Appointed Secretary of Defence Finance: The Centre has appointed Gargi Kaul as Secretary, Defence Finance. She is a 1984-batch officer of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service (IA&AS). Kaul was earlier Financial Advisor, Defence Services in the Defence Ministry.

4. CMFRI signs agreement with ISRO to save coastal wetlands: In an attempt to build resilience against impact of climate change, the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have joined hands to map, validate and protect smaller wetlands in coastal regions. The programme is aimed at restoring them through coastal livelihood programmes.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Jean Michel Lapin Announced As Haiti’s New Prime Minister: President Jovenel Moise announced that Jean Michel Lapin will be the new prime minister of Haiti. It is French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.Haiti Capital: Port-au-Prince, Currency: Haitian gourde.

2. Abdelkader Bensalah- Interim President of Algeria: The Algerian Parliament confirmed upper house speaker Abdelkader as the interim President of the country. On April 2 2019, Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned as the Algeria’s president before his mandate was to end on April 28, after remaining in power for about 20 years. Algeria Capital: Algiers, Currency: Algerian dinar

3. New ancestors- Homo luzonensis’ discovered: Scientist have identified a new human ancestors named Homo luzonensis’ in Philippines.

4. World’s largest plane makes first test flight: The world's largest aircraft took off over the Mojave Desert in California on Saturday, built by Stratolaunch Systems Corp, started by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. The white airplane is called ‘Roc’, has a wingspan the length of an American football field and is powered by six engines on a twin fuselage.

5. SpaceX carried out its first commercial launch: SpaceX carried out its first commercial launch with its Falcon Heavy rocket which took a Saudi satellite in Orbit. The launch took place in Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA. Founder of SpaceX: Elon Musk.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. HDFC Bank ranked No. 1 in India by Forbes:  HDFC Bank has been identified as number 1 bank by customers in India, as per Forbes World’s Best Bank survey. HDFC Bank emerged as India’s No 1 bank. ICICI Bank was at number 2 and SBI (India's largest public sector bank) was surprisingly ranked 11th in the list.

2. PayU Acquires Online Payments Processor Wibmo: Naspers-owned fintech company PayU has acquired Bengaluru and Cupertino-based Wibmo that specialises in processing online payments in a deal worth $70 Mn. PayU Global, CFO: Aakash Moondhra, Wibmo CEO and founder: Govind Setlur

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Digital Sukoon founder, Sudhanshu Kumar receives Best Digital Agency award: Digital Sukoon founder, Sudhanshu Kumar was honoured with the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Nobel Award by International Human Rights Council at Hotel Sea Princess Juhu Mumbai. Digital Sukoon is a Mumbai based Digital solutions agency, which provides a comprehensive 360-degree solution to their clients for the promotional needs by creating innovative campaigns and optimum usage of technology tools.