Daily GK Updates - 24th April, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES

1. National Panchayati Raj Day - 24 April: National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated every year on 24th April by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj. Then Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh declared the first National Panchayati Raj Day on 24th April 2010. This day marks the passing of Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act, 1992 that came into force with effect from 24 April 1993. The Constitution of India recognizes Panchayats as 'Institutions of self-government'. It permits states to take steps to organize village panchayats and provide them with necessary powers and authority to help them to function as units of self-government.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

1. Russia Successfully Tests World's First Floating Nuclear Power Plant: Russia has successfully tested the world's first floating nuclear power plant (NPP), Akademik Lomonosov, a subsidiary of Rosatom nuclear corporation stated. Reactors of the floating atomic block were launched in November 2018. Russia Capital: Moscow, Currency: Russian ruble.

2. Israel to Name Town in Golan Heights after Donald Trump: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he would name a new community in the Golan Heights after US President Donald Trump, who officially recognised the disputed area as Israeli territory. Israel has also stated that in appreciation of the U.S. president, it intends to name a proposed train station near Jerusalem’s Western Wall after him. Israel captured the Golan from Syria in a 1967 war and annexed it, in a move not recognized internationally.

3. Indonesia Releases Special Stamp On Theme of Ramayana: Indonesia has released a special commemorative stamp on the theme of Ramayana to mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of its diplomatic ties with India. The stamp is designed by renowned Indonesian sculptor Padmashri Bapak Nyoman Nuarta, featured a scene from Ramayana in which Jatayu valiantly fought to save Sita.  Indonesia Capital- Jakarta, Currency- Indonesian rupiah.

4. UAE's Hope Probe project bound for Mars is 85% complete: The UAE Space Agency and Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) have announced that 85% of the Hope Probe project has been completed. Currently undergoing intensive testing with less than 500 days are remaining for the launch. The probe is scheduled to reach Mars by 2021, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the UAE’s formation. With a successful launch, UAE hopes to become the first Arabic and Islamic country to make the Mars Mission dream a reality.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Government Raises Authorised Capital of Allahabad Bank To Rs 8,000 Crore: State-owned Allahabad Bank stated that the government has increased its authorised capital by Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 8,000 crore. The central government after consultation with the Reserve Bank of India increased the authorised capital of the bank. The increase in authorised capital will help enable the bank to raise further fund up to a maximum ceiling of Rs 8,000 crore.  Allahabad Bank MD and CEO: S. S. Mallikarjuna Rao, Headquarters: Kolkata.

2. Deposits in Jan Dhan Accounts Are Set to Cross Rs 1 Lakh Crore Mark: The total deposits in Jan Dhan Account are set to cross Rs 1 lakh crore soon. The scheme was launched on 28th August 2014 by the Modi-government with an aim to provide universal access to banking facilities to all households. On 3rd April, the total balance in the Jan Dhan accounts was at Rs 97,665.66 and the total number of Jan Dhan accounts crossed 35.39 crores. Also, more than 27.89 crores account holders have been issued the Rupay debit cards.

3. Uday Kumar Varma Resigns From Assocham Secretary General Post: Uday Kumar Varma, a former bureaucrat retired from the post of Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, resigned from the post of The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) Secretary-General. He had succeeded D S Rawat who held the position for nearly 14 years.

APPOINTMENTS

1. Karnam Sekar appointed as IOB's new MD & CEO: Karnam Sekar has been appointed as the new Managing Director(MD) and CEO of Indian Overseas Bank. Mr Sekar (from July 1, 2019) will take over from R Subramaniakumar. He was the MD & CEO of Dena Bank till September 2018. Earlier he was the Deputy Managing Director and Chief Credit Officer in State Bank of India heading its highest Credit Committee.

AWARDS

1. Malayalam film ‘Bhayanakam’ wins best cinematography award at Beijing International Film Festival: Malayalam film "Bhayanakam" (English: Fear) has won the best cinematography award at the 2019 Beijing International Film Festival in China. The cinematography was done by Nikihil S Praveen and directed by Jayaraj. The film had also won the best cinematography award at the 65th National Film Awards. The film portrays the visits of first World War veteran to a small village in the backwaters of Kerala's Kuttanand as a postman during the World War-II.

SPORTS

1. Bajrang Punia Wins Gold In Asian Wrestling Championship: World number one Bajrang Punia won gold at Asian Wrestling Championship in China's Xian. He defeated Kazakhstan's Sayatbek Okassov in a nail-biting 65kg men's freestyle final. It is Bajrang's second gold at this championship, having won one in 2017. Parveen Ranasecured a silver medal. Satywart Kadian picked a bronze medal defeating Haobin Gao of China.

Daily GK Updates - 23rd April, 2019

                 NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Naval Commanders’ Conference - 2019 begins in New Delhi: The first edition of Naval Commanders’ Conference of 2019 has begun in New Delhi. The three days conference is the apex forum within the Service for interaction between the Naval Commanders. It will provide the higher naval leadership a forum to discuss the emerging challenges in the maritime domain. The conference also serves as a platform for interaction of Naval Commanders with senior Government Officials.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. LSE Names A Professorship After Economist Amartya Sen: The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) has announced the creation of the Amartya Sen Chair in Inequality Studies, named in honour of the India-born economist, philosopher, and Nobel laureate, who was Professor of Economics at LSE from 1971-82. “Amartya Sen Chair in Inequality Studies,” its holder will also serve as Director of the LSE International Inequalities Institute, which facilitates interdisciplinary work on subjects related to inequality.

2. Mount Agung volcano in Bali resort Island erupted: Mount Agung on Indonesia's resort island of Bali has erupted again (last eruption in 1963). The volcano's status remains on alert, or level three of four possible levels and authorities continue to impose a 4-kilometre exclusion zone. Thousands of masks have been distributed to the communities amid the fears of the ashes impacting human respiratory. Mount Agung is situated in Karangasem district and about 70 kmfrom tourist hub Kuta.

OTHER UPDATES:

AGREEMENTS 

1. Network Intelligence Inks MoU With BSE To Provide Cyber Security Services: BSE has entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Network Intelligence, to provide cybersecurity services to its members in line with the cybersecurity framework set by SEBI. Network Intelligence will be using its own developed platform BlueScope to offer 24x7 cybersecurity operations to the members. 

2. Ministry Of Ayush Inked MoU With CSIR: The Ministry of AYUSH inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for cooperation in research and education in areas of traditional systems of medicine and its integration with modern science. Earlier, CSIR and Ayush Ministry jointly developed the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) which prevents bio-piracy and misappropriation of traditional knowledge.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. SBI General Insurance launches Cyber Defence Insurance: SBI General Insurance (SBIG) has launched a product to protect businesses from financial and reputational losses due to cyber-attacks. In the initial phase, it will focus on small medium-sized enterprise (SME), mid-market businesses. The new insurance plan of SBI General Insurance comes with CyRUSS (Cyber Risk Underwriting and Solution Suite). CyRUSS is a cloud-based tool for commercial cyber policies including risk assessment, ongoing risk management and claim management as well.

2. Bajaj Allianz Launches Total Health Secure Goal Plan: Bajaj Allianz General Insurance and Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance in collaboration launched their first product 'Total Health Secure Goal'. The new insurance product is a combination of two existing plans - Health Guard policy by Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, and iSecure from Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance.

RANKS AND REPORTS

1. Cancer Preparedness Index 2019 Released, India Ranks 19^th: India was ranked 19th out of 28 countries in the Index of Cancer Preparedness (ICP)released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).  It was released as part of the report titled “Cancer preparedness around the world: National readiness for a global epidemic” prepared by EIU. Top 3 countries are Australia (1st), Netherlands (2nd) and Germany (3rd). Bottom three are Saudi Arabia (28th), Romania (27th) and Egypt (26th).

IMPORTANT DAYS

1. World Book Day: 23 April: World Book Day is celebrated every year on 23 April. It is also known as World Book and Copyright Day, or International Day of the Book. It is organized by UNESCO to raise awareness about the importance of reading and promote publishing and the protection of copyright around the globe. It was first celebrated on 23 April 1995. For the year 2019, Sharjah, UAE has been declared as the World Book Capital. 

2. 23rd April: United Nations English Language Day: The United Nations English Language Day is being observed annually on 23 April across the world to entertain as well as inform people about the culture, history, and achievements associated with the English language. It is the date traditionally observed as both the birthday and date of death of the greatest writer ever known in the English language ‘William Shakespeare’. English has an official or special status in at least 75 countries that have a total population of over two billion.

Note: The day was established in 2010 by the Department of Public Information, as a result of its efforts to establish language days for each of United Nation’s six official languages.

The days are as follows:

Arabic days: 18 December , Chinese day: 20 April , French day: 20 March . Russian day: 6 June

Spanish day: 23 April

SPORTS

1. Fabio Fognini Becomes First Italian To Claim ATP Masters 1000 Title: Fabio Fognini became the first Italian to win an ATP Masters 1000 title at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters. He defeated Dusan Lajovic. The Italian defeated World No. 3 Alexander Zverev to reach the quarter-finals and stunned 11-time champion Rafael Nadal in the last four.

OBITUARIES

1.  S Muthiah, chronicler of Madras, Passes Away: Chennai's famed chronicler, cartographer, and journalist S. Muthiah, 89, passed away due to age-related ailments. He was awarded the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 2002 for his accomplishments.

2. Noted lady Mountaineer Rama Sengupta Paul passes away: The veteran lady mountaineer of the country Rama Sengupta Paul(66-years) has passed away following a cardiac arrest. She led the first successful all-women expedition to Krdarnath Dome in Garhwal Himalaya. Rama was a member of Indo-Japanese Women expedition to Kamet and Abi Gamin organized by Indian Mountaineering Foundation in 1976.

Daily GK Updates - 22nd April, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Navy Chief Launches New Guided Missile Destroyer 'INS Imphal': Indigenously designed ‘INS Imphal’ a guided missile destroyer was launched by Navy Chief Sunil Lanba at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai.  It is the third ship under Project 15B. The first ship of this project, a guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam, was launched on in April 2015.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Comedian Volodymyr Zelensky wins Ukraine's presidential vote: Political newcomer, Comedian ‘Volodymyr Zelensky’ (41-year) has won the 2019 Presidential election of the country in a landslide victory. He won 73% of the vote in the runoff election. Mr Zelensky is best known for starring in a satirical television series Servant of the People in which his character accidentally becomes Ukrainian president. He plays a teacher who is elected after his expletive-laden rant about corruption goes viral on social media.

2. UAE adopts National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031: The UAE Cabinet chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has adopted the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031 at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi. Its aims at positioning the UAE as a global leader in artificial intelligence by 2031 and to develop an integrated system that employs artificial intelligence in vital areas in the country. The strategy includes eight objectives and number of initiatives, aimed at employing artificial intelligence in vital areas such as education, government services and the community wellbeing.

OTHER UPDATES:

APPOINTMENTS

1. Twitter Appoints Manish Maheshwari As India MD: Twitter has appointed Manish Maheshwari as the Managing Director of its India operations. Maheshwari has previously served as the CEO of Network18 Digital. Maheshwari will report to Twitter Vice President and Managing Director of Asia Pacific Maya Hari and will be based in Delhi.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. TCS Signs Deal With India Post To Transform Country's Mail Delivery System: India's largest IT services company, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), has partnered with the Department of Posts in a bid to transform it into a multi-service digital hub. It will modernise the delivery of mail and packages, enhance customer experience, and launch innovative services that will drive new revenues.

IMPORTANT DAYS

1. Earth Day: April 22: Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22 Worldwide. It was first celebrated in 1970. The theme for Earth Day 2019 is to 'Protect Our Species.' This theme is created to focus on the destruction caused to plants and wildlife populations mainly due to human activity.

SPORTS

3. Asian Weightlifting Championships begin in China: The Asian Weightlifting Championships 2019 has begun in Ningbo, China. As many as 278 participants from 28 nations and regions, including China, Japan, South Korea, India, Iran and North Korea have registered for the competition. Former World Champion, Mirabai Chanu (in 49kg category) will spearhead India’s challenge at the Championship. Medals will be won across 20 categories, 10 for men and 10 for women, till the 28th of April 2019.

Daily GK Updates - 21st April, 2019

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Asian Tea Alliance Launched In China: To boost tea trade, cultural and technical exchanges as well as the global promotion of tea, the Asian Tea Alliance (ATA), a union of five tea-growing and consuming countries, was launched in Guizhou, China. The members of the alliance are the Indian Tea Association, China Tea Marketing Association, Indonesian Tea Marketing Association, Sri LankaTea Board and Japan Tea Association.

2. 290 dead in Sri Lanka bomb blasts: A series of 8 devastating bomb blasts ripped high end hotels and churches holding Easter services in Sri Lanka on 21 April 2019. The blast killed 290 people, including dozen of foreigners and injured 500. At least two of them involved suicide bombers.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Reliance Retail Became India’s First Retail Company To Cross The Rs.1 Lakh Crore Annual Revenue: Reliance retail has become the first Indian retail company to clock more than Rs 1 lakh crore in annual revenues. The retail venture of Reliance Industries reported an income of Rs 1,30,556 crore for 2018-19, 89% more than the previous year’s Rs 69,198 crore.

AWARDS

1. Sunil Kumar Gautam Bestowed With ‘Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant Award’: Sunil Kumar Gautam, Special Commissioner of Police (Operations) was honoured with ‘Pandit Govind Ballabh Pant Award‘ for his book titled ‘Samvidhan Kavya‘. He was awarded by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) under the Ministry of Home Affairs.  

2. National award for KAU IPR Cell: The Intellectual Property Rights Cell (IPR Cell) of Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) has been selected for the National Intellectual Property Award 2019. The award, comprising a prize money of ₹1 lakh, citation and memento, will be presented at a function to be held in New Delhi on World IP Day on April 26. The award constituted by the Indian Intellectual Property Office under the Union Ministry of Industry and Commerce is conferred on persons and organisations working in the field of patents, trademarks, and Geographical Indications.

3. Sree Sreenath Inducted Into Cleveland International Hall of Fame: Indian-American scientist and social activist Sree Sreenath has been inducted into the prestigious Cleveland International Hall of fame for his contribution in applications in systems biology, global issues, and sustainable development. He is currently serving as Director of Case GEMNI(Graduate Engineering & Management National and International) Programme at Case Western Reserve University.

4. India Ranks 17th In Global Startup Ecosystem: India was ranked 17th position among 100 countries in Startup Ecosystem Ranking for 2019 released by StartupBlink. It was ranked 37th spot last year. It takes into consideration startup ecosystems of 1,000 cities and 100 countries for the ranking. China was ranked 27th. Bangalore, New Delhi and Mumbai were the top cities in the Indian startup ecosystem. Top three countries are: 1st: United States, 2nd: United Kingdom, 3rd: Canada.

IMPORTANT DAYS

1. 21 April: World Creativity and Innovation Day: The World Creativity and Innovation Day (WCID) has been celebrated on 21st April to raise awareness of the role of creativity and innovation in problem-solving and by extension, in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. On this day the world is invited to embrace the idea that innovation is essential for harnessing the economic potential of nations. The Day is a part of the United Nations resolution entitled “Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

2. 21 April: Civil Services Day not being observed due to general elections: The civil services day is not being observed due to the general elections. The civil services day is celebrated on 21st April every year when bureaucrats rededicate themselves to public service, and awards for excellence in public administration are also conferred. It was on this day that Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, addressed the first batch of civil servants in Independent India at the Metcalf House where he referred to civil servants as the 'steel frame of India'.

SPORTS

1. 'Services' lifts their sixth Santosh Trophy Football: 'Services' has won the 73rd edition of premier domestic football tournament ‘Santosh Trophy’ by defeating Punjab 1-0 in the final at Ludhiana, Punjab. In the second half, Services scored the lone goal and held on till the final whistle. Santosh Trophy is an annual Indian football tournament started in 1941. The trophy is named after the late Maharaja Sir Manmatha Nath Roy Chowdhary of Santosh (now in Bangladesh). It is knock-out competition contested by the regional state associations and government institutions under the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

2. Hardik & Rahul fined 20 lakh rupees each by BCCI ombudsman: India cricketers Hardik Pandya & K.L. Rahul were fined 20 lakh rupees each by the BCCI ombudsman Justice D.K. Jain for their sexist comments on a popular TV chat show. Justice Jain wrote that no further action will be taken against Pandyaand Rahul.

3. Fognini beats Dusan Lajovic to win the 2019 Monte Carlo Masters: Italian Tennis Player Fabio Fognini has won the 2019 Monte-Carlo Masters. He defeated Dusan Lajovic (Serbia) 6−3, 6−4. Croatia’s Nikola Mektic & Franko Skugor has won the 2019 Monte-Carlo doubles title, defeating Robin Haase & Wesley Koolhof in the final, 6–7, 7–6, [11–9].

4. Bajrang regains top spot in world wrestling rankings: India's Bajrang Punia has regained the world number one spot in the men's 65-kilogram freestyle category rankings. Punia secured 58 points ahead of Akhmed Chakaev of Russia. The rankings were released by United World Wrestling.

OBITUARIES

1. Eminent Bengali Folk Singer Amar Paul Passes Away: Eminent Bengali folk singer Amar Paul passed away following a cardiac arrest. He was 97. Paul lent his voice in a number of films. He has penned several books on folk songs of Bengal and received accolades from various academies around the world.

2. Lorraine Warren, A Paranormal Investigator Passes Away: One of the most well known paranormal investigator, Lorraine Warren passed away at the age of 92. She investigated haunted houses and other manifestation of paranormal activities throughout her life with her late husband Ed. Warren. Famous horror movies like ‘Amityville Horror’ and ‘Conjuring’ were inspired by her work.

Daily GK Updates - 20th April, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Rubana Huq, the first woman chief of a ‘men’s club’: Ms. Huq was elected the first woman president of the influential garment makers’ association in 36 years of its history. For the next two years, Ms. Huq will lead an organisation known as Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). It started in 1983 virtually as a “men’s club”.

2. Sairee Chahal: Board of Director PPB: Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPB) has appointed entrepreneur Sairee Chahal to its board of directors. Chahal is the founder and CEO of SHEROES a community platform for women.

3. Jaideep Sarkar appointed as India's next High Commissioner to S Africa: Jaideep Sarkar (1987-batch Indian Foreign Service officer) has been appointed as India's next High Commissioner to South Africa. Currently, Sarkar is serving as India's ambassador in Bhutan. He served in Indian Missions in Tokyo, Seoul and Bangladesh as well. The government also appointed Suhel Ajaz Khan as India's next High commissioner to Lebanon. Currently, he is serving as India's Deputy Chief of Mission in Saudi Arabia.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Saudi Arabia increases India's Haj Quota to 2 lakhs: Saudi Arabia has issued a formal order increasing the Haj quota of India to two lakhs from one lakh seventy five-thousand. In February 2019, the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had announced that Indian Haj quota would be increased by 25 thousand to two lakhs. This is the third hike in three consecutive years. The Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest city for Muslims, and a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey. It is one of the five pillars of Islam, alongside Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, and Sawm.

2. Mali's PM resigns along with his entire government: Mali's Prime Minister has resigned along with his entire government after it came under mounting pressure over handling the violence in the restive Mopti region. The rage was rising especially after a massacre in which 160 people were killed in the village of Ogossagou near the border with Burkina Faso (on 23rd March 2019).

3. Pakistan's Finance Minister Asad Umar resigns: Pakistan's Finance Minister Asad Umar abruptly quit the Cabinet before securing a multi-billion dollar International Monetary Fund bailout package for the cash-strapped country. Pakistan is seeking eight billion dollars from the IMF to bail itself out from a severe balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple the country's economy.

4. Japan-US 2+2 welcomes growing ties with India: The US-Japan 2+2 ministerial meeting has welcomed the growing ties between their countries and India in the Indo-Pacific region that is of vital strategic interest to them. The defence and diplomatic cabinet officials of the two countries expressed satisfaction with the trilateral meeting with India and noted significance of joint military exercises.

5. Book on Jallianwala Bagh Poem 'Khooni Vaisakhi' Released In UAE: A book containing English translation of the 100-year-old classic Punjabi poem about Jallianwala Bagh massacre, 'Khooni Vaisakhi' has been released in Abu Dhabi. India's Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri commended the launch of the book. The poem was translated by Mr. Suri whose grandfather, revolutionary poet and novelist Nanak Singh, a Jallianwala Bagh survivor, wrote it after witnessing first-hand the events of April 13, 1919.

6. Salman Rushdie’s New Novel “Quichotte” to Release in August: The British Indian Novelist Salman Rushdie’s new novel “Quichotte” will be released in August 2019. It is the story of an ageing travelling salesman who falls in love with a TV star and sets off to drive across America on a quest to prove himself worthy of her hand. Rushdie is the author of 13 novels including "Midnight's Children", for which he won the Man Booker Prize and Booker of Bookers Prize, and one collection of short stories.

7. UN Chinese Language Day being – 20 April: The ‘UN Chinese Language Day’ is observed every year on 20th April to promote the use of Chinese language in United Nation (UN). The day was chosen as the date for the Chinese language to pay tribute to Cang Jie, a mythical figure who is presumed to have invented Chinese characters about 5,000 years ago.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Exim Bank Funds Projects Worth USD 267 mn In Rwanda: Exim Bank has provided soft loans of USD 266.60 million to Rwanda for various projects. The funding, done in three separate tranches to Rwanda, is to support agricultural projects, development of special economic zones (SEZs) and for financing a road project in the African nation. Rwanda Capital- Kigali, Currency- Rwandan franc.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Tata Technologies joins hands with China’s FutureMove Automotive: Tata Technologies has inked a pact with China’s FutureMove Automotive to develop connected mobility solutions for automotive manufacturers in China and other markets. The companies signed a memorandum of understanding on the sidelines of the Shanghai Motor Show 2019. Tata Technologies Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director: Warren Harris.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Cipla Chairman Yusuf Hamied Receives UK Royal Society Honour: Prominent scientist and businessman Yusuf Hamied is among a host of Indian-origin experts honoured in the 2019 list of new fellows of the UK's Royal Society. The 82-year-old chairman of pharmaceutical major Cipla has been made an Honorary Fellow of the prestigious body, comprising of many of the world's most eminent scientists.

DEFENCE

1. India and France to Hold Largest Ever 'Varuna' Naval Exercise off Goa Coast: India and France will conduct their largest ever naval exercise 'Varuna' in May 2019. It will witness the participation of aircraft carriers, destroyers, submarines, and fighters. India will deploy its aircraft carrier, INS Vikramaditya with its MiG-29K fighters. Similarly, the French Navy will send its aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle with its Rafale-M naval jets, and other warships for the "Varuna" exercise.

2. INS Kolkata, Shakti to Participate In IFR In China: The Indian Navy will participate in International Fleet Review (IFR) that is scheduled to take place in Qingdao, China as part of 70th Anniversary celebrations of People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy). The Indian Navy would be represented in the IFR by indigenously built stealth guided missile destroyer INS Kolkata and fleet support ship INS Shakti.

OBITUARIES

1. Scotland All-rounder Con de Lange Passes Away: Scotland all-rounder Con de Lange who had been diagnosed with a brain tumour has passed away at the age of 38. The South Africa-born de Lange played 21 internationals for Scotland, making his debut in a T20I against Ireland in June 2015.

2. NASA's 1st Female Astronaut Candidate Jerrie Cobb Passes Away: America's first female astronaut candidate, pilot Jerrie Cobb passed away in Florida at the age of 88 following a brief illness. In 1961, Cobb became the first woman to pass astronaut testing. Altogether, 13 women passed the arduous physical testing and became famous as the Mercury 13.

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.