Daily GK Updates - 27th April, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Red Alert for Tamil Nadu as Cyclone Fani may land on 30th April: Meteorological department in Chennai issues a warning that a low-pressure system south of the ‘Bay of Bengal’ would turn into a cyclonic storm which has been named ‘Fani’. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a ‘red alert’ in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry for 30th April and 1st May 2019. A 'yellow alert' has been issued for Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur and Malappuram on 29th April 2019.

2. ICMR Launches Malaria Elimination Research Alliance: The Indian Council of Medical Research has launched the ‘Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA) India which is a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control in order to eliminate the disease from India by 2030. The National Vector Borne Diseases Control Program (NVBDCP) of India has also developed a comprehensive framework to achieve the target of “Malaria free India by 2030”.

3. Indian Army Inks MoU with NHPC to Build Tunnels on China, Pakistan Borders: Indian Army signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Limited, to build four underground tunnels along China and Pakistan borders for storage of ammunition and other war-related equipment. Three tunnels will be built along the Chinese border and one tunnel will be built along the Pakistan border. The tunnel can store 175-200 metric tonnes of ammunition and the cost of this pilot project is around Rs 15 crore.

4. CPWD Constitutes 8-member Committee To Chart Out Design Policy: The Central Works Public Department (CPWD) has constituted an expert committee to formulate a design policy for building construction and infrastructure development.  The committee has been set up under the chairmanship of CPWD's Additional Director General M K Sharma. The move is aimed at reviving building construction and infrastructure development at all levels in the CPWD which comes under the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry.The committee has been asked to submit its report to Director General Prabhakar Singh within 30 days.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Sri Lanka suspends visa on arrival programme after serial blasts: According to Sri Lankan tourism ministry, Sri Lankan Govt. suspended plans to grant visa on arrival to citizens of 39 countries after the recent bombings in which 359 people were killed. Sri Lankan government did not want the facility to be misused as investigations found foreign links to the attacks on Easter. Last month, Sri Lanka had announced the plan to allow visa-free entry to tourists from 39 countries, including European Union members, Australia and the United States, during the low season from 1st May (not include China and India).

2. UAE based Etihad Airways becomes the first major airline to operate the plastic-free flight: UAE based flag carrier ’Etihad Airways’ has become the first major airline in the Gulf region to operate a flight without any single-use plastics on board. The objective is to raise awareness about pollution on Earth. The first flight named ‘EY484’ (without use of plastics) landed in Brisbane, Australia. Etihad Airways has pledged to reduce single-use plastic usage by 80% across the entire organization by the end of 2022.

3. NASA's InSight detects first likely 'quake' on Mars:  US space agency NASA's robotic Mars InSight lander has recorded a likely marsquake for the first time ever.  This is the first recorded trembling that appears to have come from inside the planet, as opposed to being caused by forces above the surface, such as wind. Scientists still are examining the data to determine the exact cause of the signal.

4. World Veterinary Day: 27 April: The World Veterinary Day 2019 is observed on 27th April. It is an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of veterinarians to the health of animals and society. The theme for the day is the “Value of Vaccination”. The day is initiated by the World Veterinary Association.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Jhulan Goswami wins CSJS award for best sportsperson of 2018: Former captain of India national women’s cricket team ‘Jhulan Goswami’ awarded the “Sportsperson of the Year” at the Calcutta Sports Journalists’ club (CSJC) in Kolkata, West Bengal. Sukumar Samajpati (former India winger) and Sambaran Banerjee (Bengal’s Ranji Trophy winning captain) honoured ‘Lifetime Achievement’ awards.

 2. India bags one gold, two silver medals at Asian Boxing Championship: India bagged one gold and two silver medals at the Asian Boxing Championships in Bangkok. Boxer Amit Panghal picked up his second successive gold medal of the year in the 52-kilogram category. Panghal defeated Korea's Kim Inkyu Korea. National champion Deepak Singh and Kavinder Singh Bisht in 56 kg category signed off with silver medals after close losses.  Deepak lost to Mirzahmedov of Uzbekistan while Bisht was also defeated by an Uzbek.

3. Pankaj Advani wins inaugural Asian Snooker Tour title: India's Pankaj Advani defeated Ehsan Heydari Nezhad of Iran 6-4 to claim the inaugural Asian Snooker Tour title. The Indian had earlier defeated Aung Phyo of Myanmar in the semifinal. Advani had earlier won the second leg of the Tour in China.

4. ISSF World Cup: Abhishek Verma Wins Gold In 10m Air Pistol: Abhishek Verma won the 10m air pistol gold medal at the ISSF World Cup at Beijing, China. He clinched the top spot with a total score of 242.7.  Russia's Artem Chernousov took silver. His brilliant performance in the Shooting World Cup Final also secured a fifth Olympic quota for India.

5.  Asian Boxing Championships: India Wins 13 Medals: India won 13 medals, including 2 gold, 4 silver, and 7 bronze at the Asian Boxing Championships in Bangkok. Boxers Pooja Rani and Amit Panghal gave India 2 gold medals.  While the men won 1 gold, 3 silver, and 3 bronze, the women bagged 1 gold, 1 silver, and 4 bronze medals.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Siddhartha Mohanty takes over as COO of LIC Housing Finance: LIC Housing Finance appointed Siddhartha Mohanty as its chief operating officer. Prior to taking over as the position, he was executive director with LIC of India. Mohanty started his career as a direct recruit officer with LIC of India in 1985 and has risen through the ranks to this senior position.

2. Aegon Life Insurance has collaborated with MobiKwik to launch a smart digital insurance product: Digital financial services company ‘Mobikwik’ collaborated with Aegon Life Insurance (pioneer of digital insurance in India) to launch a Rs 20 smart digital insurance product. The main objective for this initiative is to improve the insurance penetration in India (currently at 3.7%) that is to drive financial inclusion for the masses. The company has created 3 variants of the amount assured between Rs. 1 lakh, Rs.1.5 lakh and Rs. 2 lakhs at no extra cost. The insurance product launched is termed as the Aegon Life Group Term Plus Plan.

3. Bimal Jalan panel on RBI's capital size to submit the report by June: A high-level panel led by former RBI governor Bimal Jalan, set up to decide the appropriate capital reserves that the central bank should maintain, is likely to submit its report by June. The six-member Jalan panel was appointed on December 26, 2018, to review the Economic Capital Framework for the RBI. The committee was to submit its report in 90 days from the first day of its meeting, which was held on January 8. The panel has got an extension beyond its three-month term.

4. RBI Introduces ₹ 20 Banknote In Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series: The Reserve Bank of India will shortly issue ₹ 20 denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series, bearing the signature of Shri Shaktikanta Das, Governor, Reserve Bank of India. The new denomination has the motif of Ellora Caves on the reverse, depicting the country's cultural heritage. The base colour of the note is Greenish Yellow. The dimension of the banknote will be 63 mm x 129 mm.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Microsoft Becomes World’s Third Company To Be Worth $1 Trillion: Microsoft has reached a valuation of one trillion dollars for the first time after posting an increase in profits. It makes the software giant only the third publicly-traded company in history to reach the threshold after Apple and Amazon passed it in 2018. Microsoft’s current valuation also means that it has again taken over Apple as the world’s most valuable company.

HONOURS AND AWARDS

1. Pakistan’s ‘Dawn’ journalist Cyril Almeida named IPI’s World Press Freedom Hero: The International Press Institute has declared Cyril Almeida (Dawn editor and columnist in Pakistan) the recipient of its 71^st  World Press Freedom Hero award. The institute lauded Almeida for his ‘tenacious coverage of the Pakistani state’s patronage of militant groups’. The awards will be presented in a ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland on 5^th June 2019. Almeida is a Rhodes scholar with a law degree from Oxford University.

2. Salim, Helen and Bhandarkar get Deenanath Mangeshkar Award 2019: The prestigious Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Award 2019 was awarded to Madhur Bhandarkar (National Award-winning filmmaker), Salim Khan (scriptwriter) and Helen (dancing diva). This year, the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Award for music and art has been given to classical dancer Sucheta Bhide-Chapekar. Anandmayee Puraskar was given to Pandit Suresh Talwalkar of Taalyogi Ashram. The event was organized by Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratishthan charitable trust, Pune.

3. Rana Dasgupta Wins 2019 Tagore Literary Prize: The second edition of Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize was awarded to author Rana Dasgupta for his 2010 novel “Solo“, a tale of estrangement and the ultimate failure of material existence. The Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize for social achievement was awarded to Yohei Sasakawa, for “his incredible efforts to uproot leprosy and great contribution to world peace”.

OBITUARIES

1. Mark Medoff, the writer of 'Children of a Lesser God' passes away: Mark Medoff (79-years) passed away in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Medoff wrote 30 plays and is best known for the groundbreaking Children of a Lesser God, the story of a young deaf woman and her love affair with her speech teacher.

2. Terry Rawlings, British Film Editor Passes Away:  Terry Rawlings, a British film and sound editor has passed away. He was an Oscar nominee for his work on Best Picture winner “Chariots of Fire”. He was born in 1933.  The 5-time BAFTA nominee also received a career achievement award from the American Cinema Editors society in 2006.

Daily GK Updates - 26th April, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India extends a ban on import of Chinese milk products: The Union government has extended the ban on import of milk and its products, including chocolates, from China.  Food regulator FSSAI had recommended extending the ban until all labs at ports are modernised to test the chemical. The ban was first imposed in September 2008 and extended subsequently from time to time. The ban was imposed on apprehensions of the presence of melamine in some milk consignments from China. Melamine is a toxic chemical used for making plastics and fertilisers.

2. Maruti will stop making diesel cars from April 2020: According to the country’s largest car maker Maruti, it will phase out diesel cars from its line-up from April 2020. The reason of stopping is higher manufacturing cost on account of stricter BS6 emission norms that would make diesel vehicles significantly expensive for customers, pricing them out of the market. For Maruti, the share of diesel variants is 23% in total sales that stood at 17.5 lakh units last fiscal. In the just-ended 2018-19 fiscal. Currently, Maruti offers diesel on as many as eight models, with two of them ‘the Brezza’ and ‘S-Cross SUVs’ ‘carrying it exclusively (there’s no petrol variant currently).

3. HUDCO celebrates its 49th Foundation Day: Dr. M. Ravi Kanth (CMD, HUDCO) has inaugurated the 49th Foundation Day celebrations of HUDCO (Housing and Urban Development Corporation) at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. The HUDCO Design Awards for innovative design solutions for disaster resistant housing, conservation of heritage, green buildings and landscape planning & design were also presented on the occasion.

4. Former Army Chief Dalbir Suhag appointed Indian envoy to Seychelles: Former Army Chief Dalbir Singh Suhag has been appointed as India's next high commissioner to the island nation ‘Seychelles’. Seychelles is a country which is of strategic importance to India in the Indian Ocean region. General (retired) Suhag was the Army chief from 31st July 2014, to 31st December 2016. He was also part of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka in 1987. India is developing Assumption Island in Seychelles as a naval base to expand its footprint in the strategically-key region where China has been trying to enhance its military presence.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ABU Media Summit on Climate Action and Disaster Preparedness underway in Nepal: Nepal’s Minister for Communication and Information Technology Gokul Prasad Baskota has inaugurated the 5th Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Media Summit on Climate Action and Disaster Preparedness in Kathmandu. The theme of the two-day summit is “Media Solutions for Sustainable Future: Saving Lives, Building Resilient Communities”. Over 200 participants including political leaders, representatives of UN agencies and NGOs, climate change and disaster management experts, scientists and media persons are attending the event.

2. World Intellectual Property Day being observed: The 'World Intellectual Property Day' is observed annually on 26th April to learn about the role that intellectual property rights (patents, trademarks, industrial designs, copyright) play in encouraging innovation and creativity. The Day is organized by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). This year's theme of the day is ‘Reach for Gold: IP and Sports’. What is WIPO?

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is a self-funding agency of the United Nations (UN) with 191 members states. Its mission is to lead the development of a balanced and effective international intellectual property (IP) system that enables innovation and creativity for the benefit of all.

3. World Immunization Week 2019 Observed in April: The last week of April every year is observed as World Immunization Week (WIW) in order to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against disease. The WIW 2019 observed from 24-3oth April, carrying the theme “Protected Together: Vaccines Work”. It was observed for the very first time in 2012.

OTHER UPDATES:

HONOURS & AWARDS

 1. Benny Antony conferred with the National IP Award 2019: Benny Antony (co-founder of Kochi-based Arjuna Natural Ltd) has been honoured with the National Intellectual Property Award for 2019 in the category of Top Individual for Patents and Commercialization. Along with the National IP Award, the Intellectual Property Office India and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) have jointly conferred the ‘WIPO Medal for Inventors’ also to Antony. Antony is the inventor of the world’s leading patented turmeric extract formulation “BCM-95”. Antony has over 80 international patents to his credit.

BANKING & FINANCIAL

1. RBI gives HDFC’s proposal for holding a 9.9% stake in Bandhan Bank: The RBI (Reserve Bank of India) has granted approval to HDFC Ltdfor holding up to 9.9% stake in Bandhan Bank following the Gruh Finance deal. Gruh Finance is the housing finance arm of HDFC Ltd and was taken over in January by Bandhan Bank in a share-swap deal. The scheme is yet to get approvals from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) and the shareholders of Gruh Finance and Bandhan Bank. The Gruh Finance deal will decrease the stake of Bandhan FinancialHoldings Ltd in Bandhan Bank from 82% to 61%.

SPORTS

 1. Shooting: India bag two gold at ISSF World Cup: India opened its medal account with gold each in 10 metres Air Rifle Mixed Team and 10 metres Air Pistol Mixed team events on the third day of ISSF World Cup in Beijing. Young shooters 'Manu Bhaker' and 'Saurabh Chaudhary' took the top spot in the 10 metres Air Pistol Mixed Team event. Anjum Moudgil and Divyansh Singh Panwar opened the country's gold account in the 10 metres Air Rifle Mixed Team event.

2. Asian Wrestling Championships: Divya, Manju win bronze medals: India's Divya Kakran and Manju Kumari bagged bronze medals for the country in the women's competition of the Asian Wrestling Championships in Xi'an, China. Asian Games bronze-medallist Kakran defeated Battsetseg Soronzonbold of Mongolia via fall in the playoffs of the 68-kilogram category. Earlier, Manju (In 59 kg) also secured a bronze medal in the day by beating Vietnam's Thi Huong Dao 11-2

Daily GK Updates - 25th April, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. IIM-Bangalore becomes only Indian institute to feature in QS EMBA Rankings 2019: The Indian Institute of Management-Bangalore (IIM-B) has once again made a mark at the global level. The institute's post-graduate programme in Enterprise Management (PGPEM) has secured the 12th rank in APAC listing and came 61st globally in the QS Executive MBA Rankings 2019. Now, IIM-B has become the only B-school in India to be a part of top 100 B-Schools globally and top 16 in APAC, for the second

2. Jio races ahead of Airtel to become India's 2nd largest telecom company: Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio (from September 2016) is reportedly the second-largest telecom company in the country. Jio overtaken Bharti Airtel in terms of customer base and now trails only Vodafone Idea. According to a report, Jio presently has 306 million customers, Vodafone Idea continues to lead the industry with 387 million subscribers, Airtel has 284 million subscribers.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. World's 1st Malaria Vaccine Launched in Africa: The world's first-ever malaria vaccine was launched in a pilot project in Africa's Malawi. The country is the first of three in Africa in which the vaccine, known as RTS,S, will be made available to children up to 2 years of age. Ghana and Kenya will introduce the vaccine soon. About 93% of the world's malaria-related deaths in 2017 occurred in Africa.

2. Kazakhstan Sets Up Coordinating Council to Attract Indian Investments: Kazakhstan has set up Coordinating Council for attracting foreign investments including from India. A decision was taken to lay down the functions of Investment Ombudsman in order to venture for new approaches to improve the investment scenario in Kazakhstan. The meeting identified the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) as a Unified Center for the coordination of work on investment and promotion of the investment image of Kazakhstan.

3. Iran, Pakistan to Set up Border 'Reaction Force': Iran and Pakistan have agreed to set up a joint border "reaction force" to combat the attacks by militant groups on both sides their frontier.  Both the nations have decided to collaborate to form the joint quick reaction force by increasing cooperation between border forces and intelligence agencies.

4. Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un hold first-ever talks in Vladivostok: Kim Jong-Un (North Korean leader) and Vladimir Putin (Russian President) meet for their first summit talks in the Pacific port city of Vladivostok. The two leaders talked about the Korean peninsula's nuclear problem. Mr Kim is believed to be seeking support after failing to reach an agreement with US President Trump on Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme at Hanoi earlier this year. The situation in the Korean peninsula had stabilised somewhat in recent months and Russia intends to help in any way possible to cement that positive trend.

5. World Malaria Day: 25 April: Every year on 25 April, people around the globe observe World Malaria Day (WMD) to raise awareness and funds for the treatment and prevention of the disease.  This year, the theme for the day is “Zero malaria starts with me” and it is being hosted by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

OTHER UPDATES: 

1. MD Karnam Sekar Appointed as IOB's New MD & CEO: Former Dena Bank MD & CEO Karnam Sekar is set to take over as the new Managing Director and CEO of Indian Overseas Bank from July 1, 2019. He will take over from R Subramaniakumar. Earlier Sekar was the MD & CEO of Dena Bank till September 2018.

2. Shri Rajendra Kumar Nayak took Over as CGDA: Shri Rajendra Kumar Nayak (Indian Defence Accounts Service - 1983 batch) took over as the 52nd Controller General of Defence Accounts. He was Additional Controller General of Defence Accounts, Defence Accounts Department (DAD), and Ministry of Defence before taking over as the CGDA.

3. Uday Kumar Varma resigns from ASSOCHAM Secretary General Post: Uday Kumar Varma 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. Currently, Assocham Deputy Secretary-General Saurabh Sanyal is the interim secretary general.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI Becomes The First APAC Central Bank to Begin Interest Rate Easing Cycle: The Reserve Bank of India has become the first central bank in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region to begin an explicit interest rate easing cycle. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), headed by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, cut rates in February and April. In the four months of 2019, the RBI has cut policy interest rates twice by 0.25% each to a one-year low of 6%. This is the first back-to-back rate cut since the MPC was formed in late 2016.

2. Kotak Bank Launches Debit Card-Based e-mandate On NPCI’s API Platform: Kotak Mahindra Bank (Kotak) has launched the first debit card-based authentication solution on NPCI’s (National Payments Corporation of India) e-Mandate (electronic mandate) API (Application Program Interface) platform. With this, it has become the first ever Destination Bank to go live with both Net Banking and Debit Card-based e-mandate authentication.

3. IndusInd Bank Receives NCLT Approval for Merger with Bharat Financial Inclusion: National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved the merger of private sector lender IndusInd Bank with Bharat Financial Inclusion (BFIL), a microfinance company. Earlier, IndusInd Bank had received ‘No Objection’ from Reserve Bank of India, National Stock Exchange and Bombay Stock Exchange. Bharat Financial will become a subsidiary of the private lender.

4. SEBI Reduces Minimum Subscription Requirement for REITs, InvITs: Markets regulator SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) has reduced the minimum subscription requirement as well as defined trading lots for Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs). SEBI has also increased the leverage limit for InvITs from 49% to 70%.

5. BuyUcoin Introduces First Indian Platform for Wholesale Cryptocurrency Trading: BuyUcoin, second oldest Cryptocurrency Exchange in India, has introduced a new and unique platform for wholesale cryptocurrency trading.  It is also known as OTC (Over-the-counter) Desk that allows users to trade on a large scale with low price fluctuations.

6. RBI Sells Entire Stake in NHB, NABARD to Government for INR 1,470 crore: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has divested its entire stake held in National Housing Bank (NHB), and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) to the government, which now holds 100% stakes in these financial institutions. According to an RBI press release, it is based on the recommendation of the second Narasimham Committee. The transactions were completed in February (NABARD) and March (NHB). The RBI sold the entire stake worth 20 crore rupees in NABARD and 1,450 crore rupees in NHB in the last quarter of 2018-19.

7. RBI to buy Rs 25,000 crore of bonds in two installments via OMO in May: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) plans to buy Rs 25,000 crore worth of bonds in two installments from the secondary market in May. The first such open market operations (OMO) for the fiscal year 2019-20, amounting to Rs 12,500 crore, will happen on 2nd May 2019. This is despite the central bank buying bonds worth Rs 3 trillion in the last fiscal year and infusing another about Rs 70,000 crore through two-dollar swaps. In the OMO, the central bank would be buying bonds maturing between 2020 and 2032, it said in its notification.

SPORTS

1. Asian Athletics Championships - India Finishes Fourth: Asian Athletics Championships 2019 held at Doha in Qatar. It was the 23rd edition of the Championships. India ended at the fourth spot in the medals tally with 3 Gold, 7 Silver and 7 Bronze. Bahrain topped the table with 11 Gold, 7 Silver and 4 Bronze. China was second while Japanwas third. Tejinder Pal Singh Toor (Shot put), Gomathi Marimuthu(800 metres) and P. U. Chitra (1500 metres) won gold for India. India had won 29 medals - 12 Gold, 5 Silver and 12 Bronze in the last edition in Bhubaneswar in 2017, topping the medal tally for the first time.

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.