Daily GK Updates - 17th May, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. NSG Commandos Summit Mount Everest in Maiden Attempt: Commandos of the premier counter-terror force National Security Guard (NSG) created history as they scaled the Mount Everest (world's highest peak) in their maiden attempt. A seven-member team of NSG, led by Lt Col J P Kumar, successfully unfurled the Indian flag at the 8,848-metre tall peak. Sudeep Lakhtakia is the Director General of NSG.

2. Justice A K Sikri appointed NBSA Chairperson: Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri (former judge of Supreme Court of India) has been appointed Chairperson of the News Broadcasting Standards Authority (NBSA). He succeeds Justice R.V. Raveendran who completes his term on 25th May 2019. The NBSA is a self-regulatory body that implements the Code of Ethics & Broadcasting Standards and Guidelines for its member news broadcasters.

3. Indian delegation meets Film Commissioners at Cannes Film Festival: The Indian delegation led by Information and Broadcasting Secretary ‘Amit Khare’ met Film Commissioners of participating countries at Cannes Film Festival. The delegation highlighted the opportunity of utilizing the abundant talent pool of skilled professionals and technicians and projected the possibility of India emerging as a major post-production hub. The focus of the discussion was the exploration of co-production opportunities with the participating countries and forge opportunities of collaborations for films. During the meeting, Israel proposed India to be the focus country in Jerusalem Film Festival, 2020.

4. Workshop on Artificial Bio Organs held in Visakhapatnam: Andhra Pradesh MedTech Zone (AMTZ) has organized a one-day workshop on Organ Bio Printing at the Kalam Convention Center, AMTZ Campus in Visakhapatnam. The workshop aims to strengthen Indo-Australian Cooperation and achieve the development of the 3D printing industry in both countries. The workshop explored 3D printing, an innovative technology that covers all medical disciplines and offers new opportunities in diagnostics and therapy.

Note: An artificial organ is an engineered device or tissue that is implanted or integrated into a human — interfacing with living tissue — to replace a natural organ, to duplicate or augment a specific function or functions so the patient may return to normal life as soon as possible.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 11th Joint Consular Committee meet between India, Iran held in Delhi: The 11th Joint Consular Committee meeting between India and Iran took place in New Delhi. Both sides discussed the early conclusion of Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance on civil and commercial matters and extending the longer duration of e-Visa for each other nationals on reciprocity. The meeting provided an opportunity to review the status of ongoing cooperation in consular and visa related issues and to discuss ways and means to further expand people to people contacts and promote friendly exchanges between India and Iran. 

2. Donald Trump Unveils Merit-Based Immigration System: US President Donald Trump has rolled out a merit-based immigration system from which foreigners, including hundreds and thousands of Indian professionals and skilled workers, waiting to get Green Cards or permanent legal residency stand to benefit. As per the proposed system, permanent legal residency would be given based on points for their age, knowledge, job opportunities and civic sense. The proposals significantly increase the quota for skilled workers from the existing nearly 12% to 57%.

3. Taiwan Becomes First Country In Asia To Legalise Same-Sex Marriage: Taiwan has approved a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, a landmark decision that makes the self-ruled island the first place in Asia to pass gay marriage legislation. The successful bill includes limited adoption rights for same-sex couples.

4. Saudi Arabia Approves Permanent Residency for First Time: The Saudi government has approved for the first time a scheme that gives permanent residency to certain expatriates, allowing them to own real estate in the kingdom and reside with their families without a Saudi sponsor. The "Privileged Iqama" system will offer a permanent residence scheme and one that can be renewed annually to highly skilled expatriates and owners of capital funds.

5. China blocks all language editions of Wikipedia: China has broadened its block of online encyclopedia Wikipedia to include all language editions. China's online censorship apparatus 'Great Firewall' blocks a large number of foreign sites in the country, such as Google, Facebook and The New York Times. Wikipedia is a multilingual online encyclopedia with exclusively free content based on open collaboration through a model of content editing using web-based applications such as web browsers, called wiki.

Note: Wikipedia was launched on January 15, 2001, by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger. It is the largest and most popular general reference work on the World Wide Web and is one of the most popular websites by Alexa rank as of April 2019.

6. International Day of Light: 16 May: May 16th is celebrated globally as the International Day of Light. 2019 marks the global celebration of the second edition of the event. It is an official observance of UNESCO that provides an annual focal point for the continued appreciation of light and the role it plays in science, culture, and art, education, sustainable development, communications, and energy.

7. World Telecommunication and Information Society Day: 17 May:  The World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is observed every year on 17th May to mark the anniversary of the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention (ITC) and the creation of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The WTISD raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies, as well as of ways to bridge the digital divide. The 2019 theme of WTISD is “Bridging the standardization gap”.

8. Jeffrey Rosen Confirmed As US' Next Deputy Attorney General: Jeffrey Rosen was confirmed as the United States' latest deputy attorney general by the US Senate after his predecessor, Rod Rosenstein, left the department. Rosenstein oversaw Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigations into Russian collusion in the 2016 Presidential elections, before stepping down from his post in April.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Appoints Nitin Chugh As Next MD and CEO: Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited has appointed Nitin Chugh as its next Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) from December 1, 2019. Bank’s current MD and CEO, Samit Ghosh is retiring on November 30, 2019. The bank has received the approval of its application for Chugh's appointment, from the Reserve Bank of India. 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. IBM Garage To Co-Create AI-based Automation Solutions with HDFC ERGO: IBM India has tied-up with HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company, India's third-largest non-life insurance provider in the private sector, to co-create new Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based solutions. Leveraging IBM Garage that uses data-driven insights to develop end-to-end strategies and solutions for business transformation, teams from HDFC ERGO and IBM Services will work together to develop and test new solutions. 

2. BSE Launches BSE StAR MF App for Its Mutual Fund Platform: Leading stock exchange BSE has launched ‘BSE StAR MF’ app to enable more participation and help mutual fund distributors process transactions faster. As per the BSE, this mobile app supports real-time client registration and paperless transactions, creates and uploads mandate for SIPs, generates the basket of multiple orders, tracks and allows the distributor to analyse his business at his fingertips. BSE MD & CEO: Ashishkumar Chauhan.

DEFENCE

1. Indian armed forces conduct ‘Exercise Bull Strike’ at teressa Island: The military drill ‘Exercise Bull strike’ was conducted to showcase joint operations capability of the armed forces. During the exercise, the army personnel got the chance to display their prowess by undertaking company level airborne operation at Teressa island, Andaman Nicobar. 170 troops from three services carried out para drop operations in a Combat Free Fall and Static Line mode.

OBITUARIES

1. Former Prime Minister of Australia Bob Hawke passes away: Former Prime Minister of Australia Bob Hawke (89-years) passed away. He was the longest-serving Prime Minister (Labor Party) served from 1983 to 1991. He is also accredited to create Australia’s universal healthcare system ‘Medicare’.

Daily GK Updates - 16th May, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Lokpal Website Launched: The website of the Lokpal www.lokpal.gov.in has been launched. It was inaugurated by Chairperson Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose in presence of all the Members of Lokpal in New Delhi. It provides basic information about the working and functioning of the anti-corruption ombudsman. The Lokpal is the first institution of its kind in India established under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013 to inquire and investigate into allegations of the corruption against public functionaries.

2. Sikkim Statehood Day: 16th May: President Ram Nath Kovind has greeted the people of Sikkim on their statehood day. It was on 16th May 1975 that Sikkim officially merged with the Indian union and became the 22nd state of the country.

3. Captain Aarohi Pandit Becomes 1st Woman In World To Cross Atlantic Ocean Solo In a LSA: Captain Aarohi Pandit, a 23-year-old pilot from Mumbai became the world's first woman to cross the Atlantic Ocean solo in a Light Sports Aircraft (LSA). She achieved the feat when she landed her tiny aircraft at Iqaluit Airport in Canada, after a gruelling 3,000 km long flight, under adverse and extreme weather conditions. 

4. Election Commission curtails campaigning in West Bengal: Election Commission curtailed the campaigning in the West Bengal state following Kolkata violence. Campaigning for the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal end at 10 PM on Thursday.  According to Deputy Election Commissioner Chandra Bhushan Kuma, for the first time, such an action (Article 324) has been taken using constitutional powers of the poll panel. Nine Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal will go to polls in the last phase on Sunday. The Commission also ordered the removal of State's Principal Secretary (Home) Atri Bhattacharya and Additional Director General, CID, Rajeev Kumar from their posts.

5. 16th May: National Dengue Day: The Government of India (GoI) has declared 16th May as National Dengue Day to mark the toll from the deadly disease ‘Dengue’ (transmitted by the bite of Aedes mosquito). The day has been taking in terms of lives and to reaffirm nationwide efforts to tackle the scourge by using both education and medical intervention. Dengue is a viral disease which includes symptoms such as high-grade fever 2 to 7 days and headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India Signs ‘Christchurch Call to Action’: India signed the ‘Christchurch Call to Action’ in Paris. The agreement came in the backdrop of the attacks on mosques in March and is aimed at stopping the abuse of the Internet by extremists. India was represented by Ajay Prakash Sawhney, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

2. Nepali Sherpa Kami Rita Scales Mt Everest For 23rd Time, Creates World Record: Nepalese Sherpa climber Kami Rita has scaled Mount Everest for a 23rd time, breaking his own record for the most successful ascents of the world's highest peak. He first scaled Everest in 1994. He reached the 8,850-metre (29,035-feet) summit with other climbers via the Southeast Ridge route. 

3. Taiwan Expo 2019 begins in New Delhi: Tien Chung-Kwang (Representative of Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre) and James CF Huang (Chairman of Taiwan External Trade Development Council) have inaugurated the three-day event ‘Taiwan Expo 2019’ in New Delhi. There are 10 theme pavilions at the expo focusing on green products, health care, agriculture, tourism, biotechnology and electrical equipment. 150 exhibitors are showcasing their products in 230 stalls.

4. Trump declares a national emergency over IT threats: US President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency to protect American computer networks from foreign adversaries. Mr. Trump signed an executive order which effectively bars US companies from using foreign telecoms believed to pose a security risk to the country. Several countries (including the US) have raised concerns that the company's products could be used by China for surveillance.

5. Sri Lanka declares National Vesak week from May 15th: Sri Lanka has declared a National Vesak week to mark the Vesak celebrations, one of the most significant events for Buddhist followers. The festival will be held under tight security and people have been encouraged to organize celebrations at Buddhist temples and not in public places in the wake of Easter Sunday attacks last month. The state Vesak festival will be held in Galle under the patronage of the President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe on Friday and Saturday. The Chief Prelates of four Buddhist chapters have requested the public to give priority to spiritual practices and not to conduct public celebrations that draw crowd due to the present security situation in the country.

6. Conference on Asian Civilizations Dialogue (CDAC) Organised in China: The Chinese Ministry of Education organised the ‘Conference on Asian Civilizations Dialogue (CDAC)’ in collaboration with UNESCO in Beijing. The theme of the event is ‘Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Asian Civilizations and a Community with a Shared Future’. As part of this conference, the Ministry also organized the parallel panel: Safeguarding the Diversity of Asian Civilizations. The objective of the dialogue to bring together a number of internationally renowned experts to deliberate and discuss the major challenges facing the rapprochement and peaceful coexistence of Asian Civilizations in today’s context.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. China to Host 2023 Asian Cup Football Tournament: China has become the sole contender to host Asian Cup Football tournament in 2023 after South Korea has announced to withdraw its bid to host the game. The Korea Football Association (KFA) announced that it had pulled out to strategically focus on a joint bid with North Korea to host the Women's World Cup in the same year.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. SIDBI Launched A Pilot Scheme For Fintech NBFCs: To give a fillip to digital lending, Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has put together a pilot scheme to extend financial assistance of up to Rs 10 crore to new-agefintech non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) engaged in financing small businesses and other income-generating activities. SIDBI has set the exposure cap for lending to a single new-age fintech NBFC at 30% of NOF of the new-age fintech NBFC, subject to maximum cap of Rs10 crore. 

2. RBI Releases Vision document for e-payment system: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released a vision document for ensuring a safe, secure, convenient, quick and affordable e-payment system. The move comes as the apex bank expects the number of digital transactions to increase more than four times to 8,707 crores (in December 2021). The 'Payment and Settlement Systems in India: Vision 2019 - 2021', with its core theme of 'Empowering Exceptional E-payment Experience', envisages achieving "a highly digital and cash-lite society" through the goal posts of competition, cost-effectiveness, convenience and confidence (4Cs).

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Infosys Foundation’s FCRA Licence Cancelled: The Home Ministry has cancelled the registration of Bengaluru-based NGO Infosys Foundation for alleged violation of norms in receiving foreign grants. All non-government organizations (NGOs) are mandatorily required to be registered under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act or FCRA to receive foreign funding.

2. Tech Mahindra Partners With French Based Firm Rakuten Aquafadas: IT services firm Tech Mahindra and French digital content publishing firm Rakuten Aquafadas signed an MoU to collaborate on building enhanced customer experience offerings. Rakuten Aquafadas and Tech Mahindra aim to build a Customer Experience Offering leveraging the suite of software that Rakuten Aquafadas provides for digital publishing.

3. India’s Overall Exports Registered Positive Growth Of 1.34% In April 2019: According to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry data, India’s overall exports, combining Merchandise and Services, in April 2019 is estimated to be around 44 billion US dollars with a positive growth of 1.34% over April 2018. Overall imports in April 2019 is estimated to be around 53 billion dollars with a positive growth of 4.5% over the corresponding period of 2018. 

Daily GK Updates - 15th May, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India to Co-Chair Consultative Group of Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery: India is unanimously chosen as co-chair of the Consultative Group (CG) of Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) for the fiscal year 2020. The decision was taken during the CG meeting of GFDRR held in Geneva, Switzerland, on the margins of the 6th Session of the GPDRR 2019. The CG Meeting was co-chaired by Africa Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States, the European Union (EU) and World Bank. This is the first time that the country has been afforded the opportunity of co-chairing the CG meeting of GFDRR.

Note: GFDRR is a global partnership that helps developing countries better understand and reduce their vulnerability to natural hazards and climate change. India became a member of CG of GFDRR in 2015 and expressed its interest to co-chair in last meeting of CG held in October 2018.

2. MoU Signed for Rudraksh Plantation in Ganga Basin: A tripartite MoU was signed between National Mission for Clean Ganga, HCL Foundation and INTACH for taking up a project of ‘Plantation of Rudraksh Trees in Uttarakhand’ as a part of CSR initiative under the ‘Namami Gange’ Programme. The project aims at planting 10,000 Rudraksh trees in the catchment area of river Ganga in Uttarakhand in association with local community and other stakeholders. 

3. The Union Government extends the ban on LTTE for five years: The Union Government has extended the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for another five years. The ban has been extended under sub-sections (1) and (3) of section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 with immediate effect.

Note: LTTE was founded on 5th May 1976 by Velupillai Prabhakaran. Its aim was to secure an independent state of Tamil Eelam in the north and east in response to the state policies of successive Sri Lankan governments towards Tamils.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Day of Families: 15 May: In 1993, the General Assembly decided in a resolution that 15 May of every year should be observed as The International Day of Families. It is observed to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase the knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting families The Theme for 2019 International Day of Families is “Families and Climate Action: Focus on SDG 13". 

2. UN Imposed Sanctions on Terror Group ISIS Khorasan: The UN has imposed sanctions on terror group ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K) for its links with Al-Qaeda and involvement in several attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The United Nations Security Council's 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee sanctioned Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant - Khorasan (ISIL-K). It is now subject to the assets freeze, traveling ban and arms embargo.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. HDFC ERGO launches 'Mosquito Disease Protection Policy': HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company has announced to launch the 'Mosquito Disease Protection Policy'. This new policy will cover an individual against common mosquito-borne diseases like Dengue Fever, Malaria, Chikungunya, Japanese Encephalitis, Kala-azar, Lymphatic Filariasis and Zika Virus. According to the report published by National Health Profile 2018, there has been an alarming rise in dengue cases in India, an increase of 300%   between 2009 - 2017. These diseases also lead to hospitalisation adding burden on expense or affecting the No Claim Bonus of any standard Health Insurance

2. HDFC Partners with IMGC for Home Loans: Housing finance major HDFC Limited has partnered with India Mortgage Guarantee Corporation (IMGC) to offer a mortgage-guaranteed home loan product. The partnership aims to make it possible for HDFC to further penetrate the home loan market and access an enlarged customer base, helping them to own a home of their choice. 

3. Airtel, HDFC Life Insurance Tie Up To Offer Free Cover: Bharti Airtel and HDFC Life Insurance have tied up to offer life cover for customers who get a prepaid recharge done. Airtel’s new Rs249-prepaid bundle (which will include 2 GB data, unlimited calls across networks, and 100 SMSes per day) will also offer a cover worth Rs4 lakh from HDFC Life.

4. Paytm Partners with Citibank to Launch 1st Credit Card- 'Paytm First Card': Digital payments company Paytm, in association with Citibank, launched its first credit card called Paytm First Card.  The card is issued by Citibank and doesn't involve any hidden fees or charges. Paytm First Card comes with unlimited cash back and will be accepted in India as well globally.

5. BharatPe Ropes in Salman Khan as Brand Ambassador: Merchant service and UPI payments app BharatPe has roped in Bollywood actor Salman Khan as its brand ambassador. 

6. RBI Appoints R Gandhi On YES Bank Board: The Reserve Bank of India has appointed its former Deputy Governor, R Gandhi, on the board of private sector lender YES Bankas an additional director. The appointment has been done in exercise of powers conferred under sub-section (1) of Section 36AB of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949. 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. WPI Inflation Slides To 3.07% in April: Wholesale Price Index (WPI)-based inflation for April eased to 3.07%, from 3.62% in April 2018. The latest WPI print was also lower than 3.18% recorded in March this year. Build up inflation for the financial year so far was 0.75%, lower than 0.86% in the corresponding period of the previous year. The overall WPI print for April was dragged down by a sharp decline in manufactured products (which accounts for two-third weightage in the WPI basket), which came in at a 30-month low of 1.7% (2.16% in March 2019).

DEFENCE

1. Indian Navy's 1st Full-Fledged SSB Opened at Kolkata: The Indian Navy's first full-fledged Services Selection Board (SSB) was inaugurated by Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba at Diamond Harbour near Kolkata, West Bengal.  The SSB (Kolkata) spread over 27 acres located on the banks of Hooghly that was previously occupied by a Naval Coastal Battery. This is the fifth SSB of the Indian Navy. The other boards are located in Bhopal, Bengaluru, Visakhapatnam and Coimbatore. 

2. Maj Gen A K Dhingra Appointed As 1st Special Operations Division Commander: Ace Special Forces operative and Sri Lanka war veteran Major General AK Dhingra has been appointed as the first head of country's first tri-services Special Operations Division comprising commandos from all three services. The Armed Forces Special Operations Division has been set up by the government to undertake joint operations by three services and will have elements from the Army's Parachute Regiments SF, Marine Commandos (MARCOS) of the Navy and the Garud Commandos of the Indian Air Force.

Daily GK Updates - 14th May, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Doordarshan Launches Online Souvenir Store in Partnership with Amazon India: Doordarshan has launched an online souvenir store for its viewers on Amazon India so that one can easily access it. Doordarshan is India's first broadcaster which has started Souvenir store. Chairman of Prasar Bharati A. Surya Prakash launched DD souvenir store on Amazon India. 

2. Young Scientist Programme 'Yuvika2019' inaugurated: The Young Scientist Programme ‘Yuvika2019’ was inaugurated by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman Dr K Sivan, through video mode in Bengaluru. The two-week residential summer vacation programme spread over four ISRO centres in Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Ahmedabad and Shillong are attended by 110 students. He touched upon how the applications of Space technology is helping in the day to day activities of common man besides ensuring the safety of life and property during disaster situations. The participants will be visiting the spaceport of India, Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Shri harikota during this programme.

3. Spectacular Thrissur Pooram festival begins in Kerala: The most spectacular festival of Kerala ‘Thrissur Pooram’ has begun at Thekkinkadu Maidan in the heart of Thrissur city in Kerala. It is held at the Vadakkunnathan Temple in Thrissur every year on the Pooram day - the day when the moon rises with the Pooram star. A 54-year-old elephant ‘Thechikottukavu Ramachandran’ also participated in the festival.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. US Navy Chief holds discussion with Indian Naval Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba: US Chief of Naval Operations Admiral John Michael Richardson held discussions with Admiral Sunil Lanba, India’s Chief of the Naval Staff. Mr. Richardson, who is on an official tour to India, intends to further consolidate bilateral naval relations between India and USA and also to explore new avenues for naval cooperation. Mr Richardson also interacted with Defence Secretary, Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Chief of the Air Staff and the National Security Council Secretariat.

2. Cannes Film Festival Begins In France: The international event of the world of cinema Cannes Film Festival (72nd edition) has begun in France (14 to 25 May 2019). Information and Broadcasting Secretary Amit Khare is leading the Indian delegation at Cannes and will inaugurate India Pavilion. ii. The Pavilion will showcase Indian cinema across linguistic, cultural and regional diversity, with the aim of forging international partnerships in distribution, production, filming in India. Indian Delegation will also release a special poster to mark the golden jubilee of International Film Festival of India (IFFI-2019). 

3. Vice President inaugurates 'Jaipur Foot Artificial Limb' fitment camp: Vice President M. Naidu inaugurated the Jaipur Foot Artificial Limb Fitment Camp in Hanoi during his four-day official visit to Vietnam. Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu presented the artificial limb fitments to the beneficiaries at the Embassy of India in Hanoi under India for Humanity initiative. The Camp is being held under the 'India For Humanity' program in the context of the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The iconic Jaipur Foot is lighter than all the other artificial limbs and has transformed the lives of thousands and helped them lead a life of dignity.

4. India extends 1 billion-dollar Line of Credit to Mongolia: India has extended 1 billion- dollar Line of Credit to Mongolia to set up it’s first-ever grass-root refinery at Sainshand in Dornogobi Province. The capacity of the refinery will be 1.5 Million Metric Tons Per Annum. It will be implemented with EXIM Bank funding.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup 2019: Japan's Yosuke Asaji Wins Title: India's Rahil Gangjee finished tied 39th while Viraj Madappa ended tied 53rd at the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup held in Japan. Japan's Yosuke Asaji won the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup 2019 at the Sobu Country Club.

2. India's GS Lakshmi Becomes 1st Ever Female ICC Match Referee: India's GS Lakshmi has become the first ever woman to be appointed to the ICC International Panel of Match Referees and will be eligible to referee international games with immediate effect. The 50-year-old first officiated as a match referee in domestic women's cricket in 2008/09. Lakshmi has overseen three women's ODI matches and three women's T20I matches. The first woman on the ICC Development Panel of Umpires was Kathy Cross, who retired in 2018.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. LIC Mutual Fund Appoints Dinesh Pangtey as CEO: LIC Mutual Fund appointed Dinesh Pangtey as the company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Pangtey was Director and CEO at LIC Group's private equity division LIC HFL AMC. He joined LIC as a direct recruit officer in 1984. He has also served as Regional Manager Marketing channel in Western Zone spanning the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Goa.

2. RBI Slaps Rs1-crore Fine On Nainital Bank: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs1 crore on Nainital Bank for its failure to fully automate the non-performing asset (NPA) identification process, despite specific directions issued in this regard.

3. ICICI Bank Joins Hands with Travel Portal Goibibo: ICICI Bank announced the launch of a co-branded multi-currency card with online travel booking portal Goibibo. The card also includes benefits of up to Rs 20,000, including gift vouchers of Rs 15,000 from Goibibo. 

4. NABARD Announces Rs 700-cr Venture Capital Fund for Agriculture, Rural Startups: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) announced Rs 700-crore venture capital fund for equity investments in agriculture and rural-focused startups. NABARD has been contributing to other funds till now and this is the first time that the rural development bank has launched a fund of its own.  The fund has been launched by Nabventures, a subsidiary of NABARD, and has a proposed corpus of Rs 500 crore with an option to retain over-subscription of Rs 200 crore, called as the greenshoe option.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. India's retail inflation picks up to 2.92% in April: According to the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation data, Retail inflation rose marginally to 2.92% in April this year, mainly due to the rise in food prices. The inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was 2.86% in the previous month and 4.58% in April last. According to the Central Statistics Office (CSO) data the inflation in the food basket was 1.1% last month, up from 0.3 per cent in March this year. CPI-based inflation data is an important indicator of the economy as the Reserve Bank of India mainly factors in it while arriving at its monetary policy.

2. ITC appoints Sanjiv Puri as Chairman: ITC Ltd. has appointed Managing Director (MD) Sanjiv Puri (56-years) as the Chairman of the company with immediate effect. Mr Puri joined the company in 1986 and rose through the ranks like his predecessor. He was appointed as Chief executive officer (CEO) in 2017 and as Managing Director (MD) in 2018. Mr Sanjiv Puri is an alumnus of IIT-Kanpur and Wharton School of Business. On 11th May 2019, Company’s longest-serving chairman YC Deveshwar (72-years) passed away.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. CEAT Cricket Rating Awards 2019 Announced: CEAT Cricket Rating (CCR) Awards 2019 were announced in Mumbai. India captain Virat Kohli bagged the International Cricketer and Batsman of the Year award during the CCR International awards. Pacer Jasprit Bumrah was adjudged as International Bowler of the Year. Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan was awarded for outstanding bowling and Australian batsman Aaron Finch for his exceptional performance in T20. Young prodigy Yashasvi Jaiswal was awarded Junior Cricketer of the Year, while Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav took the home outstanding performance of the year award. Legendary Mohinder Amarnath, who played a key role in India's 1983 World Cup triumph, was bestowed with the 'CCR International Lifetime Achievement Award'.

DEFENCE

1. DRDO Successfully Conducts Flight Test of ABHYAS: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) conducted a successful flight test of ABHYAS - High-speed Expendable Aerial Target (HEAT) from from Interim Test Range, Chandipur in Odisha. The flight test was tracked by various RADARS and Electro Optic Systems and proved its performance in a fully autonomous waypoint navigation mode. The configuration of ABHYAS is designed on an in-line small gas turbine engine and uses indigenously developed MEMS-based navigation system for its navigation and guidance. DRDO Chairman: G Satheesh Reddy, Established in: 1958, Headquarters in: Bengaluru.

OBITUARIES

1. US actor Peggy Lipton passes away: Renowned American actress and model, Peggy Lipton (72-years) passed away. She came to fame through her role as flower child Julie Barnes in the ABC counterculture television series. She won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama in 1970 for The Mod Squad (1968–1973).

Daily GK Updates - 13th May, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. WTO Ministerial Meeting Inaugurated in New Delhi: The World Trade Organisation, WTO ministerial meeting of developing countries began in New Delhi. The meeting will provide an opportunity for the Ministers to discuss various issues and the way forward. 16 developing countries and 6 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) are participating in the meeting. It includes China, South Africa, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Bangladesh.

2. Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Ranked among Top 10 In World-Air Help: Global air passengers right expert Air help came out with the list of world's best airports and Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International airport was ranked the world's eighth best airport. The survey takes into account on-time performance, service quality and food & shops to determine the ranking. The top 3 airports in the list of world's best airports as per Air help are: 

Qatar's Hamad International Airport

Tokyo International Airport.

Athens International Airport.

3. World’s 1st complete parent-wise genome for buffaloes developed: The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has developed the world’s first complete parent-wise genome assembly called “NDDB_ABRO_Murrah” of riverine buffaloes. This comes after the successful launch of INDUSCHIP, a customized genotyping chip for indigenous cattle and their crosses. Buffaloes contribute more than 50% to the total milk production in India which is the world’s largest milk producer. The development of genome assembly will help in improving the genetics of the buffaloes and enhancing their productivity further.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India-UK Sign Agreement to Boost Indo-Pacific Cooperation: India and the United Kingdom agreed to increase their collaboration in the fields of Indo-Pacific cooperation, climate change, disaster resilience, development in third world countries amongst other areas. The two countries held Foreign Office consultations, where the Indian side was led by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale and the UK side was represented by Sir Simon McDonald, Permanent Under-Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office of British Government.

2. 400 KMPH: Japan Tests World's Fastest Bullet Train: Japan has started testing its fastest-ever bullet train capable of reaching 400 kilometers per hour (249 mph) as it continues to develop the revolutionary mode of travel. The ALFA-X version of the Shinkansentrain began three years' worth of test runs. Once it enters operation around 2030, it will run at speeds of up to 360 kph (224 mph), comfortably making it the world's fastest bullet train.

3. Subhash Chand Appointed Next Ambassador of India To State of Eritrea: Subhash Chand, presently Deputy High Commissioner in the High Commission of India, Abuja, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the northeast African country Eritrea. Capital of Eritrea: Asmara.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Mumbai Indians win record 4th IPL title: Mumbai Indians (MI) became IPL champions for the fourth time after defeating Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by one run in a thrilling final in Hyderabad. Last ball dismissal of Shardul Thakur by paceman Lasith Malinga registered a final win for Mumbai over Chennai. Chasing a victory target of 150 set by Mumbai, Chennai Super Kings were restricted to 148 for 7 in stipulated 20 overs. Earlier, Mumbai made 149 for 8 in stipulated 20 overs. CSK Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has become the most successful wicket-keeper in the history of IPL by taking his dismissals tally to 132, surpassing Dinesh Karthik (KKR).

Orange Cap- David Warner of Sunrisers Hyderabad scored most runs: 692 Runs in 12 Matches.

Purple Cap- Imran Tahir of Chennai Super Kings took most wickets: 26 Wickets in 17 Matches.

2. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton Wins Spanish Grand Prix: Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton won the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, Spain and rose to the top of the Formula One world championship. Mercedes’ V. Bottas finished second, while Red Bulls’ M. Verstappen finished third.

3. Football: Manchester City Wins Premier League Title 2019: Manchester City clinched their fourth Premier League title (football)after winning the 2018-19 season. Manchester City registered a victory against Brighton to accumulate 98 points, while Liverpool, who were also in the title race, finished second with 97 points. Dominant Manchester City have successfully retained their Premier League title on the final day of an exhilarating 2018-19 campaign. 

4. Sana Mir Becomes Highest Wicket-Taking Spinner In ODI: Pakistan off-spinner Sana Mir has become the most successful women's ODI spinner in history after she took her 147th wicket, highest ever by any spinner in One-day International (ODI) cricket. Currently, Mir is placed on the third position in the ICC's ODI bowling ranking, which is topped by Indian pacer Jhulan Goswami. 

5. Novak Djokovic wins 2019 Madrid Open title: Top seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia has won the 2019 Madrid Open title at the Park Manzanares in Madrid, Spain. He defeated Tsitsipas (Greece) 6–3, 6–4 in the final. Djokovic tied Nadal's record with 33 Masters 1000 singles titles. Dutch Kiki Bertens beat two-time Madrid Open champion Simona Halep (Romania) 6-4, 6-4 to take the women's title.

6. Indian racer Jehan Daruvala wins an inaugural round of FIA Formula 3 Championship: Indian racer Jehan Daruvala (20-years) has won the inaugural round of the FIA Formula 3 Championship, one of the support events to Formula One in Barcelona. The all-new FIA F3 Championship was created by merging the erstwhile GP3 Championship and FIA F3 European Championship, resulting in an ultra-competitive 30 car grid. Jehan is the only Indian to win a Grand Prix when he won the New Zealand Grand Prix and later went on to become the only Indian to win a race in the erstwhile FIA F3 European Championship, which used slower cars.

7. Manchester City Legend Yaya Toure Retires From Football: Former Manchester City and Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure has officially announced his retirement from football. Achievements: At Barcelona, he won two LaLiga titles and the 2009 Champions League. He was named the African Footballer of the Year in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. 

8. Croatia's Igor Stimac to Become Indian Football Team Coach: Former Croatia international and manager Igor Stimac will be appointed as the Indian men’s team coach after the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) technical committee recommended him for the post. The committee, headed by Shyam Thapa, interviewed the four candidates for the post- Stimac, Albert Roca, Hakan Ericson, and Lee and zeroed in on Stimac.

9. World’s 1st Exclusive Women’s Cricket Magazine ‘Criczone’ Released: Inaugural issue of world’s first exclusive women’s cricket magazine‘Criczone’ was released with Indian team vice-captain Smriti Mandhana featuring as the cover story. It is a one-stop solution, exclusively dedicated to providing updates, articles, news, interviews, etc. from the world of women’s cricket. Publisher of the magazine is Yash Lahoti.

OBITUARIES

1. Padma Shri Awardee Bhojpuri Singer Hiralal Yadav Passes Away: Padma Shri awardee Bhojpuri vocal artist Hiralal Yadav passed away in Varanasi at the age of 93. Shri Yadav was a well known Bhojpuri folk singer from the 'Birha' genre. He received a Padma Shri award, the country's fourth highest civilian award, in January 2019. 

Daily GK Updates - 12th May, 2019

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Nurses Day: 12 May: All around the world, 12 May is the day to celebrate the irreplaceable contribution nursing makes to the world’s health and wellbeing and to commemorate the birth of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has celebrated this day since 1965. ICN is leading the celebrations with online International Nurses Day (IND) resources and information, which this year has, the theme ‘Nurses: A Voice to Lead, Health for All.’

2. K S Radhakrishnan appointed as a member of the CSAT: K S Radhakrishnan, former Supreme Court Judge, has been appointed as a member of the Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal, London. He will render his services as a member of the Tribunal for a period of four years from 1st of June, 2019 to 31st of May, 2023. Justice (Retd.) K S Radhakrishnan served as the Chief Justice of the Gujarat and Jammu & Kashmir High Courts before his term in Supreme Court from 2009-2014.

3. UN to hold 2020 Ocean Conference in Lisbon: United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) decided to hold its 2020 high-level conference early June in Portugal's Lisbon to support the sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources. The conference will Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development in Lisbon, from June 2 to 6, 2020, according to a resolution adopted by the 80th plenary meeting of the UNGA 73rd session.

4. Mohammad Bande appointed as President of UNGA: Tijjani Mohammad Bande, a professor and former vice chancellor of Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, has been appointed as the new President of the United Nations General Assembly. His appointment was announced by María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, outgoing president of UNGA at a press conference in Abuja. Bande becomes the second Nigerian to be appointed President of UNGA after Mr. Joseph Nanven Garba who held the position between 1989 and 1990.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Tushar Mane leads India’s medal sweep: Youth Olympics silver medalist Shahu Tushar Mane led a clean sweep of the junior men’s air rifle medals for India in the international shooting competition. After qualifying with a modest score of 623.2, Tushar won the gold with an impressive total of 251.4. Rudrankksh Patil who lost the gold by 2.8 points, pipped the World junior champion Hriday Hazarika by 0.6 point for the silver. In the 25-metre sports pistol, Annu Raj Singh won the women’s bronze, while Abhidnya Patil won the junior women’s silver, after having qualified on top with 576.

2. Two new women’s awards announced by FIFA: Two new awards would be added to FIFA’s Best Football Awards in the women’s category. The two new additions are women’s goalkeeper and a female team of the year. The announcement on Monday ensures men and women will be in line for accolades in the same categories at the FIFA Best ceremony in Milan on Sept. 23.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Airtel to merge broadband satellite business with Hughes India unit: Bharti Airtel has decided to merge its broadband satellite, or VSAT, business with that of market leader Hughes Communications India, to create a stronger no. 1 in the space. The merger will help in a bid to increase scale, improve operational efficiencies and target new customers in areas such as in-flight connectivity. Hughes Communications will own 67 percent share of the new entity while Bharti Airtel will own the rest.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. IPS officer who oversaw Nirbhaya rape case receives McCain Institute Award: IPS officer Chhaya Sharma, who led the investigation team of the infamous Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case, has been awarded the 2019 McCain Institute Award for Courage and Leadership on Friday. “A resolute guardian of human rights, Chhaya has led teams in detection and investigation of sensitive criminal cases and protection of human rights during her career spanning over 19 years. Sharma’s policing has consistently reflected victim-centric approach through her numerous investigations of serious crimes, particularly against women and children,” said McCain Institute in a statement.

Daily GK Updates - 11th May, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. New Heat-Sensing Snake Species Found, Named after Arunachal Pradesh: Pune-based Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) team found a new species of reddish-brown pit viper snake with a unique heat-sensing system, the first in past 70 years in India. The species is named 'Trimeresurus arunachalensis' after Arunachal Pradesh, where it was discovered. This makes Arunachal Pradesh the only state to have a pit viper named after it.

2. National Technology Day: 11th May: National Technology Day is observed every year on 11th of May in India, acting as a reminder of the anniversary of Shakti. On May 11, 1998, India successfully test fired the Shakti-I nuclear missile at the Indian Army's Pokhran Test Range (in Rajasthan) in an operation led by aerospace engineer and late President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. India conducted five underground nuclear tests at Pokhran test range in Rajasthan, on 11th and 13th of May in 1998. The first nuclear test Pokhran with a codenamed as ‘Smiling Buddha’ was carried out in May 1974.

3. BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta to be new Maharashtra chief secretary: BMC commissioner Ajoy Mehta (1984 batch officer) will be Maharashtra's new chief secretary. Out-going chief secretary UPS Madan will be the chairman of SICOM and would be also an advisor to chief minister. Meanwhile, Additional chief secretary Praveen Pardeshi will be appointed as the new BMC chairman.

4. Air India offers hefty discounts on last-minute flight bookings: National carrier ‘Air India’ has decided that very last moment available seats within three hours of departure will be sold at a hefty discount. The decision was taken during a commercial review meeting at Air India headquarters. According to Air India Spokesman, Tickets can be purchased from all outlets including Air India Booking Counters, Air India Mobile App, Air India website and Travel Agents. The discount will normally be exceeding 40% of the selling price.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Konkan Railways Signs Contract Agreement with Nepal to Supply two 1600 HP DEMU Train Sets: Konkan Railways Corporation Ltd has signed a contract agreement with Nepal's Department of Railways to supply two 1600 HP DEMU train sets. These trains will be used to operationalise railway link between Jayanagar in India and Kurtha in Nepal. The train sets will be manufactured by the Integrated Coach Factory, Chennai. 

2. Ireland Becomes 2nd Country to Declare Climate Emergency: Ireland has declared a climate emergency in their country, to be the second country after Britain to do so. Britain's parliament became the first in the world to declare a climate emergency, passing the largely symbolic motion on May 1. 

3. Actress Dia Mirza Selected Among 17 New 'SDG Advocates' Of UN:  Indian actress Dia Mirza and Alibaba chief Jack Ma are among the 17 global public figures appointed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as the new advocates to drive action and solidify global political will for the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

4. NASA to crash spacecraft into an asteroid in 2022: The US space agency ‘NASA’ revealed its plan to hit a small moonlet target in a double asteroid system with a spacecraft in 2022. It is its first mission to demonstrate a planetary defence technique. The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) will get one chance to hit its target. The asteroid, called Didymoon or Didymos B, is a moon asteroid around 150 meters tall orbiting a larger body Didymos A.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Bharatpe Launches India's 1st UPI Bahi Khata For Merchants: BharatPe - India's first Fintech start-up enabling payments for merchants through interoperable UPI QR codes, has announced its foray into merchant services with a new app. Along with UPI payments, the app now allows merchants to manage their entire Bahi Khata and even note receivables and payables seamlessly. 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Actress Anne Hathaway Receives Star On Hollywood Walk Of Fame: Oscar-winning actress Anne Hathaway was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame in Los Angeles, US.

DEFENCE

1. 1st Apache Helicopter Formally Handed Over To IAF: First AH-64E (I) - Apache Guardian helicopter was formally handed over to the Indian Air Force at Boeing production facility in Arizona, USA. IAF had signed a contract with US Government and M/s Boeing Ltd in Sep 2015 for 22 Apache helicopters. The first batch of these helicopters is scheduled to be shipped to India by July 2019. The helicopter has been customized to suit IAF’s future requirements and would have significant capability in mountainous terrain. It has the capability to carry out precision attacks at standoff ranges and operate in hostile Airspace with threats from the ground. They have the ability to transmit and receive battlefield picture to and from the weapon systems through data networking

OBITUARIES

1. ITC's Non-Executive Chairman YC Deveshwar Passes Away: The Padma Bhushan awardee and ITC's Non-Executive Chairman YC Deveshwarpassed away at the age of 72. He spearheaded the diversification of ITC to an FMCG company. He stepped down as chief executive of ITC in 2017. Between 1991 and 1994, he led state-owned carrier Air India as the Chairman and Managing Director.

2. Tamil Novelist and Sahitya Akademi Awardee Thoppil Mohamed Meeran Passes Away: Noted Tamil novelist and Sahitya Akademi awardee Thoppil Mohamed Meeran, passed away in Pettai, Tamil Nadu. Saaivu Naarkkaali (The Reclining Chair), released in 1995, bagged him the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 1997. 

3. Acting Guru Roshan Taneja passes away: Roshan Taneja (87-years) known as the 'pioneer of method acting' in India passed away in Mumbai. Roshan Taneja trained scores of Hindi film actors like Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah, Jaya Bachchan and Anil Kapoor. He had been training talent first at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune and later at his private school in Mumbai, the Roshan Taneja School of Acting.