Daily GK Updates - 13rd Oct, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. MHoUPA launches “mHariyali” mobile app for ‘Environment Protection: Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation has launched a mobile app named “mHariyali” which aims to encourage Public engagement in planting trees and other such Green drives. People can now upload information/photos of any plantation done by them, which is linked to app and will be displayed on the website www.epgc.gov.in. The App provides for automatic geo-tagging of plants.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Singapore set to become the first country to ban ads for unhealthy sugary drinks: The health ministry of Singapore notified that it will ban ads for unhealthy sugary drinks to combat rising diabetes rates. Thus, it will become the first nation in the world to do so. As per the data from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), 13.7% of adults suffer from diabetes in Singapore. IDF has estimated that the number of people suffering from diabetes in the world is expected to rise to 629 million by 2045 from 420 million people at present.

2. UK to issue coin in honour of Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th birth anniversary: The United Kingdom’s Chancellor of the Exchequer Mr Sajid Javid (Pakistani-origin British finance minister) notified that the UK government will issue a commemorative coin to mark the 150th birthday anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The announcement was made at the 21st Edition of the annual GG2 Leadership Awards ceremony 2019 in London hosted to celebrate the British Asian success. UK’s Royal Mint will work on the coin.

Note: UK Capital: London; Currency: Pound sterling

3. India becomes a member of G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance on Technology Governance: India became a member of Group of 20 (G20) Global Smart Cities Alliance on Technology Governance which works towards advancing the responsible and ethical use of smart city technologies. The World Economic Forum (WEF), the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation serves as secretariat for the Alliance. It will constitute global regulations and policy standards for the use of connected devices in public spaces.

About G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance: It is a league of 16 (after India joined) of the world’s leading city networks and technology governance organisations. It was established in June 2019, in conjunction with the G20 Summit in Osaka, Japan.

4. India ranked 82nd in 2019 Henley Passport Index ranking, Japan and Singapore top the list: Latest 2019 Henley Passport Index ranking was released. In the report, India is currently ranked at 82nd place in 2019, which is one place down from its previous rank of 81 in 2018. Japan and Singapore both hold the most powerful passport by ranking 1st in the list. The study was conducted by Henley & Partners. The index measures the strength of all the passports around the world, based on mobility scores which denotes the number of destinations that could be accessed by the passport-holders of a specific country, without a pre-departure visa. Japanese and Singaporean passport holders can visit a total of 190 countries without a prior visa, thus its mobility score is 190. India’s mobility score is 59. Afghanistan ranks last at 107th position in the list.

Ranks:

Rank	Country
1	Japan and Singapore
2	South Korea, Germany and Finland
3	Denmark, Italy and Luxembourg
4	France, Spain and Sweden
5	Austria, Netherlands and Portugal
82	India

5. International day for disaster reduction: 13 October: The International Day of Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) was observed to promote global culture towards risk awareness and disaster reduction. The theme for the year 2019 is “Reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services”. In 1989, the International Day for Disaster Reduction was started by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). According to the UN, the primary objective is to focus on the target of the Sendai Framework, which highlights “Substantially to reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services, among them health and education facilities, including through developing their resilience by 2030.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. American Olympic swimming champion Conor Dwyer announces retirement: American competition swimmer and 2-time Olympic gold medalist, Conor James Dwyer (30) has announced his retirement after being handed a 20-month doping ban for having testosterone in the form of pellets, surgically inserted into his body. His ban was made effective on December 21, 2019, & he won’t be eligible for Tokyo Games 2020. He had failed a series of anti-doping tests (three times) between November 15 and December 20, 2018.

2. Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge becomes first person to run a marathon in under 2 hours: An Olympic champion and world record holder from Kenya Eliud Kipchoge, aged 34, became the first person to run a marathon in under 2 hours by finishing the INEOS 1:59 Challenge in 1 hour, 59 minutes, 40.2 seconds in Vienna’s Prater Park, Austria. He covered the distance of 26.2miles. The marathon was organised and funded by the British chemical company INEOS. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) will not recognise the run as an official record because it was not in open competition.

3. Valtteri Bottas wins Formula One Japanese Grand Prix 2019: Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes – Finland) has won the F1 Japanese Grand Prix 2019 Title. This is his third title for the season. Sebastian Vettel was second, Lewis Hamilton was third and Alexander Albon remained fourth.

4. Daniil Medvedev wins Shanghai Masters title 2019 (Tennis): Daniil Medvedev (of Russia) has won the Men’s singles title at Shanghai Masters 2019 (Tennis). He defeated Alexander Zverev of Germany 6-4, 6-1. In the men’s double category Mate Pavić and Bruno Soares are the winners.

5. Overview of World Youth Chess Championship 2019 held in Mumbai, India: World Youth Chess Championship 2019 was held in Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel in Mumbai, India from 1st to 13th October 2019. The Championship was organized by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) or International Chess Federation. India bagged seven medals (highest medals than any other country) in the Championship including 1 gold, 3 silver, and 3 bronze medals. Russia won 5 medals in the Championship and followed by India. Medals won by Indian Players in the World Youth Chess Championship 2019:

Indian Player	Event	Medal
Praggnanandhaa R	Open U18	Gold
Agrawal Vantika	Girls U18	Silver
Srihari L R	Open U14	Silver
Deshmukh Divya	Girls U14	Silver
Ghosh Aronyak	Open U16	Bronze
Sreeshwan Maralakshikari	Open U14	Bronze
Ravi Rakshitta	Girls U14	Bronze

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Reserve Bank imposes a monetary penalty on Balancehero India & Toyota Financial: In exercise of the powers vested under Section 30 of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, Country’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 12.88 lakh on Prepaid Payment Instrument (PPI) issuer Balancehero India Private Limited for non-compliance of regulatory guidelines. Toyota Financial Services India Limited (TFSIN), the Indian subsidiary of Toyota Financial Services Corporation (TFSC) has also faced Rs 5 lakh penalty for non-compliance with directions issued by RBI on ‘Monitoring of Frauds in NBFCs (Non-Banking Financial Companies).

Note: Balancehero India Private Limited Formation: 2014; Headquarters: Gurgaon, Haryana

TFSIN Founded: 2011; Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka

2. ‘Sabse Pehle Life Insurance’ joint mass media campaign to begin: Life Insurance Council has decided to launch the Indian life insurance industry’s first joint mass media campaign with the slogan ‘Sabse Pehle Life Insurance’ (first thing is life insurance) within a month whose total cost will be around Rs 100 crore. For this purpose, Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) of India will provide Rs 40 crore. It will be a joint effort of 24 Indian life insurance companies. The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness about the importance of life insurance. The tagline will also be presented in the major Indian languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bangla among others.

3. ADB signs $190 million worth loan agreement for improving road connectivity in Rajasthan: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India (GoI) have signed the Tranche 2 loan agreement worth $190 million to upgrade 754 kilometers of Rajasthan state highways and major district roads (MDRs) to two-lane or intermediate-lane standards. The project consists of constructing over 200 bus stops, 70 km of the hard shoulder, and 2 km of raised sidewalk on project roads that will benefit commuters and pedestrians, especially women and children. The construction of roads will be based on public-private partnership (PPP) with the participation of Hybrid Annuity Mode and engineering procurement construction (EPC). The loan agreement has been signed in the presence of Shri Sameer Kumar Khare, Additional Secretary (Fund Bank and ADB), Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance, on behalf of the Government of India, and Mr Kenichi Yokoyama, Country Director of ADB’s India Resident Mission, who signed for ADB.

Note: ADB Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Philippines

Rajasthan Capital: Jaipur; Chief minister: Ashok Gehlot; Governor: Kalraj Mishra

4. Mastercard India appoints Vikas Varma as COO: Mastercard India, payment technology major, elevated Mr. Vikas Varma as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the firm. He will take up the responsibility related to new partnerships and development of digital payment solutions and has been serving the firm since 2005.i. Recently, Mastercard had announced an investment of USD 1 billion (around Rs 7,100 crore) in India over the next 5 years.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. India ranked 7th in Brand Finance Nation Brands 2019; USA tops: An annual report on the most valuable and strongest nation brands named Brand Finance Nation Brands 2019 was released by Brand Finance in which India was ranked 7th from 9th rank of 2018 with 18.7% growth in brand value to $2,562 bn. The list was topped by the United States of America (USA) with 7.2% growth in brand value to $27,751 bn. Developing economies grew 31.3 times faster in growth than the developed economies. Singapore emerged as the world’s strongest nation brand with the Brand Strength Index (BSI) score 90.5 out of 100. Only India jumped to the 7th spot whereas no new countries made it to Top 10

Most valuable nation brands:

Rank	Nation	Brand value
1	USA	$27,751 bn
2	China	$19,486 bn
3	Germany	$4,855 bn
4	Japan	$4,533 bn
5	United Kingdom (UK)	$3,851 bn
7	India	$2,562 bn

AWARDS & HONOURS

1. Environmentalist Chandi Prasad Bhatt Felicitated With Indira Gandhi Award: Noted environmentalist and social activist Chandi Prasad Bhatt has been awarded the Indira Gandhi award for national integration for the year 2017-2018, for his services in promoting and preserving national integration in the country. Uttarakhand based 85 year old Bhatt will be presented the 31st Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration on October 31 in New Delhi. It consists of a citation and Rs 10 lakh in cash. The award was instituted by the Indian National Congress in memory of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and is presented on Oct 31, the day she was killed.

DEFENCE

1. 2nd edition of Indo-Japan joint military exercise “Dharma Guardian 2019” to be held in Vairengte, Mizoram: The 2nd joint military exercise ‘Dharma Guardian-2019’ to promote military cooperation between India and Japan will be held in Mizoram. The event is being held from 19 October- 2 November 2019 at Counter Insurgency Warfare School located in Vairengte, Mizoram. Indian Army and Japanese Ground Self Defence Forces (JGSDF) comprising 25 soldiers each will participate in the exercise with the aim to share their views on various aspects related to the work of the army. This joint military exercise will improve mutual relations between the two countries and will help in fighting against terrorism. ‘Dharma Guardian exercise is an annual training event, which is being held in India since 2018.

Note: Japan Capital: Tokyo; Currency: Japanese yen; Prime Minister: Shinzō Abe

Daily GK Updates - 12th Oct, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Amit Shah inaugurates 14th Annual Convention of CIC: Home Minister Amit Shah has inaugurated the 14th annual convention of the Central Information Commission (CIC) in New Delhi. All the present and former Chief Information Commissioners, Information Commissioners of the Central Information Commission, State Information Commission, RTI activists and NGOs associated with the implementation of the RTI Act will attend the Convention. The convention has three sessions: Gandhian thought and RTI, RTI as a tool for effective governance, and challenges ahead.

Note: The Central Information Commission (CIC) is the authorised body (established in 2005), under the Government of India to act upon complaints from those individuals who have not been able to submit information requests to a Central Public Information Officer or State Public Information Officer. The Chief Information Commissioner of India: Sudhir Bhargava

2. Govt collaborates with IIM Bangalore to launch Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship: The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) announced its partnership with the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bangalore to launch a new programme 'Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship'. The two-year Fellowship programme will be delivered by IIMB’s Centre of Public Policy (CPP). The programme will be launched on a pilot basis in Gujarat, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. Those who have a graduate degree from a recognised university and are citizens of India in the age group of 21-30 years will be eligible to apply for it.

3. PM Modi’s new aircraft with missile defence systems will land in June 2020: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two brand-new special aircraft that will reach India next year may be placed under the Indian Air Force rather than Air India. The two long-haul Boeing 777-300ER aircraft are being customised at Boeing’s Dallas facility and are expected to arrive in New Delhi on June 2020. Missile defence systems that will make the aircraft as secure as the Boeing 747-200B used by US President Donald Trump. It will be India’s first dedicated aircraft for the three dignitaries - the President, Vice President and Prime Minister.

4. Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board organizes City Walk Festival in 11 cities: Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board has organized a month-long City Walk Festival in 11 cities (from 12th October to 10th November). The City Walk Festival organized in Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior, Panna, Vidisha, Khajuraho, Chanderi, Jabalpur, Burhanpur and Orchha. In a unique way to promote tourism, local, national and international tourists of all age groups is participating in the festival.

More than 100 city walks organized during the festival on subjects including art, culture, heritage, food, textile, photography and spiritualism. In this festival, the tourists will be acquainted with the rich heritage, natural beauty, glorious history, traditions and ancient heritage of the Madhya Pradesh.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India to extend over $60 mn line of credit to Comoros: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu has signed an MoU with the island nation Comoros. As per MoU, India will extend over $60 mn line of credit to Comoros for Energy and Maritime Defence Cooperation. The Line of Credit consists of over USD 41.6 million for setting up of 18 MW Power Plant in Moroni and another USD 20 million for the procurement of High-Speed Interceptor Boats. The Vice President was also conferred ‘The Order of the Green Crescent’, the highest Civilian Honour of Comoros, by Azali Assoumani, President of Comoros in Moroni.

Note: Comoros Capital: Moroni; Currency: Comorian franc

2. 7th Edition of C40 World Mayors Summit 2019 Held In Copenhagen, Denmark: Climate Leadership Group C40, the group of major international cities that have banded together around making sustainable changes in transportation, energy use, and consumption held its 7th edition of C40 world mayors Summit 2019 at Copenhagen, Denmark from October 9- 12, 2019 with the aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve climate resilience.

Kolkata state Government has received the prestigious “6th C40 Cities Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards 2019 ” for the city’s green mobility at C40 World Mayor Summit held in Copenhagen, Denmark. It has been selected among 7 winners announced by the Bloomberg Philanthropies, which celebrated the best projects across seven categories that define 2019 theme, ‘The Future We Want’.

C40: It has convened six Mayors Summits, hosted by London (2005), New York (2007), Seoul (2009), Sao Paulo (2011), Johannesburg (2014) and Mexico City (2016). C40 Cities connects more than 90 of the world’s leading cities to take bold climate action and build a healthier and more sustainable future.

Note: Denmark Capital: Copenhagen; Currency: Danish krone; Prime minister: Mette Frederiksen

3. India-China 2nd Informal Summit begins in Tamil Nadu: The 2nd “India-China Informal Summit” between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China’s President Xi Jinping begins at Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu. The 1st summit took place in Wuhan in the wake of the Doklam crisis in April, 2018.

4. World Migratory Bird Day: 12 October: World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) 2019 is being observed on 12th October (second Saturday of October). The WMBD is an annual awareness-raising campaign highlighting the need for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats. It has a global outreach and is an effective tool to help raise global awareness of the threats faced by migratory birds. Theme for 2019: ‘Protect Birds: Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution!’

5. NASA launched ICON space weather satellite to study earth’s ionosphere: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched Ionospheric Connection Explorer (ICON) space weather satellite from Northrop Grumman’s L-1011 Stargazer aircraft, with the company’s Pegasus XL rocket attached beneath, from the Skid Strip runway at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, United States. Ionospheric is the layer of the earth’s atmosphere that contains a high concentration of ions and free electrons and is able to reflect radio waves. It will study the dynamic zone in an atmosphere where terrestrial weather from below meets space weather from above for 2 years. The cost of the satellite is $253 million, which weighs as much as a vending machine was built by Northrop Grumman.

Note: NASA Headquarters: Washington DC; Administrator: Jim Bridenstine; Launch director: Omar Baez

6. Bill Gates’ new book “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need”: The founder of Microsoft Corporation and American philanthropist Bill Gates’ new book titled “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: The Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need” will be released on June 2020. It will be published by UK-based Allen Lane publishers. The book is about climate change and the possible solutions to prevent an environmental crisis.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Mary Kom settles for bronze at World Women’s Boxing Championships: Mary Kom Settles for Bronze (in 51-kg division) medal after Losing Intense Semi-final at Women's World Boxing Championships 2019 in Russia. She lost her semi-final bout against Turkey's Buse naz Cakirogllu. The 2019 AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships are held in Ulan-Ude, Russia.

2. 1st India Sports Summit held in New Delhi: Minister of State for Youth and Sports Kiren Rijiju inagurated 1st India Sports Summit 2019 in New Delhi. He also underlined the need to induce a national sporting culture with the aim to make India a sporting powerhouse at the event. He also announced that a ‘Fit India’ mission office would be set up, with the help of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), to promote the aforementioned goals.

3. Jasprit Bumrah appointed as a brand ambassador of Cultsport: Bengaluru (Karnataka)-headquartered health and wellness start-up company curefit announced the appointment of Indian cricket player Jasprit Bumrah as the brand ambassador for its sportswear brand “cultsport”. As per the recently released International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s ODI (One Day International) Player Rankings 2019, Bumrah retained the top position in the bowler rankings.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Forbes India Rich List 2019: The business magazine Forbes has released “The Forbes India Rich List 2019” which has been topped by Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani with net worth of $51.4 billion. Mukesh Ambani remained the richest Indian for the 12th year in a row. Industrialist Gautam Adani jumped 8 spots on the list to become the 2nd richest Indian with net worth of $15.7 billion. Overall, the total wealth of tycoons on the 2019 Forbes India Rich List decreased 8% to $452 billion from a year ago (2018).

5 of the Richest Indians in Forbes India Rich List 2019 are:

Rank	Name	Industry	Net Worth ($ bln)
1	Mukesh Ambani	Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL)	51.4
2	Gautam Adani	Adani Ports & SEZ (Special Economic Zone)	15.7
3	Hinduja brothers	Ashok Leyland	15.6
4	Pallonji Mistry	Shapoorji Pallonji Group	15
5	Uday Kotak	Kotak Mahindra Bank	14.8

AWARDS & HONOURS

1. Ashleigh Barty wins ‘The Don’ Award: Ashleigh Barty has been awarded Australian sport’s highest individual honour ‘The Don’ Award at the annual Sport Australia Hall of Fame. With the award, she has joined legends like Cathy Freeman and Ian Thorpe in lifting the prestigious prize. Barty was the first Australian to win the French Open in 46 years and is now aiming to become the first Australian woman to end the season with the No.1 ranking since Margaret Court in 1973.

2. GOPIO honored 3 Indian-Americans with Health Council Award 2019 for contribution in the health sector: An International body named Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), presented the Health Council Award 2019 during the GOPIO health summit in New Jersey, United States (US), to people who have contributed in the health sector. The summit aims at improving the health of Indian diaspora people across the world. Among other awardees, 3 Indian Americans were awarded the Health Council Award. The GOPIO also honoured US-based firm Sabinsa Corporation, by Indian-origin Muhammed Majeed, for its achievement and contributions in the health supplements sector.

 Indian-American Awardees:

Name	Field	Awarded category
Rahul Shukla	Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of S S White Technologies and Shukla Medical, US.	Manufacturing of the latest medical equipment.
Hitesh Bhatt	CEO of Bhatt Foundation Inc, US.	Healthcare technology category.
H R Shah	Chairman and CEO of TV Asia,	Promoting health awareness among the Indian diaspora.

DEFENCE

1. 2nd version of India- Bangladesh maritime exercise CORPAT 2019 begins: The 2nd edition of Indian Navy (IN) –Bangladesh Navy (BN) Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) 2019 has been held in Northern Bay of Bengal from October 10-11, 2019 with the participation of INS (Indian Naval Ship ) Ranvijay, a guided-missile destroyer and INS Kuthar, an indigenously built missile as well as BNS (Bangladesh Naval Ship) Ali Haider, a Type 053 frigate and BNS Shadinota, a Type 056 stealth guided missile corvette. This 2-day CORPAT will be followed by the maiden edition of bilateral exercise between the navies at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh from October 12 to 16, 2019, which would additionally embrace air familiarisation of Bangladesh Navy aircrew and a 10-day training exercise between Indian Navy Marine Commandos and BN SWADS (Special Warfare Diving and Salvage). The India Bangladesh CORPAT commenced in 2018.

Note: Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Bangladeshi taka; Prime minister: Sheikh Hasina

OBITUARIES

1. Russian astronaut Alexei Leonov, the first human to walk in space passes away: Russian astronaut Alexei Leonov, who walked for the first time in space in 1965, died in Moscow, Russia after a long illness. He was 85. Leonov, the first human to walk in space. Born on 30 May 1934, Kemerovo Oblast, Russia, the Soviet cosmonaut was a close friend of Yury Gagarin, the first person reached space in 1961. Four years later, in March 1965, Leonov and his other partner Pavel Belyayev flew to space under the Voskhod 2 mission. During this mission, on 18 March 1965, Leonov exited the spacecraft and walked for 12 minutes and nine seconds. Mr. Leonov described by the Russian Space Agency as Cosmonaut No. 11, was awarded the country’s highest honor ‘Hero of the Soviet Union’. Leonov led the Russian Soyuz vehicle in the Soyuz-Apollo mission sent in July 1975. This was the first joint space mission of the US (United States) and Russia.

Daily GK Updates - 11th October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. SARAS Aajeevika Mela begins in New Delhi: SARAS Aajeevika Mela has begun at India Gate Lawns, in New Delhi. It has been organized by the Ministry of Rural Development under the initiative of the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission. It aims to bring the rural women Self Help Groups (SHGs) formed with support of DAY-NRLM, under one platform to show-case their skills, sell their products and help them build linkages with bulk buyers. Over 200 stalls have been set-up at the Mela venue, where nearly 500 rural SHG craftswomen from 29 States and UTs will show-case varied range of products like handicrafts, handlooms, natural food products and a food court with regional cuisines at India Gate Lawns.

2. GoI launches Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) initiative: Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan has launched the Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) initiative in New Delhi. The initiative was launched during the 13th Conference of Central Council of Health and Family Welfare. The initiative aims to assure dignified, respectful and quality health care at no cost for every woman and newborn visiting the public health facility in order to end all preventable maternal and newborn deaths. It also provides a positive birth experience to both mother and infant. With the initiative, the government is committed to achieve the target of reducing the maternal mortality and child mortality.

3. First National Hindi Science writers conference begins in Lucknow: The first National Hindi Science writers conference has been started in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The Objective of the National Hindi Science writers conference is to bring all Hindi and vernacular language science writers at one platform and promote the use of Hindi in the field of science writing. More than one thousand science writers across the country are expected to take part in this 2-day long conference. A dedicated website ‘WWW.VIGYANLEKHAN.COM’ has been prepared for this event.

4. Gujarat to host conference of State Power Ministers: Gujarat will host the State Power Ministers’ Conference. It will take place at Kevadia, on the banks of Narmada River. The 2 day conference will see discussions on policies related to emerging technologies in sustainable and renewable energy sector. It will also look after the implementation of Prime Minister Kusum Yojana, Solar Roof top, renewable energy development in the border areas, projects for Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Parks, ease of doing business in solar and wind energy space and the concerning issues related to regulatory matters, land and infrastructure.

5. Railway police’s website & mobile app “Sahyatri” launched: Union Minister Nityanand Rai has launched a Government Railway Police’s website “railways.delhipolice.gov.in” and a mobile application “Sahyatri”. The database of criminals, including their photographs, active in railways’ jurisdiction all over India would be uploaded on the Railway police’s website. It will also have the facility to scan and read QR codes and make an emergency call. The Sahyatri app will help railway passengers find out the jurisdiction of a police station and the details of GRP officials by geo-tagging with Google Maps. It will also help the railway police in addressing complaints of passengers from across India and crime detection by integrating the criminal database online.

6. 38th India Carpet Expo begins in Varanasi: The India Carpet Expo (38th) has been started in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh (11th to 14th October 2019). The India Carpet Expo is organized twice in a year in Delhi and Varanasi. The expo (largest handmade carpet fairs in Asia) has been organized by the Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC). The India Carpet Expo aims to promote the cultural heritage and weaving skills of Indian hand-made carpets and other floor coverings for the visiting overseas carpet buyers.

Note: India carpet expo acts as a platform for international carpet buyers, buying houses, buying agents, architects and Indian carpet manufacturers and exporters to meet and establish business relationship.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Chinese Prez Xi Jinping arrives in Chennai on 2-day visit to India: Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Chennai on a two-day visit to India. Mr. Xi Jinping will hold the Second Informal Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Mahabalipuram (a UNESCO world heritage town) in Tamil Nadu. The two leaders will first have a one to one conversation, followed by delegation-level talks. At Mamallapuram, Prime Minister Modi will personally guide Mr Xi Jinping through the ancient monuments like the Arjun's Penance, Ganesh Rath, Krishna butter ball before the two leaders drive to the Panch Rathas or the five chariots of the Pandavas.

2. 9th RCEP Intersessional Ministerial Meeting to be held in Thailand: The 9th Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Intersessional Ministerial Meeting will be held in Bangkok, Thailand. This will be the final Ministerial meeting before the 3rd Leaders’ Summit which will be held on November 4, 2019 in Bangkok. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal will represent India in the meeting. He will also hold a series of bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Japan, Singapore, China, Australia and New Zealand during the Bangkok Ministerial.

3. International Day of the Girl Child: 11 October: The International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC) is observed every year across the world on 11th October (8th- edition) to recognize girls’ rights and challenges girls face around the world. The theme of 2019 is “GirlForce: Unscripted and Unstoppable". The main aims of the day are to promote girl's empowerment and fulfilment of their human rights while also highlighting the challenges that girls all over the world face.

Note: On December 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution to declare 11th October as the International Day of the Girl Child

4. World Obesity Day 11 October: The World Obesity Day is observed annually on October 11, organized by the World Obesity Federation, a non-profit body which is in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO). The day which was first established in 2015, aims to raise awareness on obesity and ways to prevent them and also maintaining a healthy weight and reverse the obesity crisis.

Note: WHO Headquarter: Geneva, Switzerland

5. World Egg Day: 11 October: The World Egg Day which is celebrated annually on the second Friday of October was observed on October 11, 2019. The day is celebrated globally to raise awareness of the benefits of eggs and their nutritional importance. It was first established at the 1996 International Egg Commission’s (IEC) conference in Vienna, Austria where it was decided to celebrate this day on the second Friday of October. The theme for the year 2019 is “Eat your egg today and every day.”

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Australia broke their own record for most consecutive wins (18) in women’s ODI: The Australian women’s cricket team broke the record for most consecutive wins in One Day International (ODI) cricket with their 18th triumph by defeating Sri Lanka in the tri-match ODI series during Sri Lanka women’s cricket team tour in Australia” at the Allan Border Field stadium in Brisbane, Australia. They broke their own record of 17 consecutive wins achieved between 1997 and 1999.

Note: Australia Capital: Canberra; Currency: Australian dollar.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Yes Bank Ltd appoints Anita Pai as COO: Yes Bank Ltd has appointed Anita Pai as the Chief Operating Officer and Jasneet Bachal as the Chief Marketing Officer of the bank. The appointment has been made to further strengthen the top management at the bank. Anita Pai will lead the bank’s operations and service delivery and will also look after the information technology functions of the lender. Jasneet Bachal will head the marketing and communication efforts of the bank.

Note: Chief Executive Officer of Yes Bank: Ravneet Gill.

2. GeM signs MOU with Union Bank of India: Government e-Marketplace signed an MoU with Union Bank of India. As per the MoU, UBI will be able to offer an array of services including transfer of funds through GeM Pool Accounts, advising of Performance Bank Guarantees and Earnest Money Deposit to the registered users on the GeM portal. The MoU will facilitate a cashless, paperless and transparent payment system on the portal and will create an efficient procurement system for government entities.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Moody’s cuts India’s GDP growth forecast to 5.8% for FY20: Moody, the rating agency has lowered its 2019-20 GDP growth forecast for India to 5.8% from 6.2%. It stated that the Indian economy is experiencing a pronounced slowdown partly due to long-lasting factors.

2. Auto component major Minda to acquire Germany's Delvis for EUR21 million: Minda Industries (Auto component manufacturer) is acquiring 100% equity capital of Germany-based Delvis Group for 21 million euros (around Rs 163 crore). The Delvis Group is engaged in automotive lighting design and engineering. It comprises of Delvis GmBH and its two wholly-owned subsidiaries Delvis Products and Delvis Solutions. Minda has a diversified product portfolio that encompasses safety, security and restraint systems. These products cater to two- and three-wheelers, passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles and after-market.

AWARDS & HONOURS

1. The Nobel Peace Prize for 2019: The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize for 2019 to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. He has been awarded for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea. The prize is also meant to recognise all the stakeholders working for peace and reconciliation in Ethiopia and in the East and Northeast African regions. He will receive a full cash prize, valued this year at 9-million kronor ($918,000), a gold medal and a diploma.

2. The Nobel Prize in Literature 2018 and 2019: The Nobel Prizes in Literature 2018 and 2019 were announced at The Swedish Academy in Stockholm. Both winners will receive a full cash prize, valued this year at 9-million kronor ($918,000), a gold medal and a diploma. The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2018 is awarded to the Polish author Olga Tokarczuk. She has been awarded “for a narrative imagination that with encyclopedic passion represents the crossing of boundaries as a form of life.” The Nobel Prize in Literature for 2019 is awarded to the Austrian author Peter Handke. He has been awarded “for an influential work that with linguistic ingenuity has explored the periphery and the specificity of human experience.”

OBITUARIES

1. Legendary saxophonist Kadri Gopalnath passes away: Legendary saxophonist and the Padma Shri awardee Kadri Gopalnath passed away away in Mangalore, Karnataka. The Carnatic music maestro won multiple awards in his illustrious career, including the Kendra Sangeetha Nataka Academy Award and Karnataka Kalashree. He had the distinction of being the first Carnatic musician to be invited in the BBC Promenade concert in the Royal Albert Hall at London in 1994.

Daily GK Updates - 10th October, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Dearness allowance of government employees hiked by 5%: The Central government has increased the Dearness Allowance (DA) of Central government employees and pensioners. The government has hiked DA by 5%, which means the dearness allowance has been increased from 12% to 17%. The decision was approved in a cabinet meet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The hike would be effective from July 2019. The cost to the exchequer will be Rs 16,000 crore.

The cabinet also approved inclusion of 5,300 families under the development package of Jammu & Kashmir, who initially opted to move outside the state, but later returned and settled in the Jammu & Kashmir. This will enable such development package families to become eligible to get one-time financial assistance of Rs 5.5 lakh under the existing scheme.

Cabinet has also relaxed the mandatory requirement of Aadhaar-seeded data as a pre-condition for release of funds to the beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. The relaxation will be till 30th November 2019. It will enable immediate release of benefits to a large number of farmers who are not able to avail the same due this requirement.

2. “DHRUV” a Learning Programme launched from ISRO, Bengaluru: Union Minister of HRD Ramesh Pokhriyal has inaugurated the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Programme (PMILP) ‘DHRUV’ (named after a pole star ‘DHRUV TARA’) from ISRO Headquarters at Bengaluru and will conclude at IIT, Delhi. The programme aims to further sharpen innovative imagination, skills and knowledge of the students who are expected to contribute to bringing solutions to socio-economic, political and environmental issues in the country. 60 brightest and talented students from Science, Mathematics and Performing Arts have been chosen for the programme.

3. “GEMINI” system to warn fishermen of danger: GEMINI is a portable receiver developed to avoid communication blackouts. It linked to ISRO-satellites and is “fail-proof” and warn fishermen of danger. The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services collaborated with Accord, a private company, to develop a box-shaped receiver that has an antenna and in-built battery that can last 3 to 4 days. GEMINI works on GAGAN, developed by ISRO and the Airports Authority of India and is an India-made global positioning system and relies on the positioning system by ISRO’s GSAT satellites. When GEMINI is connected to an app, it also lets fishermen know the probability of fish-catch in the surrounding seas.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. V Prez Naidu to embark on 5-day visit to Comoros & Sierra Leone: Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu embarked on a five-day visit to African countries Comoros and Sierra Leone. It will be the first high-level visit from India to the two African countries. Mr. Naidu will reach in Moroni (the capital of Comoros) and hold a detailed bilateral meeting with country's President Azali Assoumani on the next day. The three-day visit will witness the Vice President interacting with the Indian community and calling on Abdou Ousseni (President of the Assembly of Comoros). On the second leg of his visit, Mr. Naidu will arrive in Free Town, Sierra Leone on Saturday.

Note: Comoros Capital: Moroni; Currency: Comorian franc

Sierra Leone Capital: Freetown; Currency: Sierra Leonean leone

2. Vishnu Nandan among 300 researchers to join MOSAiC Expedition: Vishnu Nandan, polar researcher from Kerala will join largest ever Arctic expedition “MOSAiC Expedition“. He will be the only Indian aboard among the 300 researchers for multidisciplinary drifting observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate expedition. Vishnu Nandan will aboard the German research vessel Polarstern, anchored on a large sheet of sea ice in the Central Arctic, drifting along with it during the pitch-black Polar winter. Led by the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany, MOSAiC, the largest ever Arctic expedition in history, will be the first to conduct a study of this scale at the North Pole for an entire year. The expedition will help the researchers better understand the impact of climate change and aid in improved weather projections.

3. World Mental Health Day: 10 October: World Health Organization observes World Mental Health Day on 10th of October every year. The day is celebrated with an objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health. The theme selected for this year’s Day: ‘Suicide Prevention’. The Day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide. This year’s Day is supported by WHO, the International Association for Suicide Prevention, and United for Global Mental Health. World Mental Health Day is organized by the World Federation for Mental Health.

Note: WHO Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; Director general: Tedros Adhanom.

4. Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2019: October: October is observed as Brest Cancer Awareness Month worldwide. The Breast Cancer Awareness Month (marked in countries across the world every October) helps to increase attention and support for awareness. This month creates awareness about the importance of early detection and treatment of breast cancer. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women worldwide, both in developed and developing countries.

5. World Space Week: 4th-10th October: The United Nations (Office for Outer Space Affairs) observes 4-10 October every year as World Space Week. It is an international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition. The theme for 2019 is: ‘The Moon: Gateway to the Stars’. During World Space Week space education and outreach events are organised by space agencies, aerospace companies, schools, planetaria, museums, and astronomy clubs around the world.

Note: The United Nations General Assembly declared in 1999 that World Space Week (WSW) will be held each year from October 4-10. The dates were in recognition of the October 4, 1957 launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. German Footballer Bastian Schweinsteiger announces his retirement: German World Cup champion Bastian Schweinsteiger has announced his retirement from soccer. Schweinsteiger spent a major part of his career with European giants Bayern Munich, where he won 8 Bundesliga titles and 7 German cups as well as the Champions league in 2013. He made over 300 appearances for the Bavarian side, scoring 45 goals from 2002-2015.

2. Mithali Raj becomes 1st female player to complete 20 yrs in international cricket: India women's cricket captain Mithali Raj (36-years) became the first female player to last more than 20 years in international cricket. She achieved the feat while leading India to an emphatic eight-wicket win over South Africa Women in the first ODI at Vadodara. Mithali (ODI debut against Ireland on June 26, 1999) completed 20 years and 106 days in the 50-over format. The right-handed batswoman has played 204 ODIs till now, the most by a female. Mithali who retired from T20 cricket last month has also played 10 Tests and 89 T20 Internationals for India. On 1 February 2019, during India's series against New Zealand Women, Raj became the first woman to play in 200 ODI matches.

Longest One-Day International careers: (Men/Women)

S. No.	Players Names	One-Day International careers
1	S. Tendulkar (Dec 1989 - Mar 2012)	22y 91d
2	S. Jayasuriya (Dec 1989 - Jun 2011)	21y 184d
3	Javed Miandad (Jun 1975 - Mar 1996)	20y 272d
4	Mithali Raj (Jun 1999 - Present)	20y 105d*

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. RBI rejects Indiabulls Housing & Lakshmi Vilas Bank merger deal: The Reserve Bank of India has rejected the merger proposal of Indiabulls Housing Finance and Lakshmi Vilas Bank. RBI has rejected the application for voluntary amalgamation of Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd. and Indiabulls Commercial Credit Ltd. with the Lakshmi Vilas Bank Ltd. The merger was crucial for Lakshmi Vilas Bank as it is now under the prompt corrective action framework of the RBI due to a high level of bad loans and insufficient capital.

Note: Chairman of Indiabulls Group: Sameer Gehlaut.

2. RBI approves merger of DCBs to form ‘Kerala Bank’: The Reserve Bank of India has given the go-ahead to the Kerala government to amalgamate 13 district cooperative banks (DCBs) with the Kerala State Cooperative Bank to form the proposed “Kerala Bank”. Except the Malappuram District Cooperative Bank, all district banks had approved the scheme of amalgamation proposed by the State government at their respective general body meetings. Now, the government has to complete the stipulations laid for merger and submit a compliance report to the apex bank before March 31, 2020. RBI also insisted that the State government would have to consistently infuse additional capital and also put in place a well-defined governance structure by amending the KSCS Act.

AWARDS & HONOURS

1. Russia honors astronaut Nick Hague with “Order of Courage”: Russia has honoured NASA astronaut Nick Hague with one of its highest honours, “The Order of Courage“. Nick Hague survived an aborted space launch with Russian cosmonaut Aleksey Ovchinin when their Soyuz rocket failed minutes after blast-off from Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in October 2018. Hague has been awarded for his “courage and high professionalism” shown during life-threatening conditions.

2. Prez Kovind presents colours to Army Aviation Corps in Nashik: President Ram Nath Kovind presented the prestigious President’s colours to the Army Aviation Corps during a grand ceremonial parade held at the Combat Army Aviation Training School, Nashik, Maharashtra. The presentation of colour is an acknowledgement of the meritorious service rendered by the Army Aviation Corps over the years by the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. It is a visible symbol of excellence and is earned through dedication and worthy contribution both during war and peace.

Note: The Army Aviation Corps is a component of the Indian Army formed on 1st November 1986. The aviation arm is headed by a Director-General of the rank of Lt General at the Army HQ, New Delhi.