Daily GK Updates - 28th January, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Andhra Pradesh Cabinet Passes Resolution to Abolish State Legislative Assembly: The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has approved the draft bill on 27 January 2020 to abolish the state’s Legislative Council. The Bill will be debated in the ongoing session of Assembly and similar resolution will be adopted in the Legislative Assembly and sent to the Centre for necessary follow-up action. The ruling YSR Congress is in minority with just nine members in the 58-member Legislative Council as against the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) which has 28 members. The cabinet felt that the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) was misusing its majority in the Legislative Council to halt bills passed by the Legislative Assembly.

Note: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister: Jagan Mohan Reddy; Governor: Biswabhushan Harichandan; Capital: Amaravati.

2. Lala Lajpat Rai Birth Anniversary: 28th January: The ‘Year-2020’ marks the 155th birth anniversary of Lala Lajpat Rai (Punjab Kesari), one of the greatest freedom fighters of India. Lala Lajpat Rai was born on January 28, 1865, in a Jain Punjabi family in Dhudikae village of Moga district,Punjab. He was part of the famous radical trio 'Lal Bal Pal', who advocated the Swadeshi movement in India. He played a pivotal role in the Indian freedom struggle.

3. Maharashtra government launched Shiv Bhojan scheme: Maharashtra government launched the "Shiv Bhojan" scheme. It has been launched on a pilot basis. It aims to provide a meal to the poor for just Rs.10. Under the Shiv Bhojan scheme, the thalis or lunch plates will be available to people at designated centres and canteens during a stipulated time in all the districts. District Guardian Minister Aslam Shaikh inaugurated the Shiv Bhojan Thali canteen at the civic-run Nair Hospital in Mumbai. Another centre was inaugurated by Tourism Minister and Mumbai suburban district Guardian Minister Aaditya Thackeray at the Collector's office in Bandra.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Britain Unveils New 50 Pence Coin to Celebrate Brexit: Britain has minted a new 50 pence coin to mark the country’s departure from the European Union (EU), known by the term “BREXIT” (British exit). The coin bears the inscription “Peace, prosperity and friendship with all nations”. Britain will leave the EU at 2300 GMT on 31st January 2020. The distribution of the coins will begin from 31 January and about 3 million of the coins will be distributed from banks, post offices and shops.

Note: Prime minister of United Kingdom: Boris Johnson; Capital of the United Kingdom: London.

2. India appoints Taranjit Singh Sandhu as India’s next Ambassador to USA: Senior diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu has been appointed as India’s Ambassador to the United States. He replaces Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who has been named as India’s next foreign secretary. Sandhu is the current High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka since January 24, 2017.

Note: Union Minister of External Affairs:  Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

3. Khalid Bin Khalifa Al Thani Named new Prime Minister of Qatar: Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al-Thani has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of Qatar by the country’s ruler, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, on 28 January, 2020. He replaces Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani.

Note: Qatar Capital: Doha; Currency: Riyal

4. Saudi Arabia says Israeli citizens still not welcome: Saudi Arabia has announced that Israeli citizens are not allowed to visit the kingdom, home to Islam's holiest sites. This decision comes after Israel's Interior Ministry said Israeli citizens (Muslims and Jews) have the right to travel to Saudi Arabia for religious and business visits. Like most Arab countries, Saudi Arabia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. Israel has peace deals with only two Arab countries Jordan and Egypt.

OTHER UPDATES:

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Assam Wins Best Tableaux Award at 71st Republic Day Parade: The Tableaux of Assam has bagged the first prize at the Republic Day Parade, 2020 among the States/Union Territories. The theme of Assam’s tableau was “Land of unique craftsmanship and culture”, displaying bamboo and cane work and Bhortal Nritya performed by Xattriya dancers. Odisha and Uttar Pradesh won tied second prize. The tableaux of National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) and Jal Shakti Mission were jointly adjudged the best tableau among the Ministries and Departments. Central Public Works Department (CPWD) got the Special Prize for their tableau based on the theme Kashmir se Kanyakumari. Tableaux from 16 States/UTs and 6 Ministries/Departments were displayed at the parade.

2. Grammy Awards 2020 Announced: The 62nd edition of the Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles. The award is presented by The Recording Academy to recognize achievements in the American music industry. The 2020 Grammy awards recognize the best recordings, compositions, and artists from October 1, 2018 to August 31, 2019.

Here is the list of winners of Grammy Awards 2020:

Sr. No.	Category	Winner
1	Album Of The Year	When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (Billie Eilish)
2	Record Of The Year	Bad Guy (Billie Eilish)
3	Best New Artist	Billie Eilish
4	Best Rap Album	Igor (Tyler, The Creator)
5	Best R&B Album Winner	Ventura (Anderson .Paak)
6	Best Rap Song	A Lot
7	Best Country Album	While I’m Livin’ (Tanya Tucker)
8	Song Of The Year	Bad Guy ( Billie Eilish O’Connell & Finneas O’Connell)
9	Best Rock Album	Social Cues (Cage The Elephant)
10	Best Rock Song	This Land (Gary Clark Jr.)
11	Best Dance/Electronic Album	No Geography (The Chemical Brothers)
12	Producer Of The Year, Classical	Blanton Alspaugh
13	Best Music Video	Old Town Road
14	Best Country Song	Bring My Flowers Now
15	Best Folk Album	Patty Griffin
16	Best Comedy Album	Sticks & Stones (Dave Chappelle)

3. Dr. N Kumar honoured with Harit Ratna Award 2019: Dr N Kumar, Vice-Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, has been conferred ‘Harit Ratna Award 2019’. This award is organised by the All India Agricultural Students Association. He was awarded for the dissemination of Rs 30-crore entrepreneurship project in agri-business and also for motivating students towards the agriculture sector in Tamil Nadu. The award was conferred at the 5th National Youth Convention at Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya in Raipur recently.

DEFENCE

1. GRSE set to deliver ASW corvette INS Kavaratti to Navy soon: Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) is set to deliver anti-submarine warfare stealth corvette INS Kavaratti to the Indian Navy. INS Kavaratti is 104th warship constructed by GRSE. 'Kavaratti' is the last of the four Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) stealth corvettes built by the GRSE for the Indian Navy under Project P28. Three of the four corvettes, INS Kamorta, INS Kadmatt and INS Kiltan were commissioned in 2014, 2016 and 2017 respectively.

Note: Chief of Navy Staff (CNS): Karambir Singh.

OBITUARIES

1. Assamese linguist Golok Chandra Goswami passes away: Veteran academician, linguist and litterateur of Assam, Dr. Golok Chandra Goswami passed away at the age of 96. He was a pioneer in the field of scientific study of Assamese language. His book titled ‘An Introduction to Assamese Phonology’ is regarded as the path breaking contribution to the linguistic study of Assamese language. He was honoured with the Asam Sahitya Sabha’s ‘Sahityacharya’ title, ‘Bhashacharya’ title by Asom Bhasha Bikash Samiti and ‘Anundoram Borooah Award’ by the Anundoram Barooah Institute of Language, Art and Culture.

2. Noted South Actress Jameela Malik Passes Away: Veteran actress Jameela Malik, known for her critically acclaimed roles in a handful of movies in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu, has passed away. She was 73. Jameela was the first Keralite woman to graduate from the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune.

Daily GK Updates - 27th January, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 3rd Global Potato Conclave to Begin in Gandhinagar from 28 January: The Third edition of the Global Potato Conclave will be held at Gandhinagar, Gujarat on 28 to 31 January 2020. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will address the conference through remote video conferencing, which aims to highlight achievements and opportunities in the area of potato research, trade and industry, and value chain. Earlier, two Global Potato Conferences were organized in 1999 and 2008. The Global Potato Conclave will provide a common platform to all stakeholders to discuss issues and make future plans involving everyone related to the potato sector. The conclave is being organized by Indian Potato Association in collaboration with Indian Council of Agricultural Research New Delhi and ICAR-Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla and International Potato Center, Lima, Peru.

2. Kerala Partners MIT to Unveil India’s First ‘Super Fab Lab’ in Kochi: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated India’s first Super Fab Lab at the Integrated Startup Complex of the Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) in Kochi that will give India’s hardware industry a huge leap.

The Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) Super Fab Lab has been has been built in collaboration with the US-based Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It is the world’s first such facility to function outside the United States. The facility has state-of-the-art machines worth more than Rs 7 crore built in an area of 10,000 square feet. Kerala presently has two electronic fab labs already functioning at Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.

Note: Fab Lab and Super Fab Lab: Fab Labs are fabrication laboratories offering digital fabrication and computation. A Fab Lab lets you make almost anything; make the products you can consume. A Super Lab lets you make a Fab Lab. It is an amazing facility that has the tools not just to make anything, but make the tools that make things.

3. World Bank Approves USD 210 Million Loan for Maharashtra Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project: The Government of India along with the Government of Maharashtra has signed a loan agreement of USD 210 million with World Bank under Maharashtra Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project. The project aims to support small holder farmers participate in competitive agriculture value chains, facilitate agri-business investments, increase market access and productivity in focus commodities, and build resilience of crops to recurrent floods or droughts in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The USD 210 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has a 6-year grace period and a maturity period of 13.5 years.

Note: Chief Minister of Maharashtra: Uddhav Thackeray; Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

President of World Bank: David R. Malpass; Headquarter: Washington DC.

4. GeM Signs MoU with Uttar Pradesh to Set Up Project Management Unit: The Uttar Pradesh government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Government eMarketplace (GeM), under the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, to set up a GeM Organizational Transformation Team (GOTT) Project Management Unit (PMU) in the state. Uttar Pradesh government is the second state after Punjab to establish a GOTT-PMU for inclusive, efficient and transparent procurement system. Among the CPSEs, SAIL is the only one till now to sign MoU for setting up a PMU.

5. Ministry proposes 6th Schedule Area status to Ladakh: Union Tribal Affairs Ministry has proposed 6th Schedule Area status to Union Territory of Ladakh. Tribal Affairs Minister also assured that his ministry will take all necessary measures to preserve and enrich the rich legacy of Ladakh. Sixth Schedule (in Article 244 of the Indian Constitution) allows constitution of Autonomous District Councils in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram to safeguard the rights of tribal population.

6. Indian Railway’s First Waste-To-Energy Plant Commissioned in Bhubaneswar: The first waste-to-energy plant of the Indian Railways has been commissioned at Carriage Repair Workshop, Mancheswar, in Bhubaneswar by the East Coast Railway (ECoR) zone. The plant is the first Government of India initiative in waste to energy plant and fourth such plant in the country. It has been built at a cost of Rs 1.79 crore and has the capacity to dispose 500 kg waste, including plastic and e-waste. This waste-to-energy plant uses a patented technology called ‘Polycrack’, which is world’s first patented heterogeneous catalytic process to convert multiple feed stocks into hydrocarbon liquid fuels, gas, carbon and water. This process will produce energy in the form of light diesel oil which is used to light furnaces.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Slovenian Prime Minister Marjan Sarec Announces Resignation: Slovenian Prime Minister Marjan Sarec announced his resignation and called for fresh elections, following weeks of rising tensions within his minority five-party coalition government. Sarec's minority government, consisting of five center-left parties in Slovenia, was established in September 2018.  Mr Sarec's resignation came almost at the same time as Finance Minister Andrej Bertoncelj announced that he too would quit in a row over health care funding. Mr Sarec, is Slovenia's youngest-ever Prime Minister. He was previously best known as a comedian and political satirist before he launched himself as an anti-establishment politician.

Note: Slovenia Capital: Ljubljana; Currency: Euro

2. Switzerland Mints World’s Smallest Gold Coin; Features Albert Einstein: In Switzerland, State-owned Swissmint has minted world’s smallest gold coin measuring 2.96-millimeter (0.12-inches). The coin features the image of Albert Einstein sticking out his tongue. Swissmint has minted just 999 such coins.

Features of the Coin: The size of the coin is 2.96-millimeter (0.12-inches); It weighs 0.063 grams (1/500th of an ounce); The coin has a nominal value of 1/4 Swiss francs (USD 0.26); It will be sold for 199 francs, along with a special magnifying glass so that owners can see the famous physicist on its face.

3. UK introduces new fast-track visa to attract scientists: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson introduced a new fast-track visa to attract more of the world's best scientists to the U.K. in hopes of creating a global science "superpower." Johnson paired the announcement of the Global Talent route program with a pledge of USD 392 million for research into advanced mathematics. The money will help fund researchers and doctoral students whose work in math underpins myriad developments.

4. International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust: 27 January: International Holocaust Remembrance Day is held on 27 January to commemorate the tragedy of the Holocaust that occurred during the Second World War due to the genocide that resulted in the deaths of 6 million Jews and 11 million others, by the Nazi regime and its collaborators. The year 2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz (the largest Nazi concentration and death camp), the ending of the Second World War, and the ending of the Holocaust. Theme 2020: “75 years after Auschwitz – Holocaust Education and Remembrance for Global Justice”.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Brazil's Joao Souza gets life ban for match-fixing: Brazilian Joao Souza has been banned from tennis for life after being convicted of multiple match-fixing and other corruption offences. A Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) investigation found that the 31-year-old had committed several anti-corruption breaches between 2015 and 2019 including fixing matches at ATP Challenger and ITF Futures tournaments in Brazil, Mexico, the United States and Czech Republic.

Souza, who had been provisionally suspended since March 2019 pending completion of the investigation, was also fined $200,000 following a disciplinary hearing in London on 14th Jan. The TIU said Souza had not reported corrupt approaches, had failed to co-operate with their investigation, including destroying evidence, and “solicited other players to not use best efforts” in matches.

2. Anil Khanna nominated Life President of Asian Tennis Federation: Senior sports administrator Anil Khanna, who recently decided not to contest the President’s post of the Asian Tennis Federation, was nominated Life President of the continental body. Khanna had served as ATF President from 2005 to 2019 and also ITF Vice President from 2015-19. The ATF’s Board of Directors also appointed Khanna as the Chairman of the Finance Committee as well as Co-Chairman of the ATF foundation. CS Sunder Raj was voted as the Senior Vice President of the federation, representing South Asia. Anil Dhupar was elected as the member of the Senior Committee while VK Batra was voted as a member of the Constitution Committee of the ATF.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Sunil Mehta Sworn in as IBA Chief Executive: Former MD & CEO of Punjab National Bank, Sunil Mehta, has taken charge as the chief executive of the Indian Bank’s Association (IBA) from 27 January 2020. Mehta recently retired as the Managing Director and CEO of Punjab National Bank. He has succeeded VG Kannan, who demitted once as chief executive of IBA on December 31, 2019.

Note: Indian Banks Association Founded: 26 September 1946; Headquarters: Mumbai

2. India’s GDP to grow at 5.0% in FY20 & 5.5% in FY21: India Ratings: India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) has projected India’s GDP growth rate for fiscal 2019-2020 at 5 percent, which is a multi-year low. Ind-Ra expects gross domestic product (GDP) to grow at 5.5 percent in FY21.

OBITUARIES

1. NBA legend Kobe Bryant passes away: National Basketball Association (NBA) legend Kobe Bryant passed away in a helicopter crash with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna. The crash occurred in the foggy hills above Calabasas, California, about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Bryant was a 5-time NBA champion and 2-time Olympic gold medallist is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players in history.

2. Former Karnataka Minister Amarnath Shetty Passes Away: Former Karnataka Minister and senior Janata Dal(S) leader Amarnath Shetty has passed away due to age-related ailments. Shetty was 80. Shetty, who began his political career in 1965, was minister for Tourism and Muzarai in the Janata Dal government. He was elected to the state Assembly from Moodbidri constituency in Dakshina Kannada district three times in 1983, 1987 and 1994.

Daily GK Updates - 26th January, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India Celebrates 71st Republic Day on 26 January 2020: Republic Day honours the date on which the Constitution of India came into effect on 26 January 1950. It replaced the Government of India Act (1935) as the governing document of India. Nation celebrated the 71st Republic Day with a grand military parade and exhibition of its history, cultural diversity and strategic weaponry at the Rajpath in New Delhi on 26 January 2020. President Ram Nath Kovind unfurled the tricolour and took the salute of the parade. President of Brazil Jair Messias Bolsonaro was the Chief Guest at the Parade. Every year, on Republic Day, the President of India distributes Padma Awards to the civilians of India. Padma Awards are given in three categories – Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, in decreasing order of importance. For 2020, 141 Padma Awards have been announced. The list comprises 7 Padma Vibhushan, 16 Padma Bhusan and 118 Padma Shri awards..

2. Bharat Parv 2020 begins at Red Fort in Delhi: Tourism Ministry has inaugurated the six-day cultural extravaganza 'Bharat Parv' at the Red Fort in Delhi. The objective of Bharat Parv is to encourage people to visit different tourist places of the country and to inculcate the spirit of ‘Dekho Apna Desh’. Choreographed Folk, Tribal Dances and Music from the different States showcased during cultural programmes. Bharat Parv will remain open for public from 12 Noon to 10 PM until 31st January. The theme of this year’s Bharat Parv is ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ and ‘Celebrating 150 Years of Mahatma Gandhi.

3. Corona Virus: Government launches 24X7 call centre: Seven central teams will visit states and designated airports to review the end-to-end preparedness for management and control of Novel Corona virus in India. These airports are New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kochi. A 24x7 National Centre for Disease Control Call Centre - 011 -23978046 has been made operational. The decision was taken by the Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan at a review meeting held in New Delhi.

4. Government announces sale of 100% stake in debt-laden Air India: The government of India announced sale of 100 per cent stake in debt-laden Air India as it issued the preliminary bid document for the strategic disinvestment with the deadline for submitting expression of interest set as March 17. As part of the strategic disinvestment, Air India would also sell 100 per cent stake in low-cost airline Air India Express and 50 per cent shareholding in joint venture AISATS. Management control of the airline would also be transferred to the successful bidder. This is the second time in less than two years that the government has come out with proposal for selling stake in Air India, which has been in the red for long. The government has set March 17 as the deadline for submitting the expression of interest (EoI).

AISATS is an equal joint venture between Air India and Singapore Airlines. It offers ground handling services. Air India also has interests in Air India Engineering Services, Air India Air Transport Services, Airline Allied Services and Hotel Corporation of India. These entities are in the process of being transferred to a separate company - Air India Assets Holding Ltd (AIAHL) - and would not be a part of the proposed transaction.

5. West Bengal emerges at the top in vegetable production: West Bengal has overtaken Uttar Pradesh and emerged as the top State in vegetable production in 2018-19. According to the State-wise horticulture production data released at a conference organised by the Agriculture Ministry last week, West Bengal produced 29.55 million tonnes (mt) of vegetables last year. Andhra Pradesh continued to hold on to the pole position in fruits with 17.61 mt, followed by Maharashtra (10.82 mt) and Uttar Pradesh (10.65 mt).

Note: West Bengal CM: Mamta Banerjee; Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar

6. ‘Innovation Festival’ begins at Science Centre in Arunachal Pradesh: The ‘Innovation Festival’ kicked off at the Science Centre in Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh. The festival is being organized by the Arunachal Pradesh State Council for Science & Technology in collaboration with the National Innovation Foundation. The aim of the festival is to foster the culture of innovation among all people of the state, especially in all the educational institutions.

Note: Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh: Pema Khandu; Governor: B. D. Mishra.

7. Cabinet Minister Naqvi Pens Hindi Novel “Balwa”: Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has penned a Hindi novel titled “Balwa”, which loosely translates to turmoil. The book is scheduled to be released on 28 January 2020, and published by Diamond Pocket Books. Balwa is a story based on the happenings like communal conflicts that shook the country in the 90s, and about the kind of people who would be behind those.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Inaugural Ganga-Volga Dialogue of Civilizations between India and Russia held in New Delhi: The maiden Ganga Volga Dialogue of Civilization took place in New Delhi to provide a platform for enhancing the special and privileged strategic partnership between India and Russia. The idea of the Dialogue was conceptualized during the October 2018 India-Russia Summit between President Putin and Prime Minister Modi. The event was inaugurated by India’s Minister of State for External Affairs V. Muraleedharan. The Dialogue was organised by the Ministry of External Affairs in collaboration with Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation. The dominant theme of the Dialogue was Connectivity. As many as 15 eminent scholars from India and Russia participated in the event to deliberate upon the existing and emerging spheres of bilateral cooperation between the two countries in matter relating to education, culture and civilization, entrepreneurship, innovation and trade routes, among others.

2. India Inks Agreement with Bangladesh to Upgrade Ashuganj-Akhaura Road into 4-lane Highway: India and Bangladesh have signed an agreement to upgrade the 50.58 kilometre long road between Ashuganj river port and the Akhaura land port in Bangladesh into a 4-lane highway. This upgradation project is part of the USD 2 billion second line of credit (LoC) extended by India to Bangladesh in 2016. The cost of constructing one lane is estimated to be Tk. 3,460 crore. The project will boost connectivity between Bangladesh and North-eastern part of India as well as facilitate sub-regional connectivity among South and South-east Asian countries.

3. Sri Lanka Tops among 97 Countries in Breast Feeding support Policies and Program: Sri Lanka has emerged at top position among 97 countries globally on breastfeeding rate according to a new survey conducted by the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi). Sri Lanka has scored 91 out of 100 points and is the only country to earn a green color code, which implies best level of performance. India has been ranked at 78th position with a score of 45, with yellow code. Libya is the lowest ranking country with a score of 19 and red color code

Note: The World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi), launched in 2004, assists countries to assess the status of and benchmark the progress in implementation of the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding. The WBTi report is based on ten parameters of policy and programmes to rank countries. Each parameter has a score of 10.Based on the score, each country gets the colour code as Red, Yellow, Blue, and Green in ascending order of performance based on the WBTi guideline. Green denotes the best level of performance.

4. International Customs Day: 26 January: The International Customs Day (ICD) is held on 26 January every year to recognise the role of customs officials and agencies and focuses on the working conditions and challenges that customs officers face in their jobs. The Theme of 2020 is “Customs fostering Sustainability for People, Prosperity and the Planet”.

Note: The day was instituted by the World Customs Organization (WCO) to commemorate the day in 1953 when the inaugural session of the Customs Cooperation Council (CCC) was held in Brussels, Belgium. In 1994 the CCC was renamed World Customs Organization (WCO).

WCO headquarter- Brussels, Belgium; Membership- 182 countries

OTHER UPDATES:

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Global Unemployment to increase by around 2.5 million in 2020: The International Labour Organization (ILO) has released a report titled “World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends 2020” which predicts that unemployment is likely to increase by around 2.5 million in 2020. However, the report also revealed that after nine years in decline, the rate of global unemployment remained unchanged in 2019, at 5.4%, and is expected to stay the same for the next two years, due to fluctuations in the population seeking work.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Govt. announces 141 Padma Awards for this year: Padma Awards— one of the highest civilian Awards of the country, are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri. This year the President has approved conferment of 141 Padma Awards (7 Padma Vibhushan, 16 Padma Bhusan and 118 Padma Shri) for this year. 34 awardees are women, 18 foreigners and 12 persons are awarded posthumously.

Former Union Ministers George Fernandes, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley will be awarded Padma Vibhushan posthumously. Late Vishveshateertha Swamiji will be awarded Padma Vibhushan posthumously.

Former Prime Minister of Mauritius Anerood Jugnauth, Hindustani classical vocalist Chhannulal Mishra and Boxer MC Mary Kom will also get Padma Vibhushan.

Former Chief Minister of Goa Manohar Parrikar and Legal luminary and educator NR Madhava Menon to be conferred Padma Bhushan posthumously. Eminent Writer Manoj Das, Shuttler PV Sindhu, industrialist Anand Mahindra will get Padma Bhushan.

Footballer Oinem Bembem Devi, Film Director Karan Johar, Actress Kangna Ranaut will get Padma Shri.

OBITUARIES

1. Noted artist and sculptor Sher Singh Kukkal passes away: Noted artist and sculptor Sher Singh Kukkal (86-years) passed away after a brief illness. He was awarded Senior Fellowship in Visual Art Photography by Union Ministry of Culture during 2008-09. He received a gold medal in painting from Queens College, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh (UP) & Rajiv Gandhi Foundation award for his photography and painting.

2. Film Producer Vinay Sinha of ‘Andaz Apna Apna’ Passes Away: Noted Indian film producer Vinay Kumar Sinha passed away recently due to unknown causes. The veteran producer was known for producing films like ‘Andaz Apna Apna’ and ‘Rafoo Chakkar’, Chor Police, Ameer Aadmi Gharib Aadmi and Naseeb, among others. He was also the vice president of Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association.

Daily GK Updates - 25th January, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. International Summit on Women in STEM Held in New Delhi: The Department of Biotechnology, under the Ministry of Science and Technology, organized two-day International Summit on Women in STEM under the theme “Visualizing the Future: New Skylines” in New Delhi. The Summit was held on 23 and 24 January, 2020, with an aim to boost the participation of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) field for development of scientific career. The summit provided a platform for young students and researchers to interact and network with leaders in the field, to develop ideas and generate a future action plan for making career in STEM fields. Around 350 participants from different STEM field across the globe participated in the event including scientists, socialists, entrepreneurs, researchers, teachers and students.

2. CJI Bobde inaugurates All India Members’ Conference: The Chief Justice of India, Justice S.A. Bobde, inaugurated the All India Members’ Conference of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) in New Delhi. The two-day event was held as a part of the 79th Foundation Day Celebrations of ITAT.

Note: India’s Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) was set up on 25 January 1941.

ITAT functions under the Department of Legal Affairs in the Ministry of Law and Justice.

3. Nitin Gadkari Launches Web Portal “GATI” to Monitor Road & Highways Projects: The Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways and MSMEs Shri Nitin Gadkari has launched an online Web Portal ‘GATI’ on the pattern of ‘PRAGATI’, the portal used by the Prime Ministers’ Office (PMO) for monitoring Road & Highways projects. The GATI portal has been created by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and can be accessed from NHAI Website. The portal was launched by the minister during the two-days long review meeting of NHAI-Ministry projects in Haryana’s Manesar on 23 & 24 January 2020. A total of 500 projects (including delayed ones) costing around Rs 3 lakh crore were taken up for review during the meeting.

4. India's first e-waste clinic opens in Bhopal: India's first e-waste clinic has been inaugurated by the Union Environment Secretary in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.It would enable segregation, processing and disposal of waste from both household and commercial units. The e-waste clinic is jointly set up by the Central Pollution Control Board-CPCB and Bhopal Municipal Corporation-BMC. The e-waste clinic is being started on the basis of a three-month pilot project.

Note: Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh: Kamal Nath; Governor: Lal Ji Tandon.

5. NITI Aayog to develop User-Centric “National Data and Analytics Platform”: Government think-tank NITI Aayog has announced to develop a National Data and Analytics Platform (NDAP) to make all government data accessible to stakeholders in a user-friendly manner. NDAP is a flagship initiative of NITI Aayog in the space of promoting larger access and better use of data, tailored to the needs of policymakers, bureaucrats, researchers, innovators, data scientists, journalists and citizens alike. The Vision Document for the National Data and Analytics Platform (NDAP) has been released by NITI Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar. The first version of National Data and Analytics Platform is proposed to be released in 2021. The NDAP will provide access to data from multiple sectors in one place. The data will be sourced from different Central and State Ministries and Departments.

6. AV Organics Launches India’s First Alkaline Water “EVOCUS”: The Vadodara-based start-up AV Organicis launched its product ‘Evocus’, natural black alkaline water, in Hyderabad. Evocus is India’s first natural black alkaline water and is enriched with 70+ natural minerals. “EVOCUS” is black because it is alkaline water enriched with 100% organic minerals, sourced from the depths of the earth. The company has already launched its product in 16 cities and has sold over 7,000 cases (one case consists of 24 bottles) since June 2019 and are expecting to sell over 3 million bottles by June 2020. The packaged product has been approved by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and ranges in price between Rs 100 per 500 ml and Rs 60 per 250 ml.

7. National Voters’ Day: 25 January: In India, the National Voters’ Day is celebrated on 25 January every year in a bid to encourage more young voters to take part in the political process. The day is being observed since 2011 to mark the foundation day of Election Commission of India (ECI), formed on 25 January 1950, to overlook the smooth running of elections in India. The theme of National Voters’ Day 2020 is ‘Electoral Literacy for a Stronger Democracy.’

Note: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India: Sunil Arora.

8. National Tourism Day: 25 January: The National Tourism Day is celebrated on 25th January in India every year to raise awareness about the importance of tourism for the country’s economy. The Indian government established the National Tourism Day to cultivate awareness among the global community on the importance of tourism and to demonstrate how it affects social, political, financial, cultural worth and economic values worldwide.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India & Brazil Signs 15 Pacts to Boost Strategic Ties: President of Brazil Jair Messias Bolsonaro arrived in New Delhi on 24 January 2020 on four-day state visit to India. He is also the chief guest at the 2020 Republic Day of India celebrations. Brazilian President Jair Messias Bolsonaro and Prime Minister Narendra Modi inked 15 agreements on 25 January to boost cooperation in a wide range of areas between the two countries.

Some of MoUs Signed Include: (1) MoU on Bio-energy Cooperation; (2) MoU for Cooperation in the field of Oil and Natural Gas; (3) Investment Cooperation and Facilitation Treaty; (4) MoU in the field of Early Childhood; (5) MoU on Cooperation in the field of Health and Medicine; (6) Cultural Exchange Programme for the period 2020-2024; (7) Agreement on Social Security; (8) MoU between Invest India and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex Brazil), etc.

2. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Signs Brexit Withdrawal Deal: The Prime Minister of United Kingdom, Boris Johnson has signed the Brexit withdrawal agreement on 24 January 2020. The signing of the agreement now paves the way for the UK’s exit from the European Union (EU) on 31 January 2020, ending its decades-long membership of EU. The European Parliament will vote on the agreement on 29 January and then finally on 31 January, Britain will spend its last day in the European Union before leaving the bloc. The UK will remain in the EU’s single market and customs union, but none of the decision-making bodies, until the end of 2020.With the exit of UK, the European Union (EU) will remain a political and economic union of 27 member states, from the current 28 members.

3. Sunil Arora assumes Chairmanship of FEMBoSA for 2020: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sunil Arora has assumed Chairmanship of the Forum of the Election Management Bodies of South Asia (FEMBoSA) for the year 2020. CEC of Bangladesh SA KM Nurul Huda (Outgoing Chair of FEMBo) handed over the Logo of FEMBoSA to Mr Arora at the 10th Annual Meeting in New Delhi. The 10th Annual Meeting of The Forum of the Election Management Bodies (EMBs) of South Asia (FEMBoSA) was held in New Delhi on 24 January 2020. An International Conference was also organised on the theme “Strengthening Institutional Capacity”. Earlier in September 2019, ECI took over as Chair of the 115 member Association of World Election Bodies for 2019-21 term.

Note: FEMBoSA was established at the 3rd Conference of Heads of Election Management Bodies of SAARC Countries held at New Delhi in May 2012.

4. India Ranks 80th among 180 Countries in Corruption Perception Index 2019: India has been ranked at the 80th position among 180 countries in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2019 prepared by Transparency International. The CPI Index, released at the WEF 2020 in Davos, ranks countries and territories on how corrupt their public sectors are perceived by the experts and business people. Denmark and New Zealand jointly scored the top spot with a score of 87.

With a score of 41, India shares the 80th spot with China, Benin, Ghana and Morocco.

The Top 10 countries include

1. Denmark

1. New Zealand

3. Finland

4. Singapore

4. Sweden

4. Switzerland

7. Norway

8. Netherlands

9. Germany

9. Luxembourg

5. Agni Sapkota elected speaker of House of Representatives: Nepal Communist Party's Agni Sapkota has been elected as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the lower house of Parliament in Nepal. His name was proposed by Subhash Chandra Nembang of Nepal Communist Party. The post of Speaker was lying vacant since October last year after Mr Krishna Bahadur Mahara resigned following allegations of attempted rape.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Rowing Federation of India lifts two-year suspension on Rower Dattu Bhokanal: The Rowing Federation of India (RFI) removed the two-year ban imposed on 2018 Asian Games gold medallist rower and Olympian Dattu Baban Bhokanal, after the intervention of the Indian Olympic Association President Narinder Batra. Bhokanal’s ban, which was imposed on April 30, 2019, was set to end on April 30, 2021. Now India’s top rower, Bhokanal will be able to participate in the Olympic Qualification Regatta to be held at Chungju, South Korea from April 27-30, 2020.

Note: Ministers of State (I/C) of Youth Affairs and Sports: Kiren Rijiju.

2. IWF President Tamas Ajan Steps aside for 90 days after doping: The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) president Tamas Ajan has stepped aside to voluntarily cease his duties for 90 days while an independent investigation into allegations of corruption and doping violations are being carried out against him. Ajan has till then delegated the operational responsibilities to IWF Vice-president Ursula Papandrea, who also is the President of USA Weightlifting.

Note: International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) headquarter: Budapest, Hungary

3. Prem Chand Verma appointed India's Deputy Chef de Mission for Tokyo Olympics: Indian Olympic Association (IOA) appointed Prem Chand Verma as the Deputy Chef de Mission of India for the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In a letter written to Verma, IOA President Narendra Dhruv Batra has asked him to accept the position and send an acknowledgment of acceptance. Rakesh Sharma will not be accompanying the Indian Contingent to the Olympics due to personal reasons and IOA relieved him of his duties. As a result, Prem Chand Verma has been given responsibility.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. IndusInd Bank Launches Wealth Management Platform ‘PIONEER’ Banking: Private sector lender IndusInd Bank has launched its wealth management platform under the name “Pioneer Banking”. The new offering will cater to the distinct and advanced wealth needs of the high net-worth customers of the bank.

Benefits under Pioneer Banking: (1) No Charges on Non-Maintenance of Minimum Balance; (2) Benefits that Extend to all family and business Accounts; (3) Complimentary access to exclusive PIONEER ‘Lobbies’; (4) Free Doorstep Banking at no additional cost; (5) No Transaction Charges on requests pertaining to cheque books, demand drafts, passbooks, statements, alerts, or TDS certificates; (6) Holistic Wealth Management Services; (7) Lifestyle benefits

2. MSCB submits merger proposal with Rupee Bank to RBI: The Maharashtra State Cooperative (MSC) Bank has submitted a joint proposal to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a merger with the Rupee Cooperative Bank. The mounting bad debt of the Rupee Bank had led RBI to put severe sanctions on the bank while superseding the erstwhile board of directors in 2013. The total deposit in the bank is around Rs 1,290.96 crore. The bank also has 304 employees who will be absorbed within the rolls of the MSC Bank.