Daily GK Updates - 5th January, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Kolkata Police begins 3rd edition of ‘Sukanya’ project: The third edition of the ‘Sukanya’ project of Kolkata Police will begin from 06 January 2020. Sukanya is an initiative of the Kolkata Police’s Community Policing Wing to provide self-defence training to girl students of city-based schools, colleges and universities in martial art forms such as taekwondo, judo, kick-boxing and aikido. Girl students of VIII, IX, XI and girls studying in the first year at educational institutions in the city will be part of it. The Kolkata Police had introduced the project in February 2014 in collaboration with state Women and Child Development and Social Welfare department. The Sukanya project covers those schools that come under Kanyashree scheme.

Note: Chief Minister of West Bengal: Mamta Banerjee; Governor: Jagdeep Dhankhar.

2. H.K. Joshi appointed as CMD of Shipping Corporation of India: Harjeet Kaur Joshi has been appointed as the Chairperson and Managing Director of Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), the country’s largest shipping company. Harjeet Kaur is currently the Director Finance at SCI and, since September 12, has been holding the additional charge of the Chairperson and Managing Director of the navratna PSU. Harjeet Kaur will become the first lady to head SCI, which is 63.75 percent owned by the government. She will take charge of SCI at a time when the government is planning to privatize the shipping company.

3. Women Science Congress begins in Bengaluru: The Women Science Congress was inaugurated at the ongoing Indian Science Congress in Bengaluru. DRDO Aeronautical Systems Director-General Dr Tessy Thomas who is known as Missile Woman of India graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. The women’s science congress aims to provide a single platform for women working in different arena of science and technology to showcase their achievements and experiences. It will also prepare a vision document or a road map for women in science and technology and recommend policies to enhance the role and utilize the full potential of women in science and technology.

Note: DRDO Chairman: G Satheesh Reddy, Established: 1958, Headquarters: New Delhi.

4. India to Host 36th International Geological Congress in New Delhi in March 2020: The 36th International Geological Congress will be held in New Delhi from March 2-8, 2020. India is the only Asian country to host the Congress twice. The 22nd session of IGC was held in New Delhi in 1964. The International Geological Congress, described as the “Olympics of Geosciences,” is aimed at the development of Earth Sciences. The theme of the 36th IGC is Geosciences: The Basic Science for a Sustainable Future. The event will be jointly funded by the Ministry of Mines and the Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India and supported by the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) along with the science academies of Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

Note: The first session of IGC took place in France in 1878.

5. PM Modi Dedicates 5 Young Scientists Laboratories of DRDO to the Nation: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation 5 Young Scientists Laboratories of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) from Bengaluru. The 5 DRDO Young Scientist Laboratories (DYSLs) are located in five cities namely Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad. Each lab will work on a key advanced technology of importance to the development of futuristic defence systems such as, Artificial intelligence, Quantum technologies, Cognitive technologies, Asymmetric technologies and Smart materials.

6. MP Government Launches Mukhyamantri Karmachari Swasthya Bima Yojana: The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath has approved a health insurance scheme named Mukhyamantri Karmachari Swasthya Bima Yojana as a New Year bonanza for its 12.55 lakh employees. The scheme will be effective from 01 April 2020. Under the scheme every government employee and their families will be eligible for medical treatment worth Rs 5 lakh annually. For some critical diseases, the eligibility will be enhanced to Rs 10 lakh.

7. 2,636 EV Charging Stations sanctioned under Fame II scheme: Department of Heavy Industries under the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, Government of India has sanctioned 2,636 charging stations under the FAME India (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles in India) scheme phase II. These stations are spread over 62 cities across 24 States and Union Territories. The objective of this is to increase the electric vehicle users and also encourage Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) to launch new electric models. Of these 2,636 charging stations, 1,633 Charging Stations will be Fast Charging Stations and 1,003 will be slow charging stations. In all, 317 EV charging stations have been allotted in Maharashtra, 266 in Andhra Pradesh, 256 in Tamil Nadu, 228 in Gujarat, and 205 in Rajasthan.

Note: To promote the Electric vehicle in the country Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi implemented the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles II (FAME-II) scheme in India. Under the FAME India scheme, the Department of Heavy Industries invited the “Expressions of Interest (EoI) “from various cities across the country and received 106 proposals for 7000 EV charging stations.

Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises: Prakash Javadekar

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India extends $75 million LoC to Cuba for solar parks: India has extended a line of credit (LoC) of USD 75 million (over Rs 500 crore) to Cuba. The line of credit is being provided to finance solar parks in Cuba. The line of credit is as per agreement signed between Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) and Banco Exterior De Cuba for installation of 75 MW Photovoltaic Solar Parks in the Republic of Cuba. Banco Exterior De Cuba is a nominated agency of the Government of Cuba.

Note: Capital of Cuba: Havana; President: Miguel Diaz-Canel.

2. International team of astronomers finds farthest galaxy group EGS77: An international team of astronomers funded in part by NASA has found the farthest galaxy group identified as “EGS77“. EGS77, the trio of galaxies dates to a time when the universe was only 680 million years old, or less than 5% of its current age of 13.8 billion years. EGS77 is the farthest group of galaxies to have ever been sighted. EGS77 was discovered as part of the Cosmic Deep And Wide Narrowband (Cosmic DAWN) survey. The team of astronomers was led by an Indian-origin Goa-born scientist, Vithal Tilvi. Vithal Tilvi is currently a visiting researcher at the School of Earth & Space Exploration, at the Arizona State University, US.

Note: Headquarters of NASA: Washington, D.C.; Established: July 29,1958.

3. Neutral Pronoun ‘They’ Voted Word of the Decade by US Linguists: The US language experts have voted neutral pronoun ‘They’ as the Word of the Decade. The third-person plural pronoun “They” is increasingly being used in English as singular form to refer to people who identify their gender as neither entirely male nor entirely female. The selection of “they” is an indication that how a personal expression of gender identity has become an increasing part of our shared discourse. The recognition comes after US dictionary Merriam-Webster in December named “they” as word of the year.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. All-rounder Irfan Pathan retires from all forms of cricket: Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. He last played for India in October 2012. He played 29 Tests, 120 ODIs and 24 T20Is. He was part of the victorious Indian team at the 2007 World Twenty20 and was the man-of-the-match in the final against Pakistan. He made his debut at the age of 19 in 2003.

2. Saurabh Chaudhary wins gold at 63rd National Shooting C’ship: Ace Indian shooter Saurabh Chaudhary has won the men’s 10 metres air pistol gold at the 63rd National Shooting Championship in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The 17-year-old from Uttar Pradesh scored 246.4 to finish on top. Second-placed Sarabjot Singh of Haryana was well behind with a score of 243.9, while world number two Abhishek Verma settled for bronze in a high-quality final. Abhishek and Sarabjot together won the team gold for Haryana. Sarabjot also won the junior men's gold for a profitable day.

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

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. PNB MetLife and RevFin in partnered to offer life cover: India’s leading Digital lending startup, RevFin has joined hands with PNB MetLife India Insurance Company to offer protection to the RevFin’s customers by bundling life insurance cover on their loans. This insurance covers loans up to ₹3 lakh for a term of three years. The product is offered digitally through RevFin’s app (iOS and Android), so there is no additional paperwork needed. The collaboration will help PNB MetLife to reach out to unbanked areas & drive greater financial inclusion in the country by securing the families of the borrowers against loan repayment in case of unfortunate death of the borrower.

Note: PNB MetLife India founded: 2001; Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; MD & CEO: Ashish Kumar Srivastava.

2. CSC inks pact with Paytm Payments Bank for sale of FASTags: Common Service Centres (CSC) e-Governance Services India Limited has signed a memorandum of understanding with Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) for sale of FASTags. The agreement will facilitate the sale of PPBL FASTags through the last mile network of 3.6 lakh CSCs, helping realize the government's vision of cashless and smooth transit at all toll plazas across the country. For this, CSC will integrate its platform with Paytm Payments Bank to carry out seamless transactions.

Note: FASTags, which work on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology -- have been made mandatory at toll gates on national highways. The FASTag process allows toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it, thus doing away with the need for waiting in queues, saving time and fuel.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Common Service Centres (CSC): Dinesh Tyagi.

Chairman of Paytm Payments Bank Ltd: Vijay Shekar Sharma; Chief Executive Officer (CEO) & Managing Director (MD) Paytm Payments Bank Ltd: Satish Kumar Gupta.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Indian girl Sucheta Satish wins Global Child Prodigy Award 2020: A 13-year-old Dubai-based Indian girl Sucheta Satish has won the 100 Global Child Prodigy Award in Delhi. She was awarded for singing in most languages during one concert and the longest live singing concert by a child.

Note: Global Child Prodigy Award is a platform to showcase the talent of children in dance, music, art, writing, acting, modelling, science, sports etc. The award is supported by Dr APJ Abdul Kalam International Foundation and Oscar Award-winning music producer AR Rahman among others.

2. First International Yoga Day Media Award to be Conferred on 30 Media Houses: The first edition of the ‘Antarrashtriya Yoga Diwas Media Samman’ will take place in New Delhi on 7th January, 2020. The Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Shri Prakash Javadekar will confer the award on 30 Media Houses for their contribution in popularizing of Yoga at national and international level. The Ministry of I&B had instituted the first Antarashtriya Yoga Diwas Media Samman (AYDMS) in June, 2019 to acknowledge the positive role & responsibility of media in spreading the message of Yoga.

The Samman would be given under the following 3 categories: (1) Eleven Sammans under the category “Best Media Coverage of Yoga in Newspapers; (2) Eight Sammans under the category “Best Media Coverage of Yoga in Television; (3) Eleven Sammans under the category “Best Media Coverage of Yoga in Radio.

OBITUARIES

1. Former Karnataka Governor T N Chaturvedi passes away: Former Governor of Karnataka T N Chaturvedi (90-years) passed away at a private hospital in Noida. Chaturvedi was the 14th Governor of Karnataka (from 2002–2007). He also served as of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) from 1984 to 1989.

Daily GK Updates - 4th January, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. MEA sets up new emerging and strategic technologies (NEST): The External affairs ministry announced the setting up of new emerging and strategic technologies (NEST) division. The division will work to increase investment coordination among the states of the country and also with the foreign countries. NEST will act as the nodal division within the ministry for issues pertaining to new and emerging technologies. It will help in collaboration with foreign partners in the field of 5G and artificial intelligence. The division will also hold responsibility for matters that involve negotiations with multilateral fora like the United Nations, G20. This will help to safeguard India’s interests as such forums govern the rules of access to such technologies.

Note: Union Minister of External Affairs: Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

2. Labour Ministry to launch 'Santusht' portal for the speedy resolution of grievances: The labour ministry has announced to launch a new portal 'Santusht' for the speedy redressal of workers as well as employer grievances and ensuring effective implementation of labour laws at the grassroots level. Initially, ‘Santusht’ would monitor all services provided by retirement fund body EPFO and health insurance and services provider ESIC to formal sector workers. Later, the portal would cover other wings of the ministry as well. It would also have data on a real-time basis to assess the performance of each and every official. Workers and employers can lodge their complaints on the portal, which would be managed by an internal monitoring cell comprising five to six officers.

3. Gujarat CM unveils world’s 2nd tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani unveils world’s 2nd tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the world at Ahmedabad. 50 feet tall bronze statue with a weight of 70 thousand kilograms has been unveiled at the Sardardham campus near Vaishnodevi Circle in Ahmedabad. The statue of Sardar Patel has also been designed by Padma Bhusan Ram V. Sutar, the same sculptor who had designed the Statue of Unity.

Note: Gujarat CM: Vijay Rupani; Governor: Acharya Dev Vrat; Capital: Gandhinagar.

4. ‘Cyber Safe Women’ initiative launched by the Maharashtra Government: Maharashtra Government has launched a ‘Cyber Safe Women’ initiative to ensure that women and children do not fall prey to these cyber-criminal activities. Under the initiative, various awareness camps will be held across all the districts of the state regarding cyber safety to help in educating women about how the web is used by anti-social elements and child predators to commit various types of crimes. The initiative has been launched to mark the 189th birthday of Savitribai Phule (19th-century social reformer).

Note: Maharashtra CM: Uddhav Thackeray; Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari; Capital: Mumbai.

5. Abhinav Kumar gets extension as BSF IG: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the proposal of Ministry of Home Affairs for extending the deputation tenure of IPS Abhinav Kumar, Inspector General, Border Security Force (BSF), up to June 27, 2021, in relaxation of IPS Tenure Policy.

Note: BSF formed: 1 December 1965; DG BSF: V K Johri.

6. Indian Railways launches integrated helpline number 139 for passengers: The Indian Railways has integrated its helpline numbers into a single number 139 for quick grievance redressal and enquiries by passengers during their train journeys. The new helpline number 139 will take over all the existing helpline numbers. It will be easy for passengers to remember this number and connect with Railways for all their needs during train travel. The Helpline 139 will be available in twelve languages. A call can be made on this number from any mobile phone and not just smartphones, thus, providing easy access to all mobile users.

7. KVIC opens 1st silk processing plant in Gujarat: The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) opened its first “Patola Saree” silk processing plant at Surendranagar in Gujarat. The aim of the plant is to make silk readily available to Patola saree manufacturers to boost its production. Patola is the trademark saree of Gujarat. They are highly expensive and were once worn only by royal aristocratic families. The Patola silk was founded by the Salvi caste (Scheduled) in the states of Maharashtra and Karnataka. They moved to Gujarat in the 12th century in order.

Note: Gujarat CM: Vijay Rupani; Governor: Acharya Dev Vrat; Capital: Gandhinagar.

8. PM Modi Launches Braille Version of his Book ‘Exam Warriors’: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Braille version of his book Exam Warriors on World Braille Day on 04 January 2020. The book is a guide to bust examination related stress, and has illustrations, activities and yoga exercises The braille version is in both Hindi as well as English.

9. India’s Malavath Poorna scales Antarctica’s Highest Peak: Indian mountaineer Malavath Poorna, the youngest girl to have climbed the world’s highest mountain Mt. Everest 5 years ago, accomplished another feat by conquering Mt. Vinson Massif, Antarctica’s highest mountain peak (4,987 mts). With this, the 18-year-old becomes the first and youngest tribal woman in the world to set foot on the six tallest mountain peaks across six continents. She has already scaled Mt Everest (Asia, 2014), Mt. Kilimanjaro (Africa, 2016), Mt. Elbrus (Europe, 2017), Mt. Aconcagua (South America, 2019), Mt. Cartsnez (Oceania region, 2019), and now Mt. Vinson Massif (Antarctica, 2019).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Iran names Esmail Qaani as new Commander: Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei named the Deputy Head of the Revolutionary Guards’ foreign operations arm Esmail Qaani to replace Qasem Soleimani as its commander. Soleimani was killed in a pre-dawn US strike in Baghdad. Qaani was one of the most decorated commanders of the Guards during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war.

Note: Iran Capital: Tehran; Currency of Iran: Rial; President of Iran: Hassan Rouhani.

2. WHO designated 2020 as “Year of Nurse and Midwife”: In the honour of 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the World Health Organization designated the year 2020 as the “Year of Nurse and Midwife”. This year, WHO is to focus on nursing and midwifery in order to achieve Universal Health Coverage. The organization is leading the development of “World Nursing Report” that is to be launched in 2020. The report is first of its kind. The year is being dedicated to the midwifery as well as WHO is also a partner of The State of the World’s Midwifery Campaign.

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

3. Hillary Clinton appointed as the new chancellor of Queen's University Belfast in Ireland: Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been appointed the new chancellor of Queen's University in Belfast, Ireland for a five-year term. She became the university's first female chancellor. The position of chancellor has been vacant since the death in 2018 of Thomas J Moran, chairman, president, and chief executive of Mutual of America Life Insurance Company.

4. World Braille Day: 4 January: The World Braille Day is observed across the world every year on 4th January to mark the birth anniversary of Louis Braille. He was the inventor of Braille script or Braille code. It is celebrated since 2019 to raise awareness of the importance of Braille as a means of communication in the full realization of the human rights for blind and partially sighted people. Braille is a tactile writing system used by people who are visually impaired.

Note: Braille users can read computer screens and other electronic supports thanks to refreshable braille displays. People can write braille with the original slate and stylus or type it on a braille writer, such as a portable braille notetaker (or computer) that prints with a braille embosser.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Cristiano Ronaldo Wins Best Men’s Player of the Year at Dubai Globe Soccer Awards 2019: Cristiano Ronaldo won the Best Men’s Player of the Year award at the Dubai Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai. Ronaldo has won the award six times out of its nine years of its existence. England international Lucy Bronze was crowned Best Women’s Player of the Year. The 2019 Awards were presented in 16 different categories.

Note: The Globe Soccer Awards are the annual awards given for excellence in football, organised by the EFAA (European Association of Player’s Agents) and the ECA (European Club Association).

2. Manav Thakkar becomes world no.1 in ITTF rankings: Indian paddler Manav Thakkar became world no.1 in the latest International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) rankings in the Under-21 men’s singles category. With this, Thakkar became the fourth Indian to achieve the feat after Harmeet Desai, G Sathiyan and Soumyajit Ghosh. Manav Thakkar achieved the top spot after clinching the Under-21 men’s singles title at the ITTF Challenge Plus Benemax-Virgo North American Open in Markham, Canada. He was also worlded no. 1 in the Under-18 category in February 2018. He was part of the Indian men’s team which won a bronze medal in the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.

Note: President of ITTF: Thomas Weikert; Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland; Founded: 1926.

3. 4th All India Police Judo Cluster Championship 2019: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, inaugurating the 4th All India Police Judo Cluster Championship 2019, in New Delhi. The 4th All India Police Judo Cluster Championship organized this year by CRPF is being attended by 34 participating teams consisting of 1207 sportspersons from across the country, with a total of 15 Trophies and 214 Medals, including one Medal for the Best Gymnast, in contention. Earlier, this cluster has been organized by Sashtra Seema Bal (SSB) in 2016, West Bengal Police in 2017 and Odisha Police in 2018.

Note: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs: Nityanand Rai.

DEFENCE

1. General Bipin Rawat proposes the creation of Air Defence Command: Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat has directed various branch heads to come up with recommendations for inter-service synergy and jointness in a time-bound manner. He also directed that a proposal to create Air Defence Command be prepared by 30th of June this year. Earlier, General Rawat held a meeting with important functionaries of Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff on Wednesday. Some of the areas identified for jointness and synergy include the creation of common logistics support pools in stations where two or more services have their presence. Emphasizing collegiate system of functioning, General Rawat directed that all three services and Coast The Chief of the Defence Staff stressed that all must work towards accomplishing desired results and coming up with healthy views and ideas.

Daily GK Updates - 3rd January, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Railways rename RPF as Indian Railway Protection Force Service: The Indian Railways has renamed its security force RPF (Railway Protection Force) as Indian Railway Protection Force Service. The ministry has accorded organised Group A status to RPF and renamed it. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is a security force, enacted by the Indian Parliament for “the better protection and security of railway property”. The force is under the authority of the Indian Ministry of Railways.

Note: Union Railway Minister: Piyush Goyal.

2. UPSRTC launched ‘Damini’ helpline service for women: UPSRTC (Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation) has launched ‘Damini’ helpline service considering the safety of the women passengers. As the extension of ‘Nirbhaya Yojana’ the unique number “81142-77777” has been subscribed for this helpline. Using these helpline women passengers can lodge their complaints by calling the helpline number and by using WhatsApp service.

Note: UP Present CM: Yogi Adityanath, Governor: Anandiben Patel.

3. ‘Lai Haraoba’ ritualistic festival begins in Tripura: In Tripura, Lai Haraoba, a ritualistic festival observed by Manipuri meitei communities began in Agartala. The 5-day long festival is jointly organised by the Department of Information and Cultural Affairs, Government of Tripura, Puthiba Lai Haraoba Committee and Puthiba Welfare & Cultural Society, Agartala. Lai Haraoba is celebrated through oral literature, music, dance and rituals.

A cultural troupe from Manipur has also come to take part in the festival.

Note: Tripura Capital: Agartala; CM of Tripura: Biplab Kumar Deb; Governor: Ramesh Bais.

4. Andhra Pradesh Govt. appoints two ‘Disha Special Officers’: The Andhra Pradesh government-appointed Indian Administrative Service (IAS) official Dr Kritika Shukla and Indian Police Service (IPS) official M Deepika, as Special Officers for implementing the Andhra Pradesh Disha Act 2019. The Act is intended for speedy trial and faster execution in cases of sexual offences against women in the state. To ensure a speedy trial, the state will set up exclusive special courts in all the 13 districts to deal with cases of offences against women and children including rape, acid attacks, stalking, voyeurism, social media harassment of women, sexual harassment and all cases under POCSO Act.

Note: Andhra Pradesh CM: YS Jaganmohan Reddy; Governor: Biswa Bhusan Harichandan.

5. 28th World Book Fair to focus on Gandhi as writer: The annual New Delhi World Book Fair, in its 28th edition, will focus on how Mahatma Gandhi influenced generations of writers through his writings. The fair, organised by the National Book Trust (NBT) in association with ITPO, will be inaugurated by Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. The theme for World Book Fair 2020 is ‘Gandhi: The Writers’ Writer. Commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Gandhi, the theme pavilion, inspired by Sabarmati Ashram, uses hand-spun materials as wall-cladding. Besides an exclusive exhibition of 500 books on and by Gandhi in different languages, it will also host 30-panel discussions, book launches and performances related to the theme.

6. Rajnath Singh to head the Group of ministers to review crop insurance scheme: The Union government has set up a 7 members Group of Minister (GoM) headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to review the crop insurance scheme, “Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)”. The GoM will also make suggestions to improve the insurance scheme according to the needs of the farmers. The GoM includes home minister Amit Shah and agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar, the ministers of state for agriculture, finance, tribal affairs, and animal husbandry. This move comes after concerns over the exit of a few states, dropping out of insurance companies and growing dissent among farmers on the government’s flagship crop insurance scheme.

Note: The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was launched on 14th January 2016 to provide financial support to farmers suffering from crop loss or damage due to an unforeseen event.

7. Entire Nagaland declared ‘disturbed area’ for six more months under AFSPA: The entire state of Nagaland has been declared a disturbed area for a period of six months under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, AFSPA. The Act empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without any prior notice. The Central Government is of the opinion that the area comprising the whole state of Nagaland is in such a disturbed and dangerous condition that the use of armed forces in aid of civil power is necessary. Nagaland has been under AFSPA for almost six decades now.

8. Visakhapatnam will host the 14th Global Healthcare Summit 2021: Visakhapatnam will host the prestigious three-day 14th Global Healthcare Summit from January 3, 2021. Being organized by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the conference will see the participation of over 500 doctors from the US, Australia, Britain, and other countries. The brochure of the summit was released on 30 December 2019 by MP M.V.V. Satyanarayana. The focus of the Global Health Summit is an Indian-centric approach, with special events such as global impact and India’s contribution in providing cost-effective medicines and addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals. For the first time, the 14th Global Health Care summit will be held in AP and is expected to boost the healthcare in the region.

Note: AAPI is the largest ethnic medical organization in the United States representing over 60,000 doctors of Indian-origin practicing in America. The organization founded in 1982 spearheads legislative, educational, charitable and philanthropic initiatives in India and the United States. AAPI headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois serves as an umbrella organization for over 150 local chapters.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. S. Korean president vows to build peace community on the Korean Peninsula: The South Korean President Moon Jae-in vowed to build a peaceful community of co-existence and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula this year. He made the remarks during a New Year's event at the headquarters in Seoul of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI). Moon noted that the leaders of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the United States maintained their willingness for dialogue, while the South Korean government gradually moved toward the peninsula peace last year in coordination with the international community.

2. Iran’s Gen Qassem Soleimani killed in US airstrike on Baghdad airport: General Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC's) Quds Force, and architect of its regional security apparatus has been killed following a US airstrike at Baghdad's international airport. The strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy commander of Iran-backed militias in Iraq known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). Iran's IRGC as well as Iraq's Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) umbrella grouping of Iran-backed militias, also confirmed the deaths of Soleimani and al-Muhandis. Soleimani, who led a special forces unit of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, has been a key figure of Iranian and Middle East politics. His death exacerbated already-high tensions between Iran and the United States and triggered concerns of retaliation from Iranian forces. After the news of Soleimani’s death, oil prices jumped more than 4% and fuelling fears of a conflict in the crude-rich region.

Note: Iran Capital: Tehran; Currency of Iran: Rial; President of Iran: Hassan Rouhani.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. National Ice Hockey Championship-2020 begins in Leh: The 5th Ice Hockey Association of India (IHAI) National Ice Hockey Championship -2020 has begun in Leh, Ladakh. The tournament will continue till 7th January in Karzoo Ice Hockey Rink in Leh, where the Army, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra and home team Ladakh are fighting for the championship in U-20 boys category. Similarly, in Girls category Ladakh, Maharashtra, Delhi, and Chandigarh are playing for the championship.

Note: President of Ice Hockey Association of India: K. L. Kumar.

2. MS Dhoni picked captain of ESPN Cricinfo's ODI and T20 teams of the past decade: Former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was picked as captain of ESPN Cricinfo's ODI and Twenty20 teams of the decade, while Virat Kohli was named the leader in Tests. Kuldeep Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal, were the only other Indians to make the Test XI. Former skipper Mithali Raj and fast bowler Jhulan Goswami were named in the same women's team picked for both the ODIs and T20s. Australia's inspirational cricketer, Meg Lanning was named the captain of the side.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Piyuus Jaiswal honoured with Global Bihar Excellence Awards 2019: Piyuus Jaiswal was awarded the Global Bihar Excellence Award 2019. This award was presented by Rajya Sabha MP and Padma Shri Awardee Dr CP Thakur and Bihar Women Commission president Dilmani Devi in Patna to promote women empowerment. Piyuus Jaiswal was recently awarded the humanitarian award with the Global Peace Excellence Humanitarian Award 2019 on the occasion of International Human Day. The award was given to recognise and felicitated Piyuus Jaiswal’s contribution towards social welfare, women empowerment and introducing new talent in the field of arts and culture.

Note:  Governor of Bihar: Phagu Chauhan, Chief Minister: Nitish Kumar.

2. Swarna Jayanti Fellowships awarded to 14 scientists: The Union Ministry of Science and Technology have awarded Swarna Jayanti Fellowships to 14 scientists to pursue basic research in frontier areas of science and technology. The fellowship covers all the requirements for performing the research and includes a fellowship of 25 thousand rupees per month. A research grant of five lakh rupees for five years is also being provided in addition to their salary. Swaran Jayanti Fellowships are awarded to young and brilliant scientists to pursue unfettered research with financial freedom and flexibility.

Note: Union Minister of Science and Technology: Dr Harsh Vardhan.

OBITUARIES

1. Natyasurya Awardee dramatist Ratna Ojha passed away: Eminent Assamese dramatist, litterateur and social activist Ratna Ojha (88) passed away in Guwahati, Assam. Recipient of the prestigious Natyasurya Award in 2005 for his contributions to theatre, Ojha had introduced street plays in Assam in 1971 with his skit 'Kokaideo' to revive the theatre movement in the state that was fading with the death of his mentor Phani Sarma. Ojha had also introduced 'cartoon theatre' in the Northeast.

2. Senior NCP leader DP Tripathi Passes Away: Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader DP Tripathi passed away in New Delhi. He was the general secretary of the Nationalist Congress Party and a former students' union leader. Despite visual impairment, he worked throughout life. He has also written several books, including Congress and Independent India, Jawahar Satkam, Celebrating Faiz and Nepal Transition-A way forward among others.

Daily GK Updates - 2nd January, 2020

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Kerala becomes the first state to pass anti-CAA resolution:  On 31st December 2019, the Kerala Government has passed a resolution to roll back the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that was passed during this winter session of Parliament. According to the Kerala Government, the CAA act contradicts the basic principles of the Constitution. According to the Government of Kerala, the act was against secularism and has triggered widespread protests in the country. The act also dented India’s image among the international community The Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 was passed in December 2019. The act amended the Citizenship act passed in 1955. It allows Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Christians, and Parsi religious minorities to gain Indian citizenship.

2. Andhra Pradesh Government plans to deliver sand at doorsteps: The Andhra Pradesh government is planning to introduce door-delivery of sand from January 2, 2020. As a pilot project, it is to be started from in Krishna district on an experimental basis and then extend it. Under this initiative, the AP government will deliver sand at doorsteps and collect transportation charges from the customers. In order to make the initiative successful, the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation will stock 15 lakh tons of sand per month for the next four months. At present, the demand for sand in the state is 80,000 tonnes a day. The step will help address issues of sand scarcity and sand mafia.

3. 10,000 cameras to be used for 2020 lion census in Gujarat: The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) will conduct the Asiatic Lion Census in May 2020. The Institute will use 10,000 cameras to conduct the census. Around 8,000-10,000 cameras will be used to carry out the 2020 lion census in Gujarat, the last abode of the Asiatic lion. The 2015 lion census had counted 523 lions in the state. The number is expected to have risen phenomenally the population may have crossed the 1,000-mark. The government will adopt the National Tiger Conservation Authority(NTCA)’s technology for the lion census. The entire census area is to be divided into a 3-km grid. Officers will collect hair, nails, teeth, etc. The collection process is to be carried out using scientific methods laid out by NTCA. Around 1,000 to 2,000 officers are to be employed. In the second phase, 10,000 cameras are to be used to capture the lions.

Note: The Asiatic Lions in Gujarat are restricted to Gir National Park in the state. The lions are listed as “Endangered” in the IUCN Red List.

4. VK Yadav re-appointed as Railway Board Chairman:  The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the re-employment of V K Yadav as the Chairman of Railway Board. The appointment has been done for a period of one year. He took over as Railway Board Chairman from Ashwani Lohani on January 1, 2019. He has also held the post of General Manager of South Central Railway (SCR). He is an electrical engineer and belongs to the 1980 batch of the Indian Railway Service of Electrical Engineers.

5. ISRO will set up launch port for small satellite launch vehicles: Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) chief K Sivan announced that India's second spaceport for launching small satellites will be established in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi district. The country's first spaceport is at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, about 90 km northeast of Chennai. Thoothukudi is about 600 km southeast of Chennai. The new location is ideal for launching smaller satellites of less than 500 kg in the sun-synchronous orbit. He also announced that the process of Astronaut selection is over for India’s 1st manned mission to outer space i.e. “Gaganyaan” to be launched by 2022 and that the Government has approved the Chandrayaan–3 mission to the moon, comprising of a lander and a rover.

6. Flipkart signed an agreement with MoHUA to support DAY-NULM: Indian e-commerce company Flipkart has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry to support the ministry’s ‘Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM)’. Under the MoU Flipkart will sell the products made by women self-help groups under Deendaya lAntyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM) on the e-commerce platform. The e-commerce company will collaborate with state missions to establish the 'Flipkart Samarth programme' in 22 states in India. DAY-NULM consists of 44 lakh women across the country which aims to make women financially independent. The government is likely to sign MoU with Amazon on January 7, 2020, for the same purpose.

7. Haryana CM Inaugurates Atal Kisan-Mazdoor canteens in Karnal: The Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar has inaugurated the first Atal Kisan-Mazdoor canteens in Karnal where the farmers and labourers will get food for Rs 10.The canteen will provide Veg-thali comprising four chapatis, rice, dal and seasonal vegetable, all for Rs 10, with the capacity to serve 300 persons daily. The canteen has been named after former PM late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It has been set up by the Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board (HSAMB) in collaboration with the state rural livelihood mission.

8. Odisha Government Launches Mobile App Pauti& E-Certificate Project to provide Caste, Residence Certificates Online: The Odisha government has launched ‘e-Certificate portal’, a unique project to provide official documents such as caste certificate, permanent residence certificates, income or similar other certificates online without the need to visit Tehsil offices or Common Service Centres. The initiative has been launched by the Revenue and Disaster Management department of the state as part of its 5T model of governance. The applicants will not be required to pay any fees as well for the service. Patnaik also launched a mobile App “Pauti”, to facilitate online payment of land revenue so that citizens need not visit government offices for the same. They can download the application and make payment.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Umaro Cissoko Embalo wins Guinea-Bissau presidential election: Umaro Cissoko Embalo has won the Guinea-Bissau‘s presidential election. According to the National Electoral Commission of Guinea-Bissau, Umaro won the presidential election with 53.55% of votes. He will replace the incumbent President Jose Mario Vaz. His rival Domingos Simoes Pereira, head of the country's ruling PAIGC party, took 46.45 percent in Sunday's runoff.

Note: Capital of Guinea-Bissau: Bissau; Currency: Eco.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. ICC plans to scrap five-day Tests from 2023; set to be limited to four: The Cricket’s apex body, the International Cricket Council has planned to reduce all Test matches, including the Ashes, from five days to four from 2023, to ease workload on players in the crowded calendar. Test matches have been set at five days since 1979.England are backing the plans as it could provide a sustainable solution to the complex scheduling needs and player workloads.

2. India women's hockey team defender Sunita Lakra announces retirement: Indian women's hockey team defender Sunita Lakra, who was part of the 2018 Asian Games silver-winning side, announced her international retirement, citing a knee injury that would require another surgery. The 28-year-old said the nagging injury has come in the way of her dream to be a part of India's Tokyo Olympics campaign this year.

In the team since 2008, Lakra captained India during the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy, leading the side to a second-place finish in the event. In all, she played 139 matches for India and her achievements also included being part of the side that claimed the 2014 Asian Games bronze medal.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Interest Rates for Small Savings Schemes Unchanged for the Fourth Quarter 2019-20 (Jan-Mar): The government has kept the interest rates on small savings schemes unchanged for the fourth quarter of FY 2019-20 (January-March).The interest rates on small savings schemes are reviewed every quarter by the government. The formula to arrive at the interest rates of the small savings scheme was given by the Shyamala Gopinath Committee. Accordingly, the Rates of Interest on various Small Savings Schemes for the Fourth Quarter of the Current Financial Year 2019-20 is as given below:

Sr. No	Instrument	Interest Rate (January 2020-March 2020)	Compounding frequency*
1	Savings Deposit	4	Annually
2	1 Year Time Deposit	6.9	Quarterly
3	2 Year Time Deposit	6.9	Quarterly
4	3 Year Time Deposit	6.9	Quarterly
5	5 Year Time Deposit	7.7	Quarterly
6	5 Year Recurring Deposit	7.2	Quarterly
7	5 Year Senior Citizen Savings Scheme	8.6	Quarterly and paid
8	5 Year Monthly Income Account	7.6	Monthly and paid
9	5 Year National Savings Certificate	7.9	Annually
10	Public Provident Fund Scheme	7.9	Annually
11	Kisan Vikas Patra	7.8 (will mature in 113 months)	Annually
12	Sukanya Samriddhi Account Scheme	8.4	Annually