DAILY GK 24 MAY 2019

DAILY GK 24 MAY 2019

1. FIRST PACIFIC VANGUARD NAVAL EXERCISE HELD NEAR GUAM

✔The four countries US, Japan, South Korea and Australia have kicked off first-of-its kind Pacific Vanguard Naval Exercise near Guam.

2. WHO HAS DECLARED ALGERIA AND ARGENTINA AS MALARIA-FREE COUNTRIES

✔World Health Organization has officially declared Algeria and Argentina as malaria-free countries after recording no new cases for more than three years. Now, the numbers of malaria free countries increased to 38 from 36.

3. ADB GRANTED $750 MN LOAN TO INDIA FOR RAILWAY TRACK ELECTRIFICATION PROJECT

✔Asian Development Bank has inked an agreement with Indian Railway Finance Corporation, an entity owned by Government of India to provide USD 750 million long-term financing for the Railways Track Electrification Project.

4. UN DOWNGRADED THE GLOBAL ECONOMY GROWTH FORECAST TO 2.7% IN 2019

✔United Nations in its mid-year report on economic prospects named “World Economic Situation and Prospects 2019 Mid-year Update” has diminished the global economic growth forecasts for 2019 to 2.7% and for 2020 to 2.9%.

✔For India, UN has cut the growth rate by 0.6% to be at 7% for 2019 India remains the fastest growing major economy in the world, ahead of China’s growth rate of 6.3%.

✔For 2020, India growth is projected at 7.1%.

5. INDIAN ECONOMY TO GROW 7.5% BY 2020: OECD REPORT

✔Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in its Economic Outlook projected India’s GDP growth to 7.25 percent in FY19 and 7.5 percent in FY20.

6. JOKHA ALHARTHI WON MAN BOOKER INTERNATIONAL PRIZE

✔Jokha Alharthi, an Omani female author became the first Arabic author to win Man Booker International Prize 2019 for her novel “Celestial Bodies”. The novel contains the story of three sisters in an Omani village.

7. INDRA NOOYI RECEIVES HONORARY DOCTORATE OF HUMANE LETTERS FROM YALE UNIVERSITY

✔Indra Nooyi, former PepsiCo Chairman and CEO, was honoured with Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Yale University, USA for her achievements in business.

​8. DOCTOR HEMA DIVAKAR GETS ‘GLOBAL ASIAN OF THE YEAR’ AWARD

✔Bengaluru based doctor Hema Divakar received the ‘Global Asian of the Year 2018-19’ Award for her yeomen services and contribution towards Women’s Healthcare Ecosystem.

9. FLIGHT LIEUTENANT, BHAWANA KANTH BECOMES 1ST FIGHTER PILOT OF IAF TO UNDERTAKE COMBAT MISSIONS

✔Bhawana Kanth, was one among the first batch of women fighter pilots of the IAF.

First Batch of Women Fighter Pilots are:

Bhawana Kanth, Avani Chaturvedi and Mohana Singh.

10. VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY TAKES OATH AS PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE

✔Ukrainian TV star Volodymyr Zelenskiy, won the presidency election in April 2019 and sworn in as 6th President of Ukraine recently.

11. CYRIL RAMAPHOSA RE-ELECTED AS PRESIDENT OF SOUTH AFRICA

✔Cyril Ramaphosa’s party, African National Congress won South African elections.

12. KING OF MALAYSIA SULTAN AHMAD SHAH SULTAN ABU BAKAR PASSED AWAY

✔Seventh King of Malaysia Sultan Ahmad Shah Sultan Abu Bakar passed away.