DAILY GK 20 MARCH
1. SINGAPORE,
PARIS AND HONG KONG SHARED TOP SPOT: WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE CITIES SURVEY
✔The
annual Economist Intelligence Unit survey listed Singapore, Paris and Hong Kong
as the world’s most expensive cities. In the 30 year long history it is for the
first time the three cities are sharing the top spot.
✔Zurich
and Geneva in Switzerland ranked 4th and 5th respectively while Osaka in Japan
ranked 6th position.
✔Bengaluru,
Chennai and New Delhi ranked 5th, 7th and 8th position respectively among the
top ten cheapest cities. Caracas in Venezuela topped the cheapest cities in the
world list.
2. 4TH
ROUND OF FTA TALKS BETWEEN INDIA AND PERU HELD IN LIMA
✔4th
Round of Free Trade Agreement talks between India and Peru concluded in Lima. The
FTA agreement is aimed to enhance the two-way commerce between India and Peru.
✔The
Bilateral trade between India and Peru has been increased from 1.77 billion
dollars in 2016-17 to 3.13 billion dollars in 2017-18 and Lima ranked third
among export destination for India in Latin America and Caribbean region.
3. KAZAKHSTAN
RENAMES ITS CAPITAL ASTANA AS NURSULTAN AFTER EX-PRESIDENT
✔Kazakhstan
has renamed its capital as Nursultan from its previous name Astana in order to
recognize its outgoing leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has served nearly 30
years as president of Kazakhstan.
✔The
name was changed after Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sworn in as president of
Kazakhstan. The new president will serve till April 2020.
4. LEELADHAR
JAGUDI WILL BE HONOURED WITH THE VYAS SAMMAN 2018
✔Hindi
writer Leeladhar Jagudi honoured with Vyas Samman 2018 for his collection of
poems “Jitne Log Utne Prem” published
in 2013. He also authored several poetry anthologies.
✔Leeladhar
was born in Dhangal village of Uttarakhand. He received Padma Shri in 2004 and
Sahitya Akademi Award, Akashvani National Award and Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman
as well.
5. AMERICAN
PROFESSOR KAREN UHLENBECK HAS BECOME THE FIRST WOMAN TO WIN THE PRESTIGIOUS
MATH AWARD: ABEL PRIZE
✔Mathematician
Karen Uhlenbeck became the first woman to be conferred with 6 million Norwegian
kroner ($700,000) Abel Prize, which is regarded as Nobel prize of mathematics.
✔She
was recognized for her work in the field of gauge theory and geometric analysis
gave an extensive impact in mathematics as well as in physics.
6. EX-SUPREME
COURT JUDGE JUSTICE PC GHOSE NAMED AS INDIA’S FIRST LOKPAL
✔66-year
old Former Supreme Court judge Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose appointed as the
country’s first Lokpal or the anti-corruption ombudsman, by President Ram Nath
Kovind.
✔He
is serving as a member of the National Human Rights Commission since June 29,
2017. Former Chief Justices Dilip B. Bhosale, Pradip Kumar Mohanty, and
Abhilasha Kumari and current Chief Justice of Chhattisgarh High Court Ajay
Kumar Tripathi have been appointed as judicial members under the Lokpal.
7. MUMBAI
SOCIAL WORKER GAURI SAWANT HAS BEEN DESIGNATED AS FIRST TRANSGENDER ELECTION
AMBASSADOR
✔38-year-old
transgender activist Shree Gauri Sawant from Mumbai has been appointed as first
transgender election ambassador by The Election Commission of India.
✔There
was no separate classification of transgenders as voters till 2014 but after
that transgenders were first enrolled as voters along with males and females. The
highest enrolment of transgenders (324) is in Mumbai North Lok Sabha
constituency.
8. WORLD
SPARROW DAY OBSERVED ON MARCH 20
✔The
World Sparrow Day is observed annually on 20th March to spread awareness about
the house sparrow as well as to educated people about the threat to their
population.
✔The
Theme for this year’s World Sparrow Day is “I
love sparrows”.
9. INTERNATIONAL
DAY OF HAPPINESS – 20 MARCH
✔March
20th of every year the ‘International Happiness Day’ is celebrated worldwide.
✔Theme
of International Day of Happiness 2019 is ‘Happier
Together’.
