DAILY GK 28-30 APR 2026

 DAILY GK 28-30 APR 2026

1.       INDIA’S FIRST AL-POWERED MULTILINGUAL ‘NAMMA 112 ‘

·         Bengaluru City Police launched a multilingual Artificial intelligence (AI) integration in the ‘Namma 112’ Emergency Response Support System to make emergency services more accessible and inclusive, marking first-of-its-kind initiative in India.

·         Namma 112 is an advanced emergency response platform integrated with AI that enables faster and more efficient handling of distress calls through real-time analysis and automated dispatch mechanisms.

·         It uses Multilingual Voice AI for Nationwide Key Interventions (VANKI) system, developed in collaboration with tech partners Monday Ventures and Aeos.

·         It support 10+ additional languages, including Indian languages like Bengali, Malayalam, Gujarati, Odia, Manipuri, Assamese, Kashmiri, and Nepali, as well as international languages such as Spanish, French, and Arabic, with plans for further expansion based on usage data and demographics.

 


2.       UNESCO ADDS 12 NEW GLOBAL GEOPARKS

·         The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) designated 12 new Global Geoparks, bringing the total to 241 sites across 51 countries, covering over 882,000 square kilometres(Sq km).

·         UNESCO Global Geoparks Created as an official UNESCO label in 2015, these sites use a “bottom-up” approach involving local stakeholders.

·         The designation aims to protect geological heritage while promoting environmental education, sustainable development, and local community empowerment.

·         The status is granted for four years.

·         New Geoparks -2026: Changshan (China), Mt. Siguniang (China), Terresd’Herault (France), Nisyros (Greece), Joyce Country and Western Lakes (Ireland), Mine-Akiyoshidai Karst Plateau (Japan), Lenggong (Malaysia), Sarawak Delta (Malaysia), Algarvensis (Portugal), Toratau (Russia), Dahar (Tunisia), and ManantialesSerranos (Uruguay).

 

3.       SIPRI REPORT 2025 ON MILITARY SPENDING

·         The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), an independent international think tank, released its latest “SIPRI Fact Sheet April 2026 titled “TRENDS IN WORLD MILITARY EXPENDITURE, 2025”.

·         India became the 5th-largest military spender in the world in 2025, with defence expenditure reaching USD 92.1 billion, 

·         It is 8.9% increase from the previous year, accounting for 3.2% of global spending.

·         USA topped the list with USD 954 billion, followed by China (USD 336 billion), Russia (USD 190 billion), and Germany (USD 114 billion).

·         World military expenditure reached USD 2,887 billion in 2025 marking the 11th consecutive year of growth with Europe as the main contributor due to the Russia–Ukraine war.

 

4.       UAE ANNOUNCES WITHDRAWAL FROM OPEC

·         The United Arab Emirates (UAE) officially announced its decision to exit the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the wider OPEC+ alliance, effective May 1, 2026.

·         UAE, joined OPEC in 1967, the group’s third-largest producer after Saudi Arabia and Iraq, accounts for around 12% of total output.

 

5.       THE ASIA UNIVERSITY RANKINGS 2026

·         The United Kingdom based Times Higher Education (THE) released the 14th Asia University Rankings 2026, in which Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru, Karnataka, emerged as India’s top university, and the only Indian institute in the top 50, securing 43rd rank in Asia with an overall score of 65.1, down from 38th in 2025.

·         Tsinghua University in China secured first place for the 8th consecutive year with a score of 93.6, followed by Peking University (China) in second place with 93.1, and the National University of Singapore in third place with a score of 91.1.

·         Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and the University of Tokyo, Japan jointly ranked 4th with scores of 85.1 each, followed by the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong in 6th place.

·         China dominates with the top two positions and five of the top 10 spots, while Singapore and Hong Kong each have two universities in the top 10 rankings.

·         India led with 128 universities, followed by Japan (115) and Turkey(109).

 

6.       SCO DEFENCE MINISTERS MEETING

·         Union Minister Rajnath Singh, Ministry of Defence, attended the 23rd Defence Ministers’ Meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. 

·         It witnessed participation from defence ministers of SCO member states, including India, China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Iran, and Belarus.

 

7.       UNIDO GEM AWARD 2026

·         The Guntur Municipal Corporation (GMC), Andhra Pradesh (AP), has won the 4th edition of the Gender Equality Mobilisation (GEM) Award presented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

·         The GEM Award, established in 2018 by the UNIDO, is a prestigious international recognition that honours outstanding initiatives and leadership advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment.

 

8.       KNIGHT FRANK’S WEALTH REPORT 2026

·         Knight Frank, global property consultant firm, released the 20th edition of ‘The Wealth Report 2026’. 

·         As per the report, India ranked 6th position globally with estimated 19,877 Ultra-High Net-Worth Individuals (UHNWIs) and 207 billionaires in 2026, which accounts for 2.8% of the world’s ultra-wealthy population.

·         The number of UHNWIs and billionaires in India is projected to increase by 27% (to 25,217) and 51% (to 313), respectively, by 2031.

·         Globally, the number of UHNWIs increased from 551,435 (in 2021) and 713,626 (in 2026) indicating to nearly 89 new UHNWIs being created every day over the last 5 years.

·         USA continued to be the world’s dominant wealth market, with 251,352 UHNWIs in 2026, followed by China (121,677 UHNWIs), Germany (38,215), and the United Kingdom (UK) (27,876).

·         The number of billionaires in India increased 58% over the last 5 years to 207 in 2026, which makes it the 3rd-largest globally, after the USA (914), and China (485).

 

9.       ISSF JUNIOR WORLD CUP 2026

·         The Indian Junior Shooting Team finished on top of the medal standings at the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Cup Rifle / Pistol / Shotgun 2026 held in Cairo, Egypt, securing a total of 16 medals (5 Gold, 6 Silver, and 5 Bronze).

·         Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) secured second place with 3 gold, 5 silver, and 4 bronze medals (11 total), while France finished third with 3 gold, 1 silver, and 2 bronze medals (6 total).

·         The ISSF Junior World Cup 2026 season comprises two legs: Cairo, Egypt, featuring rifle, pistol, and shotgun events, and Porpetto (September 12–20, 2026), dedicated exclusively to shotgun (trap and skeet) events.

·         The 2026 edition featured 284 shooters from 25 federations, with India fielding the largest contingent of 71 shooters.

 

10.    FIRST ATHLETE TO RUN SUB-TWO-HOUR COMPETITIVE MARATHON

·         Kenyan athlete Sabastian Sawe won the men’s elite race at the London Marathon 2026 and made history by becoming the first athlete to complete a sub-two-hour marathon in a competitive race, breaking the previous world record set by Kelvin Kiptum in 2023.

·         Sabastian Sawe win gold by 11 seconds over YomifKejelcha (Ethiopia), (silver).

·         In Women’s race TigstAssefa (Ethiopia) won, setting a women-only world record and defending her title.

 

11.    FIDE JOINS INTERNATIONAL WORLD GAMES ASSOCIATION

·         The International Chess Federation or Fédération Internationale des Échecs( (FIDE) officially joined the International World Games Association (IWGA) during its Annual General Meeting (AGM 2026) held at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.

·         This milestone makes FIDE the 40th member of the association and marks a significant step in the recognition of ‘mind sports’.

·         The World Games is an international multi-sport event for disciplinesnot primarily contested in the Olympic Games.

 

12.    NATIONAL PANCHAYATI RAJ DAY 2026 – APRIL 24 

·         National Panchayati Raj Day (NPRD), also known as National Local Self-Government Day, is annually observed across India on April 24 to mark the establishment of the Panchayati Raj system .

·         2026 Theme: “Sashakt Panchayat, SarvangeenVikas(Empowered Panchayat, Comprehensive Development)”.

·         The first-ever NPRD was observed on 24 April 2010.

·         The date marks the institutionalisation of Panchayati Raj through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, effective in 1993, which added Part IX “The Panchayats” and granted constitutional status to Panchayats as institutions of self-government under Article 243B.

 

13.    UN’S FIRST EVER INTERNATIONAL DAY OF WOMEN IN INDUSTRY 2026 – APRIL 21

·         The United Nations (UN’s) first-ever International Day of Women in Industry (IDWI) was observed across the globe on 21 April 2026 to recognise women’s contributions to industrial development and promote gender equality in global industry.

·         2026 Theme: “Celebrating Women’s Leadership in Industrial Development”.

 

14.    WORLD MALARIA DAY 2026 – APRIL 25

·         World Malaria Day (WMD) is observed every year on April 25 worldwide to spread awareness, mobilize resources, and encourage coordinated efforts for the prevention, control, and eventual elimination of malaria.

·         2026 Theme:  “Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must.”.

·         The inaugural World Malaria Day was observed on 25 April 2008.

 

15.    WORLD PENGUIN DAY 2026– APRIL 25

·         World Penguin Day is observed globally on 25 April each year to highlight the environmental challenges faced by penguins and promote efforts for their conservation and survival.

·         World Penguin Day has been celebrated since 25 April 1972, when researchers first observed penguins migrating northward.

·         The date is linked to the annual migration of the Adélie Penguin, a phenomenon recorded by scientists at McMurdo Station in Antarctica.