Daily GK Update: 20th January 2016

  Daily GK Update: 20th January 2016

1. ISRO launches 5th navigation satellite IRNSS-1E

• The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched India’s fifth navigation satellite IRNSS-1E.
• The Indian Regional Navigation Satellite system, IRNSS, consists of seven satellites to provide real-time data on the position of objects to aid road, air and maritime traffic apart from providing mapping and tracking services.
• RNSS-1E is the fifth navigation satellite in the IRNSS space system, comprising seven satellites, which would be on par with US-based GPS once the full complement of spacecraft is launched.
• IRNSS-1E has a lift off mass of 1,425 kg and carries Corner Cube Retro Reflectors for laser ranging and a highly accurate rubidium atomic clock (also part of the navigation payload of the satellite).
• The four satellites that were already launched include IRNSS-1A on July 1, 2013, while IRNSS-1B on April 4, 2014.
• IRNSS-1C was launched on October 16, 2014 and IRNSS-1D on March 28, last year.

2. ICICI Bank opens its first branch in South Africa

• ICICI Bank inaugurated its first full service branch at Sandton in Johannesburg becoming the first Indian private sector bank to open a branch in the African continent.
• Bank will provide financial assistance to Indian joint ventures and subsidiaries across Africa, offer trade finance and short term funding for companies having trade links with India.
• The branch was inaugurated by President of ICICI Bank, Vijay Chandok. He said, “The opening of this new branch is a testimony to the strengthening trade relations between India and Africa over the last decade
• ICICI Bank’s Johannesburg branch is an authorised financial services provider in South Africa licensed by the South African Reserve Bank, the bank said in a statement.

 3. World Economic Forum meeting starts in Davos

• World Economic Forum meeting stats in Davos, Switzerland. Leaders from about 40 countries and more than 2,500 business people are attending the meeting.
• The official theme of the 2016 meeting is “Mastering the Fourth Industrial Revolution”.
• The agenda includes the outlook of the global economy and measures to fight terrorism.
• The 4-day conference will cover the tumbling price of oil and China’s uncertain economic prospects. Another topic will be growing terror threats in the wake of the November attacks in Paris. Europe’s influx of migrants and refugees will also be on the agenda.
• World leaders and the heads of humanitarian agencies will debate how to address the growing migration crisis and better integrate refugees into the communities who shelter them.

4. Bihar Cabinet approved 35 % reservation for women in govt. jobs

• The Bihar Cabinet formally approved 35 percent reservation for women in all government jobs in the state. The decision was taken in the cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
• The 35 percent reservation for women will be applicable to in all government jobs including reserved and unreserved category.
• The Bihar Government is already providing 35 percent reservation for women in recruitment as police constables and sub-inspectors and 50 percent reservation as primary school teachers and in the Panchayati Raj system.

5. Journalist Aroon Tikekar passed away

• Senior journalist and scholar Aroon Tikekar, who authored over 20 books, passed away here today due to breathing-related complications.  He was 72.
• He was the reference chief of the Times of India and a senior assistant editor for Maharashtra Times.
• He was the Editor of Loksatta, Marathi newspaper of the Indian Express Group Newspaper, for over a decade (1992-2002).

6. Mamta Binani elected President of ICSI

• Mamta Binani has been elected President of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) for 2016.
• A commerce and law graduate and a fellow member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, Binani was the all-India topper in the Intermediate examinations of The Institute of Company Secretaries of India, amongst all the lady candidates in India and had ranked 14th on an all-India basis.

7. India among top 5 most promising markets globally

• According to the annual Global CEO survey of consultancy giant PwC, India has emerged as one of the five most promising markets for businesses globally as it offers one of the best opportunities for both domestic as well as global companies.
• The top five markets considered as most important for overall growth prospects by the respondents are USA, China, Germany, the UK and India.
• The survey which covered 1,409 CEOs spread across 83 countries said, “”India has continued to do well under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pro-business government, is now among CEOs’ five most promising overseas markets”.
• “Against this tide of pessimism, CEOs in India (64 per cent), Spain (54 per cent) and Romania (50 per cent) stand out as more optimistic,” it said.
• About countries most important for their companies’ growth in the next one year, 54 per cent said it was the US while 29 per cent respondents mentioned China and 23 per cent went for the UK.

 8. MRF becomes global partner for ICC

• MRF Ltd has become a global partner for International Cricket Council (ICC) by signing a four-deal with the council that includes this year’s ICC World Twenty 20 in India, next year’s ICC Champions Trophy and ICC Cricket World Cup in 2019.
• As a global partner, MRF will have multiple branding opportunities at all match venues during the ICC World Twenty 20 and future ICC events.
• Other global partners for ICC include Emirates, Oppo and Nissan, he told newspersons on the announcement of the partnership.

9. Maiden win for young Indian racer Jehan Daruvala

• Sahara Force India Academy racer Jehan Daruvala won one of New Zealand’s most prestigious events, the Lady Wigram Trophy. It was Daruvala’s maiden victory in Formula cars since making the switch from karting in 2015.
• The Lady Wigram Trophy is a New Zealand motorsport race trophy formerly awarded to the winner of the Wigram Airfield race.
• It made up part of the Tasman Series and classes like Formula Holden, Formula 5000, Formula Pacific and Formula Three.

10. Chris Gayle Equals Yuvraj Singh’s Fastest T20 Fifty Record

• Chris Gayle hit a 12-ball 50 for Melbourne Renegades against Adelaide Strikers in a Big Bash League semifinal to equal Yuvraj Singh’s record, set at the 2007 World Twenty20.
• Gayle’s innings included seven sixes and two fours.
• Gayle’s knock also smashed the Big Bash record for the fastest fifty, from 18 balls, jointly held by Tim Ludeman and Chris Lynn.
• Yuvraj Singh had set the record at the 2007 Twenty20 World Cup against England in Durban – a knock that included six sixes in an over from Stuart Broad. 

 Note:

• Gayle also holds the record for the fastest Twenty20 ton. He achieved the feat during the 2013 Indian Premier League for Royal Challengers Bangalore, reaching the triple-figure mark in just 30 balls against Pune Warriors.
• He is also the holder of the record for fastest double hundred in ODIs. He scored a double ton off just 138 balls against Zimbabwe in the 2015 World Cup