DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: APRIL 21, 2018

NATIONAL

Gujarat Launches Pocket Cop Project

The Gujarat police unveiled the Pocket Cop project, which will enable quicker verification of passport applicants, and search of accused persons, among others.

The project was inaugurated by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani in Gandhinagar.

Under the project, smartphones with data connectivity will be given to 4,900 police personnel, including every police station in-charge, investigating officer, PCR van, and those involved in passport verification.

Each smartphone will have four different applications for passport verification, tracing criminals, finding missing persons and for stolen vehicles.

Data-base with information of 68 lakh people having criminal record will be available at the fingertips with the use of the app.

Gujarat

Capital: Gandhinagar.

Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani

Governor: Om Prakash Kohli


Chhattisgarh to distribute Free smartphone: Sanchar Kranti Yojana

Chhattisgarh will start distributing smartphones to over 50 lakh people for free from May under the Sanchar Kranti Yojana (SKY). The SKY scheme will ensure better phone connectivity in 13,900 villages of the state.

The distribution of smartphones will start during the ‘Vikas Yatra’ campaign of Chief Minister Raman Singh. The Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society (CHiPS) has started the preparation for the distribution of phones.

Under the scheme, 40 lakh phones will be given to women heads of households in villages having population of more than 1,000 while five lakh phones will be given to women heads belonging to poor families living in urban areas. Besides, five lakh phones will be given to college students.

Chhattisgarh

Chief Minister: Dr. Raman Singh

Governor: Balram Das Tandon


INTERNATIONAL

Swaziland King changes his country’s name to ‘Kingdom of eSwatini’

The king of Swaziland has announced that his country’s name has changed to eSwatini.

The declaration by King Mswati III was made during celebrations marking the monarch’s birthday as well as 50 years of independence from British colonial rule.

eSwatini meaning – “place of the Swazi”. It is the Swazi language name for the country.

The name change means that the country’s constitution is re-written, and could bring changes for the Royal Swaziland Police Force, the Swaziland Defence Force and the University of Swaziland.

eSwatini has a population of about 1.3 million people, suffers the highest HIV rate in the world, with 27 percent of adults infected.

Swaziland

Capitals: Mbabane, Lobamba

Currency: South African rand, Swazi lilangeni


Kyrgyzstan parliament names New Prime Minister

Kyrgyzstan’s parliament named Mukhammedkaliy Abylgaziyev prime minister after his nomination by the Social Democratic party.

Abylgaziyev, previously chief of staff in President Sooronbai Jeenbekov’s office, replaced Sapar Isakov whose cabinet lost a no-confidence vote this week.

No-confidence vote: A motion proposed in a parliament or other assembly to give members the chance to express their confidence in a government. If defeated, it would lead to the resignation of the government.

Kyrgyzstan

Capital: Bishkek

Currency: Kyrgyzstani som


Commonwealth Heads of Government summit concludes

The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) concluded in London, United Kingdom.

The two-day summit was inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II, saw in attendance 53 heads of Government including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was the first time an Indian Prime Minister had attended CHOGM since 2009.

Commonwealth countries unanimously agree to take action on cybersecurity by 2020.

Prince Charles is to be the next head of the Commonwealth, Commonwealth leaders decided at the end of the summit.

The theme of the summit was ‘Towards a Common Future‘.


BANKING AND ECONOMY

SBI India’s Most Trusted Bank, ICICI Tops in Private Sector: Report

State Bank of India tops the chart of BFSI (Banking and Financial Services Institutions) super-category.

ICICI bank rose 9 ranks to become the topmost bank among the private banks. In the overall ranking comparing brands from across sectors, ICICI Bank ranked 38th in 2018.

Nearly 51 brands from the BFSI sector got listed among the 1,000 most trusted brands in the country this year.

The public sector major Punjab National Bank ranks sixth among the public sector banks (PSB) and 297th in the overall rankings.


Standard Charted Bank Signs with Zoho

Standard Chartered Bank has announced an alliance with Zoho, a software products company.

It aims to enhance banking services for the customers.

As per the alliance, business account holders at Standard Chartered Bank can pay their suppliers either through cross-border payments or bank transfers from Zoho Books, Zoho’s Cloud Accounting software.

Standard Chartered Bank

CEO: Bill Winters

Headquarters: London, United Kingdom


Yes Bank Gets RBI Nod To Open Offices In London And Singapore

Private sector lender YES Bank has got approval from the Reserve Bank of India to open two international representative offices.

The new offices will come up in London and Singapore as part of the bank’s international expansion.

It will help in further diversification and expansion of financial services to the NRI diaspora.

As part of its international expansion, YES Bank had opened its first overseas office in Abu Dhabi in 2015 followed by the debut of IFSC Banking Unit (IBU) at GIFT City, Gandhinagar in the same year.

YES Bank

Headquarters: Mumbai

MD & CEO: Bank Rana Kapoor


AWARDS AND HONOURS

Karan Johar is the first Indian Filmmaker In Madame Tussauds Collection

Karan Johar has become the first-ever Bollywood filmmaker to get a place at the famous Madame Tussauds.

The process has begun in London and it will take about six months for the wax figurine to be ready.

Madame Tussauds is a wax museum in London with smaller museums in a number of other major cities. It was founded by wax sculptor Marie Tussaud.


SPORTS

Daniel Ricciardo Wins Chinese Grand Prix 2018

Daniel Ricciardo won the Chinese Grand Prix 2018. He plays for Red Bull. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes Player took the second place.  Kimi Raikkonen took third place for Ferrari.

The event took place at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai, China.


Mascot of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 Unveiled

Chinese dragon Son of Dreams was unveiled as official Mascot of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019.

In the Xinhua News Agency report, born August 8, 2015 in China, the son of the magic horn of dreams gave him the power to see in the future, in fact imagined the plays and moves. The mascot finals are a Chinese dragon (‘son’s dream’), a Siberian tiger (‘speed tiger’) and a lion (‘Qi Qu’).

FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 will take place in eight Chinese cities from August 31 until September 15.


OBITUARY

Former Delhi HC Chief Justice Rajinder Sachar passes away

Eminent human rights activist and former Delhi High Court Chief Justice Rajinder Singh Sachar has passed away.

In 2006, Rajinder Sachar Committee was set up by former prime minister Manmohan Singh for preparing a report on the social, economic and educational status of Muslims and was tabled in Parliament.


Kerala’s Veteran Journalist T V R Shenoy Passes Away

The veteran journalist TVR Shenoy has passed away.

He had been conferred the Padma Bhushan in 2003 and he had been working as a journalist in Delhi for long time.


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