Daily GK Update: 18th April 2022

Sports

Greek tennis player, Stefanos Tsitsipas has defeated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina by 6-3, 7-6 (3) to retain the title of Monte-Carlo Masters. It was his eighth ATP title.
He became the sixth player to win back-to-back Monte Carlo Masters in the Open era.
He became the first repeat champion at the Monte Carlo Masters since Rafael Nadal in 2018.
In the ATP rankings, Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev, and Rafael Nadal currently sit above Tsitsipas.

National & International Appointments

The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet has granted one year extension to Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Kamlesh Nilkanth Vyas.
The extension in service to Vyas for a period of one year beyond May 3, 2022 or "until further orders".
This is the second extension for Vyas, he was first appointed to the post in September 2018.
Awards: The Indian Nuclear Society Outstanding Service Award 2011; The Homi Bhabha Science and Technology Award 2006, and DAE Award 2007.

Banking & Finance

The government has amended the rules of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) to open the way for up to 20% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).
The government is also planning to dilute its stake in LIC through the Initial Public Offering (IPO).
SEBI has also given approval to the draft papers and the insurer is in the process of filing a request for a proposal with changes.

National Affairs

PM Modi has begun his three-day visit to Gujarat. He will visit the Command and Control Centre for Schools in Gandhinagar.
He will lay the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar in the presence of Mauritius PM Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and DG of WHO Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus.
He will dedicate the Banas Community Radio Station, to provide farmers key scientific information related to agriculture and animal husbandry.

Obituaries

Tamil Nadu table tennis player Vishwa Deenadayalan died in a road accident while travelling from Guwahati to Shillong.
He was travelling with three teammates for the 83rd Senior National and Inter-State Table Tennis Championships, which is scheduled to begin.
Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala offer his condolence on his death and announced Rs 5 lakh as compensation for his family.
All three teammates have been declared stable by the doctors.

Obituaries

Legendary Odia singer and music director Prafulla Kar has passed away due to age-related ailments.
An eminent musician, singer, lyricist, writer and columnist was born on February 16, 1939 in Puri.
Awards: Padma Shri award (2015), Jayadeva award (2004).
He had also received the state film award eight times, six times in a row.
The Odisha government has announced that his funeral would be held with full State honour.

Banking & Finance

The government infused ₹5,000 crores in three state-run insurance companies i.e. ₹3,700 crores in NICL, ₹1,200 crores in OICL, and Rs 100 crores in UICL.
This authorised capital will be used to subscribe to the share capital of the respective public sector general insurance companies and issuance of shares to the Centre against the subscription.
The three state-owned general insurers that cover 20% market share have been unprofitable.

Defense

The Trishakti Corps has organized EX KRIPAN SHAKTI at Teesta Field Firing Ranges (TFFR) near Siliguri in West Bengal.
Aim: Orchestrating and synergizing the capabilities of the Indian Army and the Central Armed Police Forces (CRPF) to fight an integrated battle.
The units of the Trishakti Corps have demonstrated their abilities to hit hard and swiftly with precision during the exercise.
The firing involved employment and weapon systems and firing of all arms.

Important Dates

The International Day for Monuments and Sites is observed on April 18 every year with an aim to promote culture and heritage.
ICOMOS proposed April 18 as the International Day for Monuments and Sites in 1982.
The theme for World Heritage Day 2022 is Heritage and Climate.
40 Indian sites are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
UNESCO Headquarters: Paris, France; Director-General: Audrey Azoulay

State Affairs

The Karnataka government has appointed Indian Cricket Player Robin Uthappa as the brand ambassador for Brain Health Initiative which was started by the Karnataka Health Department.
The KA-BHI was launched in association with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, NITI Aayog, and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore, Karnataka.
Karnataka Governor: Thawar Chand Gehlot; Capital: Bengaluru; Chief minister: Basavaraj Bommai

Banking & Finance

PhonePe comes in a partnership internet exchange point, Extreme IX to enable faster digital payments.
This partnership helps PhonePe to decrease the latency for its users irrespective of their location or ISP in India.
PhonePe has become the first digital payments platform to participate in an Internet Exchange in India.
Executive Director of Extreme IX– Raunak Maheshwari
Phone pe CEO– Sameer Nigam; Headquarters – Bengaluru, Karnataka

Sports

New Zealand pacer, Hamish Bennett has announced retirement from his 17-year-old cricket career with the 2021/22 season the last one from all forms of cricket.
Bennett has represented New Zealand in T20I against Bangladesh in Mirpur, Pakistan in September 2021.
Hamish Bennett has made his international debut in October 2010 and represented New Zealand in one Test, 19 ODIs and 11 T20Is.