Daily GK Update: 24th May 2023

 Honours & Awards

1. Georgi Gospodinov wins the International Booker Prize 2023 for Time Shelter

• Georgi Gospodinov (Bulgarian writer) and Angela Rodel (translator) bagged the 2023 International Booker Prize for their book 'Time Shelter'.
• It is the first book originally written in Bulgarian to be nominated for the award.
• The prize has recognized fiction translated into English and published in the United Kingdom or Ireland in the year leading up to the award.
• Prize money: 50,000 pounds (about $62,000) shared equally between the author and translator

 National & International Appointments

2. RBI approved the reappointment of Vijay Shekhar as part-time chairman

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has given its approval to Paytm Payments Bank for the re-appointment of Paytm CEO, Vijay Shekhar Sharma as part-time chairman for a year, effective from May 23, 2023.
• At present, One97 Communications owns a 49% stake in  Paytm Payments Bank and Vijay Shekhar Sharma holds the remaining stakes in the entity.
• Vijay Shekhar Sharma is the promoter of Paytm Payments Bank
• Paytm Payments Bank: It was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Noida

 Banking & Finance

3. Google Pay launches RuPay credit cards

• Google Pay in association with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) rolled out support for RuPay credit cards on Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
• With this, the users can now link their RuPay credit cards with Google Pay to pay at all online and offline merchants where RuPay credit cards are accepted.
• It is now available to RuPay credit card holders of Axis Bank, BoB, Canara Bank, HDFC Bank, Indian Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, PNB, and Union Bank of India.

 National Affairs

4. Govt to cut FAME-II subsidy on electric 2-wheelers from June 2023

• The Heavy Industries Ministry notified that the government would reduce the subsidy provided under the FAME-II scheme applicable to electric two-wheelers registered on or after June 1, 2023.
• The subsidy for electric two-wheelers would be reduced to ₹10,000 per kilowatt hour (kWh).
• The cap on incentives for electric two-wheelers will be 15% of the ex-factory price of vehicles from 40% (present).
• FAME India Scheme is a part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan

 Agreement

5. India and Australia sign agreement in the field of Green Hydrogen

• During the final leg of PM Modi's three-nation tour (Japan, Papua New Guinea, and Australia), he was accorded a Ceremonial Guard of Honour at the Admiralty House in Sydney, Australia.
• During his visit, India and Australia signed agreements in the field of migration and mobility partnership and on the Green Hydrogen task force.
• The MoUs were exchanged after a bilateral meeting between PM Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese.

 National & International Appointments

6. WHO appoints Renée Fleming and Pretty Yende ad Goodwill Ambassadors

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has appointed Renée Fleming and Pretty Yende as the Goodwill Ambassadors for Arts and Health.
• Renée Fleming is one of the most celebrated singers and Pretty Yende is an extraordinary soprano known for her dazzling performances.
• They would join other distinguished WHO Goodwill Ambassadors such as Alisson, Natalia Becker, Didier Drogba, Michael Bloomberg, Cynthia Germanotta, Gordon Brown, and James Chau, among others.

 Important Dates

7. Commonwealth Day 2023: 24th May

• Commonwealth Day is celebrated every year on March 13, across the world, while India and some other countries observe it on May 24
• 2023 theme: Forging a Sustainable and Peaceful Common Future
• Aim: To unite 2.5 billion Commonwealth citizens in celebration of their shared values and principles and pursue a common future, centered on sustainability and peace
• It serves as an opportunity to raise awareness of the accomplishments of 54 Commonwealth countries in various areas

 Sports

8. Adidas to become new kit sponsor of Indian cricket team

• The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed that German sportswear giant Adidas would become the new kit sponsor of the Indian national cricket team.
• In 2020, the BCCI signed a three-year deal with the Mobile Premier League’s sports merchandise brand MPL Sports to replace American sportswear manufacturer Nike.
• Clothing brand Killer Jeans became an interim sponsor after that deal ended prematurely and their contract will expire on May 31, 2023.

 Banking & Finance

9. RBI bought net $750 mn in spot forex market in March 2023

• According to the RBI's March 2023 bulletin, the Reserve Bank of India bought $750 million on a net basis in the spot foreign exchange market in March 2023.
• The RBI has purchased $6.91 billion and sold $6.16 billion.
• In February 2023, the central bank bought $254 million on a net basis in the spot market.
• The Indian rupee appreciated by 0.6% against the dollar in March 2023.
• The RBI's net outstanding forward purchase stood at $23.6 billion as of end-March 2023.

 Defense

10. Kilo-class submarine INS Sindhuratna reaches India

• A Sindhughosh class submarine, INS Sindhuratna has been returned to Mumbai (India) after undergoing a major refit at Naval Dockyard in Russia, after sailing for 97 days.
• The ship returned passage through the Norwegian Sea, English Channel, and the Mediterranean Sea.
• It had gone for an upgrade in Severodvinsk after a major accident in February 2014.
• INS Sindhuratna is a Russian Type 877EKM diesel-electric submarine.
• It is popularly called a NATO-defined Kilo-class sub.

 State Affairs

11. Sourav Ganguly appointed brand ambassador of Tripura tourism

• Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha has appointed former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly as the brand ambassador of Tripura tourism.
• This appointment would help to attract more visitors to Tripura and boost the tourism industry.
• Tripura is a state in Northeast India, bordered by Assam and Mizoram to the east and by Bangladesh to the north, south, and west.
• Tripura is divided into 8 districts and 23 sub-divisions.
• Capital of Tripura: Agartala

 Banking & Finance

12. IIT Kanpur, YES Bank collaborate to offer support to Incubated Startups

• The Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) at the IIT Kanpur joined hands with YES Bank by signing an MoU that seeks to provide crucial support to the startups incubated at SIIC.
• Aim: To identify innovative startups and extend them the necessary financial backing
• It bolsters the startup ecosystem in India by granting these ventures access to a wide range of resources through YES Bank’s specialized startup-focused program called YES Head Startup.

 Banking & Finance

13. YES BANK Collaborates with Red Hat to Redefine Mobile Banking Experience

• As per the announcement of Red Hat, Inc., YES BANK has adopted Azure Red Hat OpenShift to transform its next-generation mobile banking applications for an efficient mobile banking experience for its customers.
• It will enable YES BANK to improve customer experience and provide innovative banking solutions.
• It will have the agility and flexibility to increase the demand and also support creating a seamless customer experience across multiple banking solutions.