Daily GK Update: 26th October 2023

Honours & Awards

The two Indian - Americans Ashok Gadgil and Subra Suresh were awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by US President Joe Biden at the White House.
President Biden also honored leading American scientists, technologists, and innovators at the award ceremony.
The scientists, who were honored at the event, made discoveries enabling lifesaving medical treatments, helping fight the opioid epidemic, improving food security, and much more.

Banking & Finance

Reserve Bank of India has asked private banks and wholly owned subsidiaries of foreign banks to ensure at least two Whole Time Directors (WTDs), including the MD and CEO, on their boards to facilitate succession planning.
The number of Whole Time Directors should be decided by the Board of the bank by taking into account factors such as the size of operations, business complexity, and other relevant aspects.

Banking & Finance

Kotak Mahindra Bank has announced a new partnership with National E-Governance Services Limited to issue its inaugural electronic Bank Guarantee through its platform.
Aim: To usher in the era of digital trade, effectively eliminating the traditional paper-based issuance of Bank Guarantees.
The digital transformation encompasses the issuance, modifications, closures, digital stamping, resulting in a significant reduction in the guaranteed turnaround time

Obituaries

Richard Roundtree, the trailblazing actor who starred as the ultra-smooth private detective in several Shaft films beginning in the early 1970s, has passed away.
He was born in New Rochelle, New York, was considered as the first Black action hero.
He became one of the leading actors in the blaxploitation genre through his New York street smart John Shaft character in the Gordon Parks-directed film in 1971.

International Affairs

India has announced plans to resume visa services for certain categories amid a diplomatic crisis with Canada.
According to the High Commission in Ottawa, it would restore services for entry, business, medical, and conference visas with effect from October 26.
The development comes amid a brewing diplomatic crisis that recently prompted the expulsion of more than 40 Canadian diplomats from New Delhi.

National Affairs

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda inaugurated the National Tribal Festival at Vastrapur Hat in Ahmedabad.
Aim: To celebrate and showcase the diverse cultural traditions of the tribal communities.
Objective: To promote entrepreneurship, particularly in remote areas, with the aim of enhancing sustainable production.
The National Tribal Festival in Ahmedabad features over 100 stalls that showcase India's tribal culture, handicrafts, and cuisine.

National & International Organizations

Indians, who are at the forefront of migrating to OECD countries, also lead in acquiring foreign citizenship, according to a recent OECD report.
Among them, American citizenship remains dominant. However, Canada has witnessed the highest growth in granting citizenship to foreign nationals.
Canada, in particular, recorded the most significant proportional increase, with a staggering 174% jump between 2021 and 2022.

National & International Appointments

Mike Johnson has been elected as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, bringing an end to three weeks of uncertainty in US politics.
He replaced Kevin McCarthy.
The position of Speaker of the House of Representatives is one of the most powerful political chairs in the country and is third in the line of succession after the US President.
The 56th Speaker of the House of Representatives, he is a four-term Congressman from the Fourth Congressional District.

National & International Appointments

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar will formally appoint Rajkumar Rao as a National Icon of the EC
He, whose portrayal of an official tasked with conducting polls in the Naxal-affected areas of Chhattisgarh in the Hindi film “Newton” won accolades, will be inducted as a National Icon by the Election Commission (EC).
The EC appoints prominent Indians as national icons to motivate voters to participate in elections.

National Affairs

A national hackathon named “Vimarsh-2023” has been unveiled with the goal of identifying innovative tools to ensure the secure utilization of 5G technology by law enforcement agencies during sensitive operations.
The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) initiated the hackathon, which is a significant step towards enhancing the capabilities of police forces.
The grand finale of VIMARSH 2023 will be organised on the 28th of February 2024.