Daily GK Update - 28th May 2015

Modi and Hasina to open second border ‘haat’ in Tripura

(i) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina would jointly inaugurate the second border ‘haat’ (market) in Tripura through video conferencing when the former visits Dhaka next week. 

(ii) Officials of Tripura’s Sepahijala district and Brahmanbaria district of Bangladesh announced that opening of the ‘haat’ would take place on June 6 or 7 after foreign ministries of both sides finalise modalities.  

(iii) District officials of Sepahijala and Brahmanbaria who constitute a Joint Border Haat Management Committee met at Kamalasagar on Wednesday afternoon, to discuss arrangements. 

(iv) The construction of a market shed and other infrastructure facilities at a cost of Rs. 2.5 crores is almost complete except few minor works, a senior official of Tripura Commerce and Industry Department.

Lanka to soon name new envoy to India

(i) Sri Lanka has recalled all non-career diplomats serving as heads of missions abroad who had held their posts before January except the High Commissioner to India with a new envoy to be named shortly.

(ii) The new High Commissioner to India has been identified, however the current envoy will remain in New Delhi until his successor has been approved by the parliamentary committee on high posts, foreign ministry spokesperson Mahishini Colonne said.

(iii) She said that all non-career heads of missions who had held the posts before January 8 have been recalled and except the High Commissioner to India, will have vacated their posts by the end of June.

(iv) This will be the first Sri Lankan High Commissioner to be appointed to India under President Maithripala Sirisena’s government.

25 Indian-Americans among 49 spelling bee semi-finalists

(i) As many as 25 Indian-Americans have made it to the list of 49 semi-finalists of the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, in yet another indication of their continued dominance in the prestigious annual contest.

(ii) These Indian-Americans would vie for top positions in the final of 88th Scripps National Spelling Bee scheduled for Friday (India time).

(iii) For several years now, Indian-Americans have put up formidable challenges to their competitors and won most of the prestigious spelling awards in the United States.

(iv) Gokul Venkatachalam, 14, from St Louis, Missouri, who finished third in 2014, is considered favourite this year.

Viswanathan Anand’s mother passes away

(i) Sushila Viswanathan, mother of five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand, passed away here on Wednesday. She was 79.

(ii) Hailing from a family of lawyers who played chess, her contribution towards Anand’s success was immense. 

(iii) She shaped Anand’s budding chess career, was perhaps his first sparring partner, accompanied him to various tournaments and nurtured him into a champion.

(iv) She had been his mentor and guide all his life, a very nice and gentle lady who always had a smile on her face.

State of Food Insecurity in the World 2015 report released

(i) The annual UN hunger report  titled State of Food Insecurity in the World 2015 was on 27 May 2015 released by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

(ii) As per the report, the number of hungry people in the world has dropped to 795 million. 

(iii) Today, 795 million people are undernourished globally, which is 216 million less than the number of hungry people in 1990–92. The decline is more pronounced in developing regions, despite population growth.

Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar is Mysuru’s new ‘Maharaja’

(i) In a ceremony conjuring up images of the royal orient, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar was crowned as the new ‘Maharaja’ at the Amba Vilas Palace in Mysuru on Thursday.

(ii) The coronation was a private affair but symbolic of continuing the family tradition of the Wadiyars. It was devoid of anything consequent to the abolition of the institution of the maharajas and the Privy Purse after Independence.

(iii) The coronation was attended by a large number of well-wishers including members of the royal family, senior political leaders and the who’s who of Mysuru and Bengaluru. 

(iv) The presence of such large number of people was reflective of the contribution of the Wadiyars to the development of Mysuru and public affection.

Masaan’ to release in India on July 24

(i) After winning two honours at the Cannes Film Festival, director Neeraj Ghaywan’s debut film Masaan will be released across India on July 24.

(ii) The film, which stars Richa Chadha, Vicky Kaushal, Shweta Tripathi, bagged the acclaimed FIPRESCI and the Promising Future awards at the recently concluded festival.

(iii) “I am happier for India and my team than myself. A win in the official selection has been long overdue for India and we have a double win.

(iv) The film is jointly produced by Manish Mundra (Drishyam Films), Macassar Productions, Sikhya Entertainment and Phantom Films.

Trevor Bayliss appointed as head coach of England Cricket Team

(i) Trevor Bayliss was appointed as the head coach of England cricket team on 26 May 2015. With this appointment, 52-year-old Bayliss became the first Australian to coach England.

(ii) The New South Wales coach succeeded Peter Moores and will take up the new job in June 2015. Moores second spell ended in first week of May 2015 after he was sacked.

(iii) Bayliss has led Sri Lankan team from 2007 to 2011 and later in 2014 took temporary charge of Australia for their Twenty20 series in South Africa.