10th April 2019 Current Affairs
India’s gold reserves increased
- India has marginally increased its gold holding in February while maintaining the tenth position among countries in terms of yellow metal reserves, as per the World Gold Council.
- India added 1.7 tonnes in February 2019 while most other countries, barring Russia and China, saw their reserves unchanged in the recent past.
- As per WGC, India had total gold reserves of 608.7 tonnes in February.
London: 1st to implement pollu charge zone
- London became the first city in the world to implement a special Ultra Low Emission Zone that would charge an entry fee for older vehicles if they do not meet the emission standards.
- In an attempt to reduce air pollution and protect public health, the ULEZ will be operational for 24 hours and 7 days a week.
- A vehicle that does not meet the new emission standard will have to pay daily charge.
17th edition of WEF held
- The World Economic Forum in the Middle East and North Africa took place at Jordan’s Dead Sea on April 6 and 7, 2019.
- The forum assembled more than 1,000 government, business and civil society leaders from more than 50 countries.
- The forum was themed on three major visions: generating job opportunities, empowering Arab women and promoting the most intriguing startups.
GlowRoad got $10 mn funding
- Social commerce platform GlowRoad has raised $10 million in a Series B funding round led by China’s CDH Investment.
- CDH Investment’s other investments in India include Mayfair and Cashify, an online platform for selling used electronic products.
- GlowRoad was founded in 2017 by Sonal Verma, Kunal Sinha, Nitesh Pant, Shekhar Sahu, and Nilesh Padariya.
Muguruza claimed Monterrey Open Title
- Garbine Muguruza of Spain successfully claimed back-to-back Monterrey Open title 2019 as Victoria Azarenka succumbed to injury in the final.
- Asia Muhammad & Maria Sanchez claimed women’s doubles title in Monterrey Open.
- The Monterrey Open is a professional women’s tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts.
Manish Mehan: New CEO Thyssenkrupp Elevators
- German steel giant ThyssenKrupp has appointed Manish Mehan as new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ThyssenKrupp Elevators (India).
- Earlier, Mehan held the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) in ThyssenKrupp Elevator (India) for the last 12 years.
Elements can be solid and liquid at same time
- Scientists have discovered a new state of physical matter in which atoms can exist as both solid and liquid simultaneously.
- Until now, the atoms in physical material existed typically in one of three states – solid, liquid or gas.
- A team led by scientists from the University of Edinburgh used powerful computer simulations to study the existence of the state – known as the chain-melted state.
Yutu travelled 170 m on Moon
- China’s lunar rover Yutu-2 traveled 170.92 meters on the far side of the Moon, as per the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
- It has run a total of 163 meters during the previous three lunar daytime periods.
- During the third one, the rover conducted scientific examination over stones and tracks on the Moon.
K.M. Mani passed away
- Kerala Congress chairman K. M. Mani, the longest-serving legislator in the State’s history, passed away on 9 April 2019.
- He had represented the Pala Assembly constituency for 52 years since its formation in 1965.
- Till now, he has won all the 13 elections from the constituency. He had held the Finance portfolio for the longest period and presented 13 budgets.
Dogs can sniff out cancer with 97% accuracy
- Dogs can pick out blood samples from people with cancer with 97% accuracy, as per a study.
- Dogs have smell receptors 10,000 times more accurate than humans’, making them highly sensitive to odours we cannot perceive.
- For the study, the team used a form of clicker training to teach four beagles to distinguish between normal blood serum and samples from patients with malignant lung cancer.
PFS partnered with USICEF
- PFS joined hands with the US-India Clean Energy Finance (USICEF) to leverage funds for solar projects in India.
- It is an innovative facility which can contribute in achieving India’s distributed energy target of 40 GW by 2022.
- PTC India Financial Services (PFS) has processed and sanctioned 3 distributed solar power projects.
Try out the quiz ?
1. What is the India's position among countries in terms of yellow metal reserves as per the World Gold Council?
India has marginally increased its gold holding in February while maintaining the tenth position among countries in terms of yellow metal reserves, as per the World Gold Council.
2. Which city has become the first city in the world to implement a special Ultra Low Emission Zone?
London became the first city in the world to implement a special Ultra Low Emission Zone that would charge an entry fee for older vehicles if they do not meet the emission standards.
3. The World Economic Forum in the Middle East and North Africa took place in which country?
The World Economic Forum in the Middle East and North Africa took place at Jordan’s Dead Sea on April 6 and 7, 2019.
4. GlowRoad has raised how many million in a Series B funding round led by China’s CDH Investment?
Social commerce platform GlowRoad has raised $10 million in a Series B funding round led by China’s CDH Investment.
5. Garbine Muguruza has successfully claimed back-to-back Monterrey Open title 2019. She is native of which country?
Garbine Muguruza of Spain successfully claimed back-to-back Monterrey Open title 2019 as Victoria Azarenka succumbed to injury in the final.
6. ThyssenKrupp has appointed Manish Mehan as new Chief Executive Officer of ThyssenKrupp Elevators for India. ThyssenKrupp is company of which country?
German steel giant ThyssenKrupp has appointed Manish Mehan as new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ThyssenKrupp Elevators (India).
7. The scientists of which university have discovered a new state of physical matter in which atoms can exist as both solid and liquid simultaneously?
Scientists have discovered a new state of physical matter in which atoms can exist as both solid and liquid simultaneously. A team led by scientists from the University of Edinburgh used powerful computer simulations to study the existence of the state – known as the chain-melted state.
8. Yutu-2 traveled 170.92 meters on the far side of the Moon. Lunar rover Yutu-2 is of which country?
China’s lunar rover Yutu-2 traveled 170.92 meters on the far side of the Moon, as per the Lunar Exploration and Space Program Center of the China National Space Administration (CNSA).
9. Congress chairman K. M. Mani has passed away. He is from which state?
Kerala Congress chairman K. M. Mani, the longest-serving legislator in the State’s history, passed away on 9 April 2019.
10. According to new study which animal can sniff out cancer with 97% accuracy?
Dogs can pick out blood samples from people with cancer with 97% accuracy, as per a study.
11. PFS has joined hands with the US-India Clean Energy Finance (USICEF) to leverage funds for which project in India?
PFS joined hands with the US-India Clean Energy Finance (USICEF) to leverage funds for solar projects in India.
