Daily GK Update - 25th April 2023 Current Affairs

                                                        Current Affairs

                                                        National Affairs

First Ever Water Body Census launched by Ministry of Jal Shakti.

• This is the first-ever Water Body Census in India which was conducted by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
• According to the Census, There are 24,24,540 Water Bodies in India.

States with the highest number of Water Bodies

1. West Bengal
2. Uttar Pradesh
3. Andhra Pradesh
4. Odisha
5. Assam

Operation Kaveri was launched to evacuate Indians from Sudan.

• India initiated Operation Kaveri to evacuate its citizens from unrest-stricken Sudan.
• The Ministry of External Affairs had announced the standby status of two C-130s aircraft and INS Sumedha for the safe evacuation of stranded Indians in Sudan.

India’s First Bio-safety level 3 Laboratory opened in Goa.

• The name of this Laboratory is RAMBAN (Rapid Action Mobile BSL-3 Advance Augmented Network).
• It will allow medical checkups in remote regions.

18th Corp Commander level Talks held between India and China.

• 18th Corps Commander Level Talks held between India and China at Chusul-Moldo Border.
• Both Sides agreed to maintain the status quo.

                                                        International Affairs

India is going to build the first greenfield oil refinery in Mongolia.

• Mongolia refinery to be built by India by 2025: Mongolia will have its first oil refinery up and running by 2025 which will be made by India. The first phase will be finished by the end of the year.
• This refinery has been built with the 1.2 billion dollars provided by India in form of soft loans.

According to Stockholm Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Military Spending has increased by 3.7% in terms of data for 2022.

• India is the fourth largest spender on military items.
• Global Military Spending- 2.24 trillion Dollars which is equal to 2.2% of the Global GDP.
• Five Largest Military Spenders in the world:

1. USA
2. China
3. Russia
4. India
5. Saudi Arabia

Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe is going to launch Gold-Backed Digital Currency.

• Zimbabwe to keep its economy stable amid the fluctuating status of the dollar, is exploring the launch of a gold-backed digital asset.

India is looking to integrate its power grid with the power grids of Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

• The power Grids of These Three Countries will be connected with Undersea Cables.
• India is taking this decision under One World, One Sun, and One Grid Initiative.

                                                                Economy

India and Ukraine Chamber of Commerce to be set up.

• India and Ukraine Chamber of Commerce to be set up: An India-Ukraine Chamber of Commerce will be established in the upcoming months in an effort to strengthen commercial ties.

                                                             Appointment

Rajesh Kumar Singh has been appointed as Secretary of the Department of Industry and Internal Trade.

• Senior IAS officer Rajesh Kumar Singh on Monday assumed the charge of secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the commerce.
• Rajesh Kumar Singh has replaced Anurag Jain, who was appointed secretary in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

                                                                 Obituary

Pakistani-Canadian journalist Tarek Fatah passes away.

• Tarek Fatah, a Pakistani-Canadian journalist, has passed away from cancer at the age of 73.