Source: Cick Here

• The US has imposed sanctions on Pakistan after Islamabad refused to take back its citizen deportees and visa over-stayers from America, warning that it may withhold visas of Pakistanis beginning from its senior officials.


• The state department said that consular operations in Pakistan remain "unchanged" as of now but as a result of such a sanction mentioned in a Federal Register notification dated [latex]22^{nd}[/latex] April, the US may withhold visas of Pakistanis beginning with its senior officials.


• Pakistan is the latest to join the list of 10 nations that have been imposed with sanctions under a US law according to which countries refusing to take back deportees and visa over-stayers will be denied American visas.

Source: Cick Here

• Sri Lankan security forces raided a safe house of Islamic State affiliated militants in the east of the country and killed at least two men in an exchange of fire.


• Gunmen opened fire on troops when they attempted to storm the house in the town of Kalmunai, spokesman Sumith Atapattu said. "In our retaliatory fire, two gunmen were killed," he said adding that a civilian caught in the crossfire was also killed.

Source: Cick Here

• Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan held separate meetings with IMF chief Christine Lagarde and World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva here and discussed the cash-strapped country's efforts to tide over the financial woes.


• Pakistan is seeking $8 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to bail itself out from a severe balance-of-payments crisis that threatens to cripple the country's economy.

Source: Cick Here

• 5th Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Media Summit on Climate Action and Disaster Preparedness has started in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal with a theme of “Media Solutions for Sustainable Future: Saving Lives, Building Resilient Communities”.


• The aim of this summit is to address the key issue of utilizing media’s full potential of accelerating climate action and disaster preparedness and connect different stakeholders to media professionals for collaboration and joint practical projects.


• A two-day event marked the fourth anniversary of the Gorkha earthquake in which over 9,000 people were lost their life, around 22,000 people were injured and hundreds of thousands of people became homeless and one-third of the Nepalese economy wiped out.


• This summit was hosted by the Nepal government and organized by Radio Nepal, Nepal TV and ABU, led by Nepal’s Communication and Information Technology ministry.


• Over 200 participants have attended the event which includes political leaders, representatives of UN agencies and NGOs, climate change and disaster management experts, scientists and media persons.

Source: Cick Here

• The Indian Army has started the process of inducting women as jawans by starting their online registration for recruitment in the corps of military police.


• They were being inducted only as officers and this is the first time they would be taken in as soldiers.

Source: Cick Here

• In a letter to ECI, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu registered a complaint against the state's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Gopal Krishna Dwivedi.


• "The CEO reportedly mentioned that the Chief Minister doesn't have powers to review the departments. CEO's reported comments are without any jurisdiction as there is no such provision in the MCC," alleged Naidu.

Source: Cick Here

• The Indian Council of Medical Research has launched the ‘Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA) India which is a conglomeration of partners working on malaria control in order to eliminate the disease from India by 2030.


• India has made impressive progress in malaria control over the past two decades. The disease has declined by over 80 percent, 2.03 million cases in 2000 to 0.39 million in 2018, and malaria deaths by over 90 percent, 932 deaths in 2000 to 85 in 2018.


• The National Vector Borne Diseases Control Program (NVBDCP) of India has developed a comprehensive framework to achieve the target of “Malaria free India by 2030” and for this reason the Malaria Elimination Research Alliance (MERA) India established.


• This alliance is important to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. It will facilitate trans-institutional coordination around a shared research agenda which response to programmatic challenges and addresses gaps in available tools as well as proactively contributes to targeted research.

Source: Cick Here

• The Election Commission banned West Bengal BJP leader Mahadev Sarkar from campaigning for 48 hours, starting 4 pm on [latex]26^{th}[/latex] April, for allegedly making sexist remarks against TMC leader Mahua Moitra.


• According to Moitra's petition, Sarkar had said that she has forgotten Indian culture. He also reportedly described "shame" as a woman's ornament and suggested that Moitra was shameless.

Source: Cick Here

• The Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shiksha Parishad (UPMSP) will declare the results for the Class 10 board exams today (Saturday, 27 April) at 12.30 pm. Candidates who appeared for the board exams, both Class 10 and Class 12, can check their scores on the official website — upmsp.edu.in.


• This year, as many as 31,95,603 candidates appeared for the Class 10 exams conducted by the Uttar Pradesh board from 7 to 28 February.

Source: Cick Here

• After facing server shutdown, affecting flight operations for several hours, national carrier Air India has managed to restore its system.


• The national carrier tweeted that the "temporary glitch" was restored at 8:45 am. "Between 3:30 to 4:30 am today, passenger services system of Air India that is run by SITA was taken for maintenance and after that it remained down till 8:45 am, it has just come back. System restored.


• During the day we will see consequential delays," Air India chairman Ashwani Lohani was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.


• Flight operations of the national carrier have been affected across India and abroad since early this morning due to a problem in the airline's main server. The national carrier said that "breakdown" in its server system has affected its flights all over the world.

Source: Cick Here

• Shatrughan Sinha says From Gandhi to Jinnah, all part of Congress Parivar, played important role in India's independence.


• With just two days away from the fourth phase of polling for the Lok Sabha election, Saturday is all set to witness a packed performance as political leaders will hold several rallies throughout the nation.


• The campaigning for the fourth phase also comes to an end on Saturday. A total of 18 booths 17 Lok Sabha and Assembly and one for only Assembly in Arunachal Pradesh is also set for re-polling for Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.


• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and several other leaders will hold rallies.

Source: Cick Here

• The Reserve Bank of India announced it will shortly issue new ₹20 denomination banknotes in the Mahatma Gandhi (New) Series.


• The RBI said that the base colour of the banknotes, which will have the motif of the Ellora Caves on the reverse, will be greenish yellow. Dimensions of the new banknote will be 63 mm x 129 mm.

Source: Cick Here

• State Bank of India (SBI) has launched India’s first ‘Green Car Loan’ (Electric Vehicle) to encourage customers to buy electric vehicles.


• The new scheme ‘Green Car Loan’ will offer the loan at 20 basis points lower than the interest rate on the existing car loan schemes.


• SBI has already notified 100% migration to EVs (Electric Vehicles) by 2030 in order to decrease carbon footprints, thus being in line with the government’s pledge of ensuring 30% EVs on road by 2030.

Source: Cick Here

• The Finance Ministry has approved 8.65 per cent rate of interest on Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) for 2018-19 as decided by retirement fund body EPFO, benefitting more than 6 crore formal sector workers.


• The interest rate on EPF was hiked to 8.65 per cent for the last fiscal from 8.55 per cent provided in 2017-18. The EPFO had earlier reduced the interest rate in 2016-17 to 8.65 per cent from 8.8 per cent in 2015-16.

Source: Cick Here

• The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to implement e-mandates (electronic mandates) for internet banking and debit cards, which will allow the users to automatically deal with their recurring payments.


• Within June 30th, NPCI has informed all the member banks to take immediate measure and implement both the variants.


• The limit for each mandate is set at Rs 1 Lakh, and depending on the usage, the organisation will review the limit from time to time.


• The circular notified that the NACH (National Automated Clearing House) mandates can be used for business to business (B2B) collections, investments, insurance products, utility payments, government payments, trades receivables, loan repayments, asset rentals and collection of education/society charges.


• Both e-NACH and e-mandates are 2 different services. The e-NACH services are controlled by NPCI and is available at over 40 banks, while the e-mandates are provided by individual banks.


• Presently, private sector banks, namely, Yes Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Axis Bank and IndusInd Bank have launched their e-Mandates. The public sector banks that offer the services are Central Bank of India, Bank of Baroda and Punjab National Bank.

Source: Cick Here

• India's Divyansh Singh Panwar secured the country's fourth Olympic quota place in shooting by winning a silver in the ISSF World Cup in Beijing.


• The 17-year-old teenager Divyansh finished second in the 10m air rifle event in the International Shooting Sport Federation World Cup for pistol and rifle shooters.


• This is India's fourth 2020 Tokyo Olympic quota after Anjum Moudgil and Apurvi Chandela (10m air rifle women) and Saurabh Choudhary (10m Air Pistol men) had secured berths in the earlier World Cups and last year's World Championship.

Source: Cick Here

• Rohit leads from the front; the home team, sans Dhoni, comes up with a spiritless show.


• Cricketing tales hang on slender threads. The opportunity appears and then disappears.


• Chennai Super Kings allowed its moment to fly away. Not appealing for a caught behind when Harbhajan Singh got a delivery to dip, turn and bounce at the left-handed Evin Lewis (on 12), was a match-altering point of the contest.


• Wicketkeeper Ambati Rayudu, standing in for the indisposed M.S. Dhoni, gathered the ball even as Lewis floundered. Nobody asked the umpire the question. Replays revealed a clear edge.

Source: Cick Here

• Indian cricketer, Ajinkya Madhukar Rahane became the first overseas player from India to represent Hampshire and he will replace Aiden Kyle Markram, who will join the national team for the World Cup.


• 30-year-old Indian will feature in eight Specsavers County Championship fixtures throughout May, June and start of July, subject to visa clearance.


• It is expected to make his debut against Warwickshire at Edgbaston from 14 May.


• In Indian Premier League, he plays for Rajasthan Royals.

Source: Cick Here

• British Indian novelist Rana Dasgupta has been awarded the second edition of Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2019 for his 2010 novel “Solo”, deals with a tale of estrangement and the ultimate failure of material existence.


• The Award included a Tagore statue, a certificate for contribution to literature and a cash prize of $10,000 each.


• World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador Yohei Sasakawa has been awarded the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize for social achievement 2019 for his incredible efforts to uproot leprosy and great contribution to world peace.


• Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen the Taiwanese people were awarded Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize for Social Achievement as “a beacon of democracy”.


• Rana was awarded Ryszard Kapuscinski Award in 2016 for the novel “Capital: The Eruption of Delhi”. Besides, He also received Commonwealth Writers’ prize in 2010 for “Solo”.

Source: Cick Here

• Derek C Lalchhanhima, a six-year-old Mizoram boy who rushed a chicken to hospital after he accidentally ran over it with his cycle, has received 'Compassionate Kid' award by PETA India.


• The organisation acknowledged his action for being an inspiration to other children. Derek's photo holding the chicken in one hand and ₹10 in other had gone viral on social media.

Source: Cick Here

• Pankaj Advani, the 21-time India’s cueist defeated Ehsan Heydari Nezhad of Iran 6-4 to clinch the first Asian Snooker Tour title.


• Pankaj Advani beat Nezhad by 52-40, 66(58)-0, 1-63(62), 78-4, 35-47, 0-51, 47-35, 38-39, 53(49)-35, 51(50)-20 in the final and had previously defeated Aung Phyo of Myanmar (5-2) 50-27, 92(92)-0, 86(86)-15, 12-62, 54-30, 24-70, 79-5 in the semifinal.


• He had previously bagged the 2nd leg of the Tour in China and was leading the ranking before the final leg of the Tour in Bengaluru.

Source: Cick Here

• Former executive director of LIC of India, Siddhartha Mohanty has been appointed as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of LIC Housing Finance.


• He started his career with LIC of India in 1985.


• He also served as Chief of Investments (Monitoring), Regional Head of marketing channel in Western Zone spanning the States of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa and was the Senior Divisional Manager in-charge of Raipur and Cuttack divisions of LIC.

Source: Cick Here

• Terry Rawlings, a British film editor, who earned BAFTA nominations for his work on ‘Alien’ in 1980 and ‘Blade Runner’ in 1983 as well as Oscar nomination for ‘Chariots of Fire’ in 1982, died at his home in Hertfordshire, England at the age of 85.


• He was a founding member of the Guild of British Film and Television Editors and elected as a member in the American Cinema Editors. He was honoured with American Cinema Editors’ Career Achievement Award in 2006.

A. 24th April B. 25th April C. 26th April D. 27th April Answer: C

A. Sweden B. Seychelles C. South Africa D. Saudi Arabia Answer: B

A. Dengue B. Malaria C. Tuberculosis D. Typhoid Answer: B

A. Justice Indu Malhotra B. Justice R Banumathi C. Justice UU Lalit D. Justice AM Khanwilkar Answer: A

A. Justice AK Sikri B. Former CJI Dipak Misra C. Justice Kurian Joseph D. Justice A K Patnaik Answer: D

A. Sri Lanka B. India C. Indonesia D. Malaysia Answer: C

A. Australia B. United States C. New Zealand D. South Africa Answer: B

A. United States B. India C. Bangladesh D. China Answer: D

A. 1st B. 2nd C. 3rd D. 4th Answer: C

A. 11 January B. 04th March C. 16 April D. 28th February Answer: D

A. Innovation – Improving Lives B. Get Up, Stand Up. For Music C. Reach for Gold: IP and Sports D. Designing the Future Answer: C

A. Dr Sushil Sharma B. Dr Rakesh Nath C. Dr Benny Antony D. Dr Sanjay Mishra Answer: C

A. Dalbir Singh Suhag B. Bikram Singh C. Deepak Kapoor D. Joginder Jaswant Singh Answer: A

A. New Delhi B. Kathmandu C. Tokyo D. Malaysia Answer: B

A. Biswa Sarma B. Pradeep Mathur C. Vikram Kirloskar D. Uttam Pacharne Answer: C

A. 10th B. 20th C. 15th D. 19th Answer: D

A. 22nd April B. 23rd April C. 24th April D. 25th April Answer: B

A. Japan B. Saudi Arabia C. Canada D. India Answer: B

A. State Bank of India B. Punjab National Bank C. Union Bank of India D. Syndicate Bank Answer: D

A. Mount Singabung B. Mount Merapi C. Mount Rinjani D. Mount Agung Answer: D