Daily updates 9 October 2019

           National

1. AIIMS & Health ministry launches "eDantSeva"

• The All India Institute of Medical Sciences in collaboration with the Union Health Ministry launched the 1st-ever website and mobile application on oral health awareness "eDantSeva".
• The digital platform contains information about the National Oral Health Programme and a detailed list of all the dental facility and colleges, Information, Education and Communication (IEC) material.
• It also constitutes a unique feature called the 'Symptom Checker'. The website also provides GPRS route and satellite images of the facility for easier access to the people.
• A Braille booklet and voice-over on oral health education for visually impaired was also released on the occasion.

2. CBDT launches Faceless e-Assessment scheme

• The Central Board of Direct Taxes has launched "Faceless e-Assessment scheme" that eliminates physical interface between an assessing officer and an assessee. They also inaugurated the National e-Assessment Centre (NeAC).
• The "Faceless e-assessment scheme" is expected to bring in a “paradigm shift” in taxation by eliminating human interface in the income tax assessment system.
• A total of 2,686 officials of the I-T department have been deputed for implementation of the scheme. With NeAC, there would be no physical interface between the tax payers and the tax officers.
• Also, the above will bring transparency and efficiency and will improve the quality of assessment and monitoring.
• There would be a NeAC in Delhi to be headed by Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax.
• There are 8 Regional e-Assessment Centres (ReAC) set up at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata Ahmedabad, Pune, Bengaluru and Hyderabad which would comprise Assessment unit, Review unit, Technical unit and Verification units.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Clerk Mains:

• Chairman of CBDT: P.C. Mody.

3. India receives 1st Rafale fighter jet built for Indian Air Force

• India has got the 1st Rafale fighter jet "RB-001" built for the Indian Air Force (IAF) in France. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh received the 1st Rafale combat jet aircraft at Production Unit of Dassault Aviation in France.
• However, the first batch of jets will arrive in India only in May 2020. Defence Minister also held the Annual Defence dialogue with his French counterpart Florence Parly.
• The RB in the aircraft designation stands for IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal R.K.S. Bhadauria who as then Deputy Chief of IAF led the Indian negotiation team and had a major role in the contract negotiations.

4. Air Force Day: 8th october

• Air Force Day is celebrated every year by the Indian Air Force on 8th of October. This year Indian Air Force celebrated its 87th anniversary. The IAF was founded on October 8, 1932.
• On the occasion of 87th anniversary of Indian Air Force, a scintillating air display by various aircraft was organized as the hallmark of the Air Force Day Parade-cum-Investiture Ceremony.
• The display commenced with flag bearing skydivers of the famous AKASH GANGA Team dropping out of an AN-32 aircraft in their colourful canopies.
• Indian Air Force officers who participated in the Balakot airstrike, flew three Mirage 2000 aircraft and two Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft in Avenger formation during the event.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Main 2019:

• Air Force Chief: Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria.

International News

5. Antonio Costa re-elected as the PM of Portugal

• Antonio Costa has been re-elected as the Prime Minister of Portugal after winning the general elections.
• Antonio Costa, the Socialist leader and incumbent prime minister, got the most votes in Portugal’s general election, leaving it poised to continue leading the government for another four years.

Awards

6. The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2019

• The Nobel Assembly has announced the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine at Karolinska Institutet.
• The prize will be awarded jointly to William G. Kaelin, Sir Peter J. Ratcliffe and Gregg L. Semenza. They have been nominated for the prize for their discoveries of how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability.
• The prize committees are currently working carefully and independently to select the recipients of the 2019 Nobel Prize and the laureates for other fields: Physics, Chemistry, Literature, Peace Prize and the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel.
• The recipient for above prizes will be announced as per the schedule between 8th to 14th October, 2019.

7. The Nobel Prize in Physics 2019

• The Nobel Assembly has announced the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics. The prize will be awarded to James Peebles, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz.
• James Peebles was honoured for his contributions to the understanding of the evolution of the Universe and Earth's place in the cosmos. Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz were awarded the prize for finding 51 Pegasi b, a gas giant orbiting a star 50 light-years away.
• It was the first exoplanet to be discovered orbiting a star like our own.

8. "Spirit Of Kerala" wins People's Choice Award

• Short film from Kerala "Spirit Of Kerala" has won the People's Choice Award at the recently concluded My Rode Reel film competition.
• The film won the honour beating 1,680 entries. The short film is based on a boat race and directed by Arun Joseph.
• My Rode Reel film competition is touted as the ‘world’s largest short film competition’.

9. The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2019

• The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2019.
• The prize will be awarded jointly to John B. Goodenough, M. Stanley Whittingham and Akira Yoshino. They have been nominated for the prize for the development of lithium-ion batteries.
• This lightweight, rechargeable and powerful battery is now used in everything from mobile phones to laptops and electric vehicles.

Business News

10. Reliance MF renamed as "Nippon India Mutual Fund"

• Reliance Mutual Fund has been renamed as "Nippon India Mutual Fund". The organization was renamed following the purchase of 75% stake in Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management by Nippon Life Insurance.
• Nippon India Mutual Fund has become the largest foreign-owned Asset Management Company in India. Sundeep Sikka will continue to lead company as the CEO.

11. Infosys bags digital transformation services deal from Volvo

• Infosys has been selected as the main supplier to deliver Volvo Cars’ digital transformation services for its enterprise digital commercial operations applications and products.
• Infosys will offer next generation application services leveraging its global delivery model (GDM), agile delivery, automation and other service optimisation levers to deliver effective service operations.
• Based on the Scale Agile Framework (SAFe), Infosys will enable transformation of application management and application development deliveries to a 100% agile operating model.

Ranks and Reports

12. India ranks 68th on WEF's Global Competitiveness Index

• World Economic Forum has released the Global Competitiveness Index report. In total, there are 103 indicators distributed across the 12 pillars on which the performance of the countries was evaluated.
• As per the WEF's released report, India has moved down 10 places to rank 68th on an annual global competitiveness index which was topped by Singapore.
• India is among the worst-performing BRICS nations along with Brazil which is ranked 71st this year.
• WEF stated that India ranks high in terms of macroeconomic stability and market size, while its financial sector is relatively deep and stable despite the high delinquency rate, which contributes to weakening the soundness of its banking system.
• Here is the detailed ranking of India in individual pillars across which the performance of the countries was evaluated:

Sl. No.	Pillars	Rank
1.	Institutions	59
2.	Infrastructure	70
3.	ICT Adoption	120
4.	Macroeconomic Stability	43
5.	Health	110
6.	Skills	107
7.	Product Market	101
8.	Labour Market	103
9.	Financial System	40
10.	Market Size	3
11.	Business Dynamism	69
12.	Innovation Capability	35

Important Days

13. World Habitat Day: 7 October

• The United Nations designated the first Monday of October of every year as World Habitat Day. The Day is observed to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns.
• The focus of this year’s World Habitat Day is promoting the contribution of innovative frontier technologies to sustainable waste management to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 11: inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities.
• Theme for 2019: Frontier Technologies as an innovative tool to transform waste to wealth.
• This year’s Global Observance of World Habitat Day will be held in Mexico City.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Clerk Mains:

• Headquarters of United Nations: New York, USA; Founded: 24 October 1945.
• Secretary General of the United Nations: Antonio Guterres.

14. World Post Day: 9 October

• United Nations celebrates World Post Day every year on 9 October. The purpose of World Post Day is to bring awareness to the Post’s role in the everyday lives of people and businesses, as well as its contribution to global social and economic development.
• The Posts in many countries use the event to introduce or promote new postal products and services.
• The day marks the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in the Swiss Capital, Bern. It was declared World Post Day by the UPU Congress held in Tokyo, Japan in 1969.

Sports

15. Simone Biles wins 15th world title

• Simone Biles has clinched a record-extending 15th World Gymnastics Championship title in Stuttgart, Germany. With the victory, she has become the event's most decorated woman.
• Simone Biles won a record 21st medal at the world gymnastics championships as the United States retained their women's team all-around title.
• Biles played a key role in a commanding performance by the USA, earning the most points in three of the four disciplines: the vault, balance beam and floor.

Miscellaneous

16. Day Care Recreation Centre inaugurated in Leh

• The 1st Government-sponsored and operated Day-Care cum Recreation Centre for senior citizens has been inaugurated in Leh.
• The day care Centre, co-sponsored by Government and the District Legal Service Authority will provide a raft of medical facilities including geriatric care, health consultations and check-ups, physiotherapy to the senior citizens. It would also provide legal service, the senior citizens would require on various legal issues.
• The premise would be a one stop-shop for entertainment, medical services and legal aid for the aged people of the Ladakh region.