Friday, 30 August 2019

Daily updates 22 August 2019

National News

1. Union HRD Minister launches NISHTHA
i. 
Union HRD Minister launched the training programme NISHTHA, (National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement) to improve Learning Outcomes at the Elementary level across the country. This is the largest teachers’ training programme of its kind in the world.
ii. NISHTHA to build capacities of 42 Lakh government teachers across the country. The basic objective of this massive training programme ‘NISHTHA’ is to motivate and equip teachers to encourage and foster critical thinking in students.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

  • Union HRD Minister: Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’.

    2. "Op-Blue Freedom" flag off in Delhi
    i. 
    Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and former India football captain Baichung Bhutia flagged off Op-Blue Freedom in  Delhi. This is an initiative in which a group of armed forces veterans train sports enthusiasts in survival training and self-defence.
    ii. Op-Blue Freedom is a nation-wide adaptive scuba diving programme for people with disabilities as well as the able-bodied. It comes under the parent project "Special Forces Adventures".

    3. Amazon's largest campus in the world inaugurated in Hyderabad
    i. Amazon
     has opened its largest campus in the world in Hyderabad. The campus covers 1.8 million square feet and can accommodate 15,000 workers. 
    ii. This is Amazon's first owned-building outside of the US and and is also its largest tech base outside the Seattle headquarters, which has about 155,000 contract employees.

    Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Clerk Mains:

    • CEO of Amazon: Jeff Bezos; Headquarters: Seattle, United States.

    4. 9th Session of India-Kenya Joint Trade Committee
    i. 
    The 9th Session of the India-Kenya Joint Trade Committee was held in New Delhi. The Joint Trade Committee reviewed the progress in cooperation in the power sector, renewable energy, petroleum and natural gas, civil aviation and agricultural research. 
    ii. The next session of the Joint Trade Committee meeting in Nairobi.
    iii. The Indian delegation was led by Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways. The Kenyan delegation was led by Peter Munya, Minister of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives.

    State News

    5. Super 50 programme launched in Maharashtra
    i. Maharashtra’s
     Tribal Development Department in association with the Pace Educational Trust launched an academic programme "Super 50". The programme has been launched for young tribal students aspiring to be doctors and engineers.
    ii. The Super 50 programme will mentor 50 most meritorious tribal students from the State and prepare them for engineering and medical exams. 
    iii. It will be a two-year residential programme, where the students will be provided hostel and mess facilities, a tablet, NCERT books and career counselling.

    Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB PO Mains:

    • CM of Maharashtra : Devendra Fadnavis; Governor: CH Vidyasagar Rao.

    6. Karnataka tops the State Rooftop Solar Attractiveness Index
    i. 
    The State Rooftop Solar Attractiveness Index-SARAL was launched during the Review Planning and Monitoring (RPM) Meeting with States and State Power Utilities. Karnataka has topped the index which evaluates Indian states based on their attractiveness for rooftop development.
    ii. SARAL currently captures five key aspects:

    • Robustness of policy framework
    • Implementation environment
    • Investment climate
    • Consumer experience
    • Business ecosystem

    iii. SARAL has been designed collaboratively by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation (SSEF), Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) and Ernst & Young (EY).

      Economy News

      7. RBI allows e-mandate for cards for recurring transactions
      i. 
      The Reserve Bank of India has permitted processing of e-mandate on credit and debit cards for recurring transactions (merchant payments). The maximum limit for such a transaction will be Rs 2,000. 
      ii. While processing the first transaction in e-mandate-based recurring transaction series, additional factor authentication (AFA) validation should be performed.
      iii. As per the RBI circular, no charges should be levied or recovered from the card holder for availing the e-mandate facility on cards for recurring transactions. The direction is applicable for transactions performed using all types of cards—debit, credit and Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPIs), including wallets.

      Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Clerk Mains:

      • Governor of RBI: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

        Appointments

        8. Ajay Kumar appointed as Defence Secretary
        i. Ajay Kumar
         has been appointed as Defence Secretary. Ajay Kumar is currently serving as Secretary in Department of Defence Production. He will replace Sanjay Mitra, upon completion of his term. 
        ii. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved his appointments.

        9. Rajiv Gauba appointed as Cabinet Secretary
        i. 
        Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba appointed as a Cabinet secretary for two years. He will replace P.K. Sinha, who was appointed Cabinet Secretary in 2015. 
        ii. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved his appointment.

        Awards

        10. JNU Professor Meeta Narain was conferred the ‘Pushkin Medal 2019’
        i. 
        JNU Professor Meeta Narain was conferred the ‘Pushkin Medal - 2019’. This award is the highest honour given to an Indian scholar by the Russian government.
        ii. Pushkin Medal is given to a scholar of Russian language and literature for outstanding contribution to Russian studies abroad.

        Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB Main 2019:

        • President of Russia: Vladimir Putin; Capital city of Russia: Moscow.

        Books and Authors

        11. Culture Minister to launch book ' The Diary of Manu Gandhi'
        i. 
        Culture Minister will launch the book  "The Diary of Manu Gandhi" at a function in New Delhi.
        ii. The book has been brought out by National Archives of India, on the occasion of 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in collaboration with Oxford University Press. The first volume covers the period 1943-1944.
        iii. 
        The Diary of Manu Gandhi originally in Gujarati has been edited and translated by Dr Tridip Suhrud. Manu Gandhi (Mridula) was a grand niece of Mahatma Gandhi, and stayed with Gandhiji till his assassination.

        Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

        • Union Culture Minister of India: Prahlad Singh Patel.

        Science & Technology

        12. Cerebras Systems reveals "world's largest computer chip"
        i. 
        Artificial intelligence(AI) company Cerebras Systems has unveiled the world’s largest single silicon-based processor named Cerebras Wafer Scale Engine(WSE). 
        ii. This chip has 1.2 trillion transistors, the basic on-off electronic switches that are the building blocks of silicon chips.
        iii. The rectangular shape chip measures 21.5cm sq (8.5in sq), comes with 400,000 AI (Artificial Intelligence) cores and 18 gigabytes of on-chip memory.

        Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB Main 2019:

        • CEO & Co-Founder of Cerebras Systems: Andrew Feldman; Established: 2016.
        • Headquarters: California, USA.

        Sports

        13. Paytm retains title sponsorship of Indian cricket for 5 years
        i. The Board of Control for Cricket in India has announced that mobile payments and e-commerce company "Paytm" has retained the title sponsorship rights. Paytm has retained the title sponsorship rights for all cricket matches, domestic and international, played in India for 5 years.
        ii. Paytm has signed the deal for ₹326.80 crores which it will pay BCCI over a period ranging between 2019 and 2023.

        Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB PO Mains:

        • Paytm Founder: Vijay Shekhar Sharma; Parent Organization: One97 Communications.

        14. Gold medal for India in World Police and Fire Games
        i. B.N.S. Reddy beats Bruce Barrios of the U.S. in the men’s singles final to win the gold medal at the World Police and Fire Games. 
        ii. 
        The tournament was held in Chengdu, China. In the doubles event, Reddy and Surinder Mohan Sharma lost to the pair of Sabandon Eduardo (Phi) and Helminen Risto (Fin) in the finals and bags the silver medal.
        iii. B.N.S. Reddy is a former Additional Commissioner of Police and a current member of the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption Unit.

        Important Days

        15. World Photography Day 2019
        i. World Photography Day is celebrated on 19 August every year. The day is celebrated so that people around the world can communicate their feelings and express themselves through the art of photography.
        ii. World Photography Day is an annual, worldwide celebration of the art, craft, science and history of photography.

        16. International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief: 22 August
        i. United Nations observes 22 August every year as “International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief”
        ii. The day is observed to strongly condemn continuing violence and acts of terrorism targeting individuals, including persons belonging to religious minorities, on the basis of or in the name of religion or belief.

        Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Clerk Mains:

        • Headquarters of United Nations: New York; Secretary General of the United Nations: António Guterres.

        17. International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism: 21 August
        i. United Nations observes 21 August every year as International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism
        ii. This year, the 2nd commemoration of the day will focus on the resilience of victims and their families, how they have coped and what they have done to transform their experiences to aid healing and recovery as well as become stronger and more united against terrorism.
        iii. To observe the International Day, the United Nations Office of Counter Terrorism (UNOCT) and the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism will launch a photographic exhibition on August 21 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

        Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB PO Mains:

        • Secretary General of the United Nations: António Guterres.


        Daily updates 23 August 2019

        National News

        1. New set of health warnings on "Tobacco packs"
        i.
         The Health Ministry has notified the new warnings on "Tobacco packs". It has been done by making an amendment in the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labeling) Rules, 2008.
        ii. The text messages that will be printed on the packs are "tobacco causes painful death". A quitline number "1800-11-2356" will also be printed on the packs.
        iii. The new sets of health warnings, including enlarged pictorial images and text messages, covering 85% of the packet area will assist the users to quit. This will help in creating awareness among tobacco users and gives them access to counselling services to effect behaviour change.

        Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Clerk Mains:

        • Union Minister of Ministry of Family & Health Welfare: Harsh Vardhan.

            2. India to launch e-commerce portal "Bharatcraft" for MSME's
            i.
             Union Government is planning to launch an e-commerce portal named "Bharatcraft" for MSME's. The portal is based on other e-commerce portals like 'Alibaba' and 'Amazon'. The portal will provide a platform for MSMEs to market and sell their products and in turn boost the sector. 
            ii. As per the MSME Union Minister, the Bharatcraft portal has a huge potential to generate revenue worth ₹10 lakh crore in the next 2-3 years.

            Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB PO Mains:

            • Union Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises: Nitin Gadkari.

            International News

            3. FATF Asia-Pacific Group blacklists Pakistan
            i. Pakistan
             has been placed on the blacklist of the Financial Action Task Force’s Asia Pacific Group. Pakistan has been blacklisted for non-compliance and non-enforcement of safeguards against terror financing and money laundering.
            ii. Pakistan has failed in 32 of 40 ‘compliance’ parameters for its legal and financial systems. Pakistan has also failed in 10 of 11 ‘effectiveness’ parameters for enforcing safeguards against terror-financing and money-laundering by UN-sanctioned entities and other non-government outfits.

            Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB PO Mains:

            • Pakistan Capital: Islamabad, PM: Imran Khan, President: Arif Alvi.

              4. Iran unveils new missile defence system "Bavar-373"
              i. Iran
               has unveiled new missile defence system "Bavar-373". This is also Iran's first domestically produced long-range missile defence system which has been inducted into the country's missile defence network. The system was unveiled at an occasion of Iran's National Defense Industry Day.

              Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB PO Mains:

              • Iran Capital: Tehran; Currency: Rial; President of Iran: Hassan Rouhani.

              5. Discovery, WWF tie up to preserve Sundarbans
              i. Discovery India and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) India
               have partnered with the Forest Directorate, the government of West Bengal and local communities to preserve Sundarbans. This move is to protect the Sundarbans, the mangrove forest, the habitat of Bengal tigers, to reduce the tiger-human conflict. The move is also a part of a global movement “Project CAT -Conserving Acres for Tigers” which aimed at building healthy habitats for Tigers.

              Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB Main 2019:

              • Chief Minister of West Bengal: Mamta Banerjee.
              • Governor of West Bengal: Jagdeep Dhankhar.

              Banking

              6. Acko partners with ZestMoney to offer credit insurance
              i. Acko General Insurance,
               an insurtech company, has partnered with ZestMoney, a consumer lending fintech, to offer credit insurance. This insurance will help ZestMoney customers cover their monthly EMI payments during times of crisis.
              ii. Acko will offer credit insurance to these consumers and cover them during eventualities like hospitalization or critical illness when they’re unable to pay their instalments. ZestMoney offers instant financing to consumers across 1000+ online portals and provides them with the option of paying through EMIs even if the consumers don’t own a credit card.

              Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

              • CEO of Acko General Insurance: Varun Dua.
              • CEO of ZestMoney: Lizzie Chapman.

              7. SEBI announces Rs 1 crore reward for insider trading informants
              i.
               The Securities and Exchange Board of India has announced a new mechanism to reward insider trading informants to uncover insider trading cases. The reward would be 10 per cent of the money collected, subject to a maximum amount of Rs 1 crore
              ii. These benefits would only be available to individuals and corporates. This is not applicable for professionals like auditors who are duty-bound to report any wrongdoing.
              iii. The above announcement is a part of the detailed set of rules for the new 'Informant Mechanism' under Prohibition of Insider Trading Regulations that has been approved by the SEBI board.
              iv. SEBI will also establish an Office of Informant Protection, which will be responsible for the receipt, registration and processing of the disclosure form and also for ascertaining its authenticity.

              Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB PO Mains:

              • SEBI Headquarter: Mumbai; Chairman: Ajay Tyagi.

                  Appointments

                  8. Ajay Kumar Bhalla appointed as Home Secretary
                  i. Ajay Kumar Bhalla
                   was appointed as the new Union Home Secretary. He is currently serving as an officer on special duty in the home ministry. He replaces Rajiv Gauba, who was appointed as the new cabinet secretary.
                  ii. The Appointments Committee of the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved Bhalla's appointment as the new home secretary.

                  Agreement

                  9. AWHO and Tata Realty sign MoU for quality housing
                  i. Army Welfare Housing Organization (AWHO) and Tata Realty & Housing
                   have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU). This MoU enables the personnel of Indian Army to immediately take over dwelling units in 13 ‘Ready to Move in’ projects of Tata Realty spread over 10 cities at a discount ranging from 11% to 27%.
                  ii. Army Welfare Housing Organization (AWHO), which has always endeavoured to provide quality housing for Army personnel who are deployed in remote locations across the country. AWHO will now facilitate the acquisition of homes from reputed private builders at discounted rather than building them for the soldiers.

                  Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

                  • Chief of the Army Staff: General Bipin Rawat.

                  Awards

                  10. WCD Minister Smriti Irani distributed the Poshan Abhiyaan Awards for 2018-19
                  i.
                   Women and Child Development Minister distributed the Poshan Abhiyaan Awards for 2018-19 in different categories in New Delhi.
                  ii. The awards were given to the States, Districts, Blocks and Anganwadi Workers for their contributions in scaling up the Abhiyaan and ensuring that it reaches every household in the country. iii. The awards are aimed at motivating the primary stakeholders and encourage large scale citizen participation in creating awareness to combat malnutrition.

                  Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB Main 2019:

                  • Union Women and Child Development Minister: Smriti Irani.

                  Ranks and Report

                  11. Akshay Kumar takes 4th spot in Forbes highest-paid actors list 2019
                  i.
                   Bollywood Actor Akshay Kumar has made it to the 4th position on the Forbes magazine’s Worlds Highest-Paid Actors Of 2019 list. Akshay has raked in $65 million. Hollywood star Dwayne ‘Rock’ Johnson tops the Forbes list of the 10 highest-paid actors.

                  Here’s the list of the World’s Highest-Paid Actors Of 2019 listed by Forbes:
                  1. Dwayne Johnson ($89.4 million)
                  2. Chris Hemsworth ($76.4 million)
                  3. Robert Downey Jr. ($66 million)
                  4. Akshay Kumar ($65 million)

                    Science & Technology

                    12. Russia sends its first humanoid robot Fedor into space
                    i.
                     Russia launched an unmanned rocket carrying a life-size humanoid robot named Fedor, (Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research). It is a silvery anthropomorphic robot stands 1.80 metres (5 foot 11 inches) tall and weighs 160 kilogrammes (353 pounds).
                    ii. Fedor will spend 10 days learning to assist astronauts on the International Space Station. It blasted off in a Soyuz MS-14 spacecraft from Russia's Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

                    Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Main 2019:

                    • President of Russia: Vladimir Putin; Capital of Russia: Moscow.
                    • Currency of Russia: Russian ruble; PM of Russia: Dmitry Medvedev. 

                    Sports

                    13. Vikram Rathour appointed as Team India's batting coach
                    i.
                     Former Indian opener Vikram Rathour appointed as team India's new batting coach. He will replace Sanjay Bangar. While Bharath Arun and R. Sridhar were retained as bowling and fielding coaches.
                    ii. The 50-year-old Rathour has played 6 Tests and 7 ODIs in 1996. He was a senior national selector under Sandeep Patil's chairmanship.

                    Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB Main 2019:

                    • Senior National Cricket selection committee head: MSK Prasad.

                    Important Days

                    14. International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition: 23 August
                    i.
                     United Nations observes 23 August every year as “International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition”. 
                    ii. The Day is observed to inscribe the tragedy of the slave trade in the memory of all peoples. The day was designated by UNESCO to memorialize the transatlantic slave trade.

                    Static/Current Takeaways Important For EPFO/LIC ADO Mains:

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

                    Miscellaneous

                    15. NDTV's interim CEO Suparna Singh steps down
                    i. Suparna Singh
                    , interim CEO of NDTV has resigned with immediate effect. She becomes interim CEO of NDTV in 2017 with approval from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.


                    Daily updates 24 August 2019

                    National News

                    1. Former finance minister Arun Jaitley passes away
                    i. Former Union finance minister and senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley passed away. He was a lawyer by profession. He held the portfolios of Finance Ministry, Corporate Affairs Ministry, Defence Ministry, and Minister of Information and Broadcasting.

                    2. President Kovind inaugurates the First World Youth Conference
                    i.
                     President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the first-ever World Youth Conference. Which was organised by the UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) at Vigyan Bhavan, Delhi.
                    ii.
                     The theme of the conference was ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: Gandhi for the Contemporary World: Celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. 
                    iii. The conference was in commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi and aimed at providing youth with creative, effective methods of engaging and realising the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

                    3. Minority Affairs Ministry Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to inaugurate “Hunar Haat”
                    i.
                     Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Chief Minister of Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot will inaugurate this “Hunar Haat” at Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur.
                    ii. “Hunar Haat” has proved to be an effective programme to provide employment and employment opportunities to master artisans. More than 2 lakh 40 thousand master artisans, craftsmen and culinary experts have been provided employment and employment opportunities.

                    International News

                    4. Russia launches floating nuclear reactor in Arctic
                    i. Russia
                     launched the world's first floating nuclear reactor. The vessel weighs 21,000 tons and has two reactors with a capacity of 35 megawatts each. This reactor loaded with nuclear fuel, the Akademik Lomonosov left the Arctic port of Murmansk to begin its 5,000 kilometres (3,000-mile) voyage to Pevek in northeastern Siberia.

                    Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB Main 2019:

                    • President of Russia: Vladimir Putin; Capital of Russia: Moscow.
                    • Currency of Russia: Russian ruble.
                    • PM of Russia: Dmitry Medvedev.

                    State news

                    5. 24th Meeting of Western Zonal Council held in Panaji
                    i.
                     The 24th Meeting of Western Zonal Council was held in Panaji, Goa. It was chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Goa being host state. Western Zonal Council is a forum for the Centre and the states to cooperate and exchange ideas and experiences on issues related to health, security and social welfare.

                    Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

                    • Chief Minister of Goa: Pramod Sawant; Governor of Goa: Mridula Sinha.

                    Agreement

                    6. BookMyForex, YES Bank tie up for foreign exchange travel card
                    i. BookMyForex.com,
                     a marketplace for foreign exchange and remittances, has partnered with YES Bank to launch a co-branded multi-currency forex travel card for Indian overseas travellers.
                    ii. In this Partnership, customers will now be able to buy forex travel cards at the click of a button on the BookMyForex platform and get free doorstep delivery across major cities in India. BookMyForex will offer zero margin or exact inter-bank rates 24x7 on forex card sales.

                    Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB Main 2019:

                    • CEO of YES Bank: Ravneet Gill; Headquarter of YES Bank: Mumbai.

                      Ranks and Report

                      7. 'Statue of Unity', Mumbai's Soho House among Time's 100 greatest places in the world
                      i. The 597-ft tall 'Statue of Unity' in Gujarat and Mumbai's Soho House have been featured by the Time magazine in its second annual list of the 2019 World's greatest places, in a compilation of 100 new and newly "noteworthy destinations.
                      ii. The 'Statue of Unity', the world's tallest statue, is a tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, independent India's first home minister as well as deputy prime minister. Soho House Mumbai is Asia's first Soho House that puts a local spin on the "formula that has allowed Nick Jones' members-­only clubs to blossom across the US and Europe".

                        Science & Technology

                        8. NASA honours Rolling Stones by naming rock on Mars
                        i. NASA announced that it has named rock on Mars in honour of the iconic English band, The Rolling Stones. The space agency revealing that the "Rolling Stones Rock" was a stone that was sent rolling after NASA's InSight lander touched down on the Mars' surface.

                        Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

                        • NASA Administrator: Jim Bridenstine.
                        • NASA established: 29 July 1958.

                          Sports

                          9. India won Bronze in World Archery Youth Championships
                          i. The Indian team of Sukhbeer Singh, Sangampreet Singh Bisla and Tushar Phadtare clinched a bronze medal in the junior compound men's team event in the World Archery Youth Championships in Madrid, Spain. They defeat Colombia's Jagdeep Teji Singh Mejia, Gomez Zuluaga Felipe and Toro Vasquez Manuel 234-231.

                            Miscellaneous

                            10. Ocean energy gets renewable energy status
                            i. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has declared Ocean Energy as renewable energy status. It has clarified to all stakeholders that energy produced using various forms of ocean energy such as tidal, wave and ocean thermal energy conversion and shall be eligible for meeting the non-solar Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO).

                            Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB Main 2019:

                            • Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy: Raj Kumar Singh.