"High 'R' Value Cause For Concern No Matter How Low Cases Are": Centre

New Delhi : The national 'R' value, or the reproductive rate of the coronavirus, is over the 1.0 mark, the government said today, amid continuing fears a third wave of infections could strike this month.

During a scheduled briefing on the Covid situation in the country, the Health Ministry furnished data that showed the national 'R' value crossing the 1.0-mark last month; the last time it was over this level was in March when it was 1.32, and that was before the second wave.

According to the government (and as of today), Punjab and Himachal Pradesh have an effective 'R' value of 1.3, and Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh have 'R' values of 1.1 and 1.0. Expected change in daily cases from three states is "likely increasing"; the trend from Punjab is "increasing".

Other states reporting high 'R' values are Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh (both 1.1), and Goa and Nagaland (both 1.0). The trend in daily new cases from these are "stable".No matter how low (daily) cases are, if 'R' value is over 1.0 it should be cause for concern," the government said, on a day India reported 28,204 new cases in 24 hours - the lowest in five months.

Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have reported a combined 36.91 lakh cases so far. Gujarat has reported over 8.25 lakh cases, Madhya Pradesh nearly eight lakh and Punjab around six lakh. Himachal Pradesh has reported over two lakh cases, Goa around 1.7 lakh and Nagaland 28,000.

"No matter how low (daily) cases are, if 'R' value is over 1.0 it should be cause for concern," the government said, on a day India reported 28,204 new cases in 24 hours - the lowest in five months.

Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have reported a combined 36.91 lakh cases so far. Gujarat has reported over 8.25 lakh cases, Madhya Pradesh nearly eight lakh and Punjab around six lakh. Himachal Pradesh has reported over two lakh cases, Goa around 1.7 lakh and Nagaland 28,000.

In an earlier briefing the government had also said that the 'R' value for Kerala - which has replaced Maharashtra as the epicentre of new Covid cases in India - was 1.1.

Today the government said 51.51 per cent of new cases this past week were from the state.

Kerala reported over 13,000 new COVID-19 cases in 24 hours, data from this morning showed. The southern state now has over 1.7 lakh active cases and a cumulative total of 35.66 lakh.

Concern over the 'R' value has been expressed repeatedly by experts over the past few weeks.

In June this number was less than 0.75. Since then it has inched its way up - a potentially alarming statistic hidden, to some extent, by declining daily new cases.

In early July the national 'R' value was around 0.87 and by the middle of the month it was 0.95.

Last week Dr Randeep Guleria told NDTV that the steadily increasing 'R' value is cause for concern for the entire country. Dr Guleria, the chief of Delhi's AIIMS, urged governments to enforce strict micro-containment protocols to break chains of transmission.

Last month the centre issued an advisory to states and UTs on this topic, warning against "blatant violations of Covid norms". The warning came after disturbing images from hill stations and public markets, where hundreds (and thousands) gathered without social distancing or face masks.

The 'R' factor is a measure of how many people are being infected by one infected person. An 'R' of 1 means one person will, on average, infect one other person.

In a pandemic situation the 'R' target is less than 1.0, which ensures the virus will eventually stop spreading because it cannot infect enough people to sustain the outbreak.

10th August 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

10 August 2021
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10th August 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

Daily GK updates are incorporated with the important news that made the current affairs headlines for banking or other competitive exams. Daily GK Update is the complete bag of the important news that is held all day long. One should have complete knowledge about banking terms, current affairs news, etc. So, here is the GK update of 10th August 2021 to help you prepare the Current affairs part. After reading this section, you can successfully attempt Current Affairs Quiz.

Top 14 Daily GK Updates: National & International News

Here is providing below the top 14 important Daily General Knowledge GK 2021 updates with national & international news

State News

1. Gujarat CM launches eNagar mobile application and portal

• Gujarat Chief Minister, Vijay Rupani has launched eNagar mobile application and portal. The eNagar covers 10 modules with 52 services including property tax, professional tax, water & drainage, Complaints and grievance redressal, building permission, fire and emergency services.
• Gujarat Urban Development Mission has been appointed as a nodal agency for eNagar project. Total 170 locations including 162 municipalities and 8 Municipal Corporations are covered under the eNagar project.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Gujarat Chief Minister: Vijay Rupani;
• Gujarat Governor: Acharya Devvrat.

Appointments News

2. GoI Approves 3-year extension for Rekha Sharma as Chairperson of NCW

• The Government of India has given a three-year extension to Rekha Sharma as Chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW). She will serve for another three years term with effect from August 07, 2021, or till the age of 65 years or until further orders whichever is the earliest.
• The 57-year-old Sharma first assumed the charge as Chairperson of NCW on August 7, 2018.
• Rekha Sharma has been associated with the Commission as a member since August 2015 and held the additional charge as the chairperson from September 29, 2017, before becoming its regular chief. She has been a vocal advocate of gender sensitisation of police personnel since they are the first point of contact for victims.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• National Commission for Women Formed: 1992;
• National Commission for Women Headquarters: New Delhi.

Business News

3. ADB approves USD 300 million additional loan for Maharashtra

• The Manila-based Asian Development Bank has approved a USD 300 million loans as additional financing for the ongoing Maharashtra Rural Connectivity Improvement Project for upgrading rural roads and connecting remote areas with markets.
• The additional financing will be used for improving an additional 1,100 rural roads and 230 bridges for a total length of 2,900 km in 34 districts of the state.
• The project was approved in August 2019, for improving and maintaining the condition and safety of 2,100 kilometres (km) of rural roads across Maharashtra.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Maharashtra Governor: Bhagat Singh Koshyari.
• Maharashtra Capital: Mumbai.

Defence News

4. Indian Army contingent to participate in International Army Games 2021 in Russia

• The 7th edition of the International Army Games, 2021, will be held from 22 August to 04 September 2021 in Russia. The competition will be hosted in eleven countries in the 2021 Games. Over 280 teams from 42 countries will compete in the game to show their combat skills, professionalism and determination to win.
• The International Army Games also referred to as ‘War Olympics’, is an international military sports event, which aims to strengthen military-to-military cooperation between countries and trust between the participating nations.
• From India, 101 members of the Indian Army will participate in the International Army Games, which is organised each year by the Russian Ministry of Defence, since 2015.

5. ITBP inducts its first women officers in combat

• For the first time, India-China LAC guarding the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force has commissioned its first two women officers in combat.
• The two women officers, Prakriti and Diksha will be posted as company commanders in ITBP battalions. Heretofore, women officers in the ITBP were serving in the medical branch or were on deputation from the Indian Police Service at top echelons.
• Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Deswal put the ranks of Assistant Commandant, the entry-level officer rank in the paramilitary, on the shoulders of Prakriti and Diksha after the passing out parade and attestation ceremony where they took an oath to serve the country.
• The ITBP started recruiting women combat officers in its cadre in 2016 through an all-India examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• ITBP Founded: 24 October 1962.
• ITBP Headquarters: New Delhi, India.
• ITBP DG: S S Deswal.

Summits and Conferences News

6. PM Modi becomes first Indian PM to Chair a UNSC Debate

• Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi has chaired the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) open debate, via video conferencing. With this, PM Modi has become the first Prime Minister of India to chair a UNSC open debate.
• It must be remembered that India has assumed the Presidency of the UNSC for August 2021, taking over from France.
• The theme of the high-level open debate was ‘Enhancing Maritime Security – A Case for International Cooperation’. India will organize two more meetings during its presidency, on peacekeeping and counterterrorism.

7. Kiren Rijiju attends 8th SCO Meeting of Ministers of Justice

• The Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju has virtually attended the eighth meeting of Ministers of Justice of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
• The Minister of State for Law & Justice, Prof SP Singh Baghel also attended the meeting. During the virtual event, Rijiju highlighted the initiatives taken by the Government of India for providing affordable and easy access to justice for all.
• The three days’ meeting was hosted by Tajikistan, and chaired by Tajikistan’s Justice Minister, MK Ashuriyon. The Ministers of (Law and) Justice and senior officials and experts from the Ministries of Law & Justice of ‘India, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Russian Federation, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan’ participated in the meeting.

Science and Technology News

8. India to launch advanced geo imaging satellite "Gisat-1"

• India will finally launch its most advanced geo-imaging satellite (GiSAT-1), which will allow better monitoring of the subcontinent, including its borders with Pakistan and China, by imaging the country 4-5 times a day.
• The satellite will be launched on August 12 from Sriharikota. Isro’s GSLV-F10 rocket will finally put the 2,268-kg Gisat-1, codenamed EOS-3, into the geo-orbit. This will be India’s first launch of a primary satellite this year.
• Once placed 36,000 km above the earth in the geostationary orbit after space manoeuvres, the advanced ‘eye in the sky’ can constantly monitor areas of interest (the satellite will move in sync with the rotation of the Earth and hence would look stationary) and will give real-time information about a large area unlike other remote sensing satellites placed in lower orbits that come to a spot only at regular intervals.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• ISRO Chairman: K.Sivan.
• ISRO Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• ISRO established: 15 August 1969.

Sports News

9. 7th August to be named “Javelin Throw Day” to honour Neeraj Chopra

• The Athletics Federation of India has decided that javelin throw day will be on 7th August every year in honour of Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra. The 23-year-old Neeraj is India’s second individual Olympic gold medallist after Abhinav Bindra.
• Neeraj bagged the gold medal in men’s javelin throw at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on 7th August 2021.
• Neeraj has scripted the history at the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo when he threw the javelin to a distance of 87.58m to end India’s medal drought in athletics at the Olympics. This is India’s first-ever gold medal in athletics in the history of the Olympics.  AFI's bid to name August 7 as Javelin Throw Day is an attempt to attract more youth towards the sport.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Athletics Federation of India President: Adille J Sumariwalla;
• Athletics Federation of India Founded: 1946;
• Athletics Federation of India  Headquarters location: New Delhi.

Books and Authors News

10. A book title "The Earthspinner" authored by Anuradha Roy

• A book titled "The Earthspinner" authored by award-winning novelist Anuradha Roy. In the book, Roy delves into the “life and mind of Elango the potter, who must navigate complicated and impossible love, the dedication of a beloved pet, his own passion for creativity and a world turned upside down by the petty violence that characterises the present day”.
• This novel is about two people struggling to free themselves of such shackles to create a happier world. Roy’s earlier works include “An Atlas of Impossible Longing” and “The Folded Earth”.

11. A book title "How the Earth Got Its Beauty" authored by Sudha Murty

• A book titled "How the Earth Got Its Beauty" authored by Sudha Murty. The book was published by Penguin Random House imprint Puffin, has illustrations by Priyanka Pachpande.
• Sudha Murty is a prolific writer in English and Kannada, she has written novels, technical books, travelogues, collections of short stories and non-fictional pieces, and four books for children. Her books have been translated into all the major Indian languages.
• Sudha Murty was the recipient of the R.K. Narayan Award for Literature and the Padma Shri in 2006, and the Attimabbe Award from the government of Karnataka for excellence in Kannada literature in 2011.

Important Days

12. World Lion Day observed on 10th August

• World Lion Day is observed globally on August 10 every year. World Lion Day is marked to raise awareness about the king of beasts and the efforts undertaken for their conservation.
• Owing to their courage, intelligence, strength, and magnificence, lions often feature on national flags, and royal symbols and emblems to represent command, power or authority across cultures. World Lion Day was launched in 2013.
• There is only one species of the lion in the world whose scientific name is Panthera leo. As per the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN)’s Red List of Threatened Species (2016), the Panthera leo has two subspecies: Panthera Leo and Panthera leo persica, found in Africa and Asia.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• International Union for Conservation of Nature Headquarters: Gland, Switzerland;
• International Union for Conservation of Nature CEO: Bruno Oberle;
• International Union for Conservation of Nature Founder: Julian Huxley;
• International Union for Conservation of Nature Founded: 5 October 1948.

13. World Biofuel Day celebrated on 10th August

• World Biofuel Day is observed on August 10 every year. The day is celebrated to raise awareness about the importance of non-fossil fuels as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels and highlight the various efforts made by Government in the biofuel sector.
• The development of biofuels is in sync with schemes such as Swach Bharat Abhiyan and Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. World Biofuel Day was first observed by the Ministry of Petroleum and Gas in August 2015.

Obituaries News

14. War hero Commodore Kasargod Patnashetti Gopal Rao passes away

• Commodore Kasargod Patnashetti Gopal Rao, a 1971 war hero and recipient of the Mahavir Chakra, passed away. Rao was a recipient of the Veer Seva Medal also. He played a key role in the war with Pakistan to liberate East Pakistan that is now Bangladesh.
• Rao led a small task group of the Western Fleet and launched an offensive off the coast of Karachi as part of Operation Cactus Lily.
• Notwithstanding the threat of air, surface and submarine attack, he led the group into enemy waters on the night of December 4, 1971.

30th July 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

30 July 2021
-------------------------------
30th July 2021 Daily GK Update: Read Daily GK, Current Affairs for Bank Exam

Daily GK updates are incorporated with the important news that made the current affairs headlines for banking or other competitive exams. Daily GK Update is the complete bag of the important news that is held all day long. One should have complete knowledge about banking terms, current affairs news, etc. So, here is the GK update of 30th July July 2021 to help you prepare the Current affairs part. After reading this section, you can successfully attempt Current Affairs Quiz.

Top 14 Daily GK Updates: National & International News

Here is providing below the top 14 important Daily General Knowledge GK 2021 updates with national & international news

National News

1. Govt announces 27% reservation for OBCs, 10% quota for EWS in medical seats

• The centre has announced 27% reservation for OBCs and a 10% quota for students from the economically weaker sections (EWS) for undergraduate and postgraduate medical and dental courses under the All-India Quota (AIQ) scheme.
• Under the AIQ scheme, 15% of seats at the UG level and 50% seats at the PG level are kept domicile free in government medical and dental colleges against which students from other states to are offered admission while the rest of the seats are kept only for students from within the state.
• This will immensely help thousands of our youth every year get better opportunities and create a new paradigm of social justice in our country.
• A statement by the government said that the decision would benefit nearly 1500 OBC students in MBBS and 2500 OBC students in PG while it will also impact around 550 EWS students in MBBS and around 1000 EWS students in PG medicine.

International News

2. Maldives’ Abdulla Shahid won the Presidency of the 76th UNGA

• Foreign Minister of Maldives Abdulla Shahid won the Presidency of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
• This is for the first time in the history of the United Nations (UN), Maldives will hold the office of President at the UNGA. Abdulla Shahid’s victory at the UNGA Presidential election is a “proud accomplishment” and “a step forward in elevating the country’s stature on the global stage”.
• Maldives’ decision to join the UN in 1965, immediately after its independence, sparked a debate on how a “microstate”, could possibly contribute to the organisation.
• Over the years, Maldives has cleared all the doubts by raising its voice on issues of concern and playing a prominent role in the UN as well as in the other multilateral organisations including the Commonwealth.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• President of the Maldives: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih;
• Capital of Maldives: Male; Currency of the Maldives: Maldivian Rufiyaa.

State News

3. Kerala police launched ‘Pink Protection’ project for women safety

• The Kerala Police launched a new initiative called the Pink Protection project for the protection of women in public, private and digital spaces.
• The Pink Protection project aims to prevent dowry-related issues, cyber-bullying & humiliation in public places. It has 10 components, one of which is activating the existing Pink Police Patrol system, named Pink Janamaithri Beat.
• They will collect information from panchayat members, neighbours and other locals and hand it over to the Station House Officers for further action.
• The Pink Beat system, in which specially trained women police officers have been deployed, will be present at Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and private buses and in front of schools, colleges and other public places including bus stops.
• Pink control rooms have been set up in all 14 districts to coordinate the activities.
• The Pink Shadow Patrol team will also be deployed to detect the presence of anti-socials in crowded areas and to take action.
• A bullet patrol team of woman police officers called "Pink Romeo" was also launched as part of the project.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Kerala CM: Pinarayi Vijayan;
• Kerala Governor: Arif Mohammad Khan.

Appointments News

4. Property consultant Colliers appoints Ramesh Nair as CEO for India

• Property consultant Colliers has appointed Ramesh Nair as the chief executive officer (CEO) for India and managing director, market development, for Asia.
• Nair's experience and leadership skills will be particularly relevant to its clients in the region and around the world as they seek opportunities in the post-COVID economy.
• Nair joined Colliers from JLL India, where he held the position of CEO & country head, leading over 12,000 people.
• Based in Mumbai, Ramesh will partner with Sankey Prasad, chairman & managing director of Colliers in India, to lead the business.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• The Asia Pacific CEO of Colliers is John Kenny;
• Colliers CEO: Jay S. Hennick;
• Colliers Headquarters: Toronto, Canada;
• Colliers Founded: 1976, Australia.

Agreements News

5. BIAL signs a deal with IBM to set up ‘Airport in a Box’ platform

• Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), has signed a ten-year partnership with the company IBM to set up the ‘Airport in a Box’ platform.
• The partnership is designed to help Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL) improve its productivity, automate its information technology services, increase operational flexibility to handle future growth in passenger traffic and reduce costs.
• The airport operator chose IBM Global Business Services, IBM hybrid cloud capabilities and Kyndryl, the new, independent company that will be created following the separation of IBM's Managed Infrastructure Services business, to design and implement a next-generation architecture with a dynamic delivery model.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• IBM CEO: Arvind Krishna.
• IBM Headquarters: Armonk, New York, United States.

6. Intel launches ‘AI For All’ initiative in collaboration with CBSE

• Intel in collaboration with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Ministry of Education, announced the launch of the AI For All initiative with the purpose of creating a basic understanding of artificial intelligence (AI) for everyone in India.
• Based on Intel’s AI For Citizens program, AI For All is a 4-hour, self-paced learning program that demystifies AI in an inclusive manner.
• It is as applicable to a student, a stay at home parent as it is to a professional in any field or even a senior citizen. The program aims to introduce AI to 1 million citizens in its first year. Partnerships and Initiatives at Intel.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• Intel Chief Executive Officer: Pat Gelsinger;
• Intel Founded: 18 July 1968;
• Intel Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, United States;
• Intel Founders: Gordon Moore and Robert Noyce.

Banking News

7. Madgaum Urban Co-op Bank licence cancelled by RBI

• The Reserve Bank of India has cancelled the licence of Madgaum Urban Co-operative Bank Limited, Margao, Goa, as the bank with its current financial position would be unable to pay its present depositors in full.
• According to the RBI, as per the data submitted by the bank, about 99 per cent of the depositors will receive full amounts of their deposits from the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC).
• The bank ceases to carry on banking business with effect from the close of business on July 29, 2021.

Awards News

8. Vaidehi Dongre from Michigan crowned as Miss India USA

• Vaidehi Dongre, a 25-year-old girl from Michigan, has been crowned Miss India USA 2021 at the beauty pageant.
• Arshi Lalani from Georgia was declared the first runner up and North Carolina's Mira Kasari was declared the second runner up.
• Dongre, who has majored in international studies, won the 'Miss Talented' title in the pageant for giving a flawless performance of Indian classical dance from Kathak. 

Science and Technology News

9. IIT Hyderabad developed Covid RNA test kit called "COVIHOME"

• India’s first Rapid electronic Covid-19 RNA Test kit that allows self-testing at home called ‘COVIHOME’ has been developed by a research group at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad.
• The kit has been validated by the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology and can be used to check for Covid-19 trace at the comfort of home.
• This test kit can produce results within 30 minutes for both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.
• The major benefit of this testing kit is that it does not require RT-PCR (Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction), an expert human resource, and a BSL 2 lab facility for the extraction of RNA, so it has the potential for one to take the test at home without expert supervision.
• The validation report confirmed the kit’s efficiency at 94.2 per cent, Sensitivity 91.3 per cent and Specificity 98.2 per cent.
• While a test currently costs around Rs 400, the developers say that mass production of the testing kit will help to reduce the cost to around Rs 300 per test.

Sports News

10. Vantika Agarwal bags national women online chess title

• Vantika Agarwal has won the National Women Online Chess title. She scored 9.5 points from 11 rounds. Arpita Mukherjee of West Bengal took the second spot and Tamil Nadu’s Sreeja Seshadri secured the third spot in the competition.
• In the absence of over-the-board events due to the ongoing pandemic, the All India Chess Federation has decided to consider the performance of this online event for the selection of players for the Asian individual championship and other events.

11. Former England bowler Mike Hendrick passes away

• Former England and Derbyshire bowler, Mike Hendrick has passed away. He played a major role in two of England’s Ashes-series victories and took 87 wickets in 30 Tests for his country between 1974 and 1981.
• Hendrick, who took 770 wickets in 267 first-class matches and 35 wickets in 22 ODIs, was also the first professional coach of Ireland.

Important Days

12. World Day Against Trafficking in Persons: 30th July

• United Nations observes 30 July every year as World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
• In 2013, the General Assembly designated July 30 as the World Day against Trafficking in Persons to raise awareness of the situation of victims of human trafficking and for the promotion and protection of their rights.
• The 2021 theme for World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is Victims’ Voices Lead the Way.
• This year’s theme puts victims of human trafficking at the centre of the campaign and will highlight the importance of listening to and learning from survivors of human trafficking.

Important takeaways for all competitive exams:

• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Headquarters: Vienna, Austria.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Founded: 1997.

13. International Day of Friendship: 30 July

• International Day of Friendship is observed globally on 30th July. This day is celebrated to mark the importance of friends and friendship in life.
• The day also advocates the role that friendship plays in promoting peace in several cultures across the world.
• In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the International Friendship Day with an aim to forge a strong bond of friendship of people of various countries irrespective of race, colour, gender, religion, etc.

Miscellaneous News

14. Bhoot Jolokia chillies from Nagaland exported to London

• A consignment of ‘Raja Mircha’, also referred to as King Chilli or Bhoot Jolokia, from Nagaland, has been exported to London for the first time.
• Naga king chilli is constantly on the top five in the list of the world's hottest chillies based on the Scoville Heat Units. It got a GI tag in 2008.
• It was declared the hottest chilli pepper in the world by Guinness World Records in 2007.