Daily GK Updates - 14th August, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Centre launches Swachh Nagar app: Swachh Nagar app was launched by the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry. An app that will allow users to have waste- solid, wet or construction and demolition (C&D) - collected by their urban local bodies along with a new protocol on wastewater treatment that would become a part of cleanliness rankings of cities.

Note: Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs: Hardeep Singh Puri.

2. “Operation Number Plate” Launched by RPF: Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Indian Railways launched a Special Drive with a Code Name "Operation Number Plate” to identify and verify all vehicles parked in Railway premises, circulating area, parking and even in the ‘No Parking’ areas for a longer duration. The unidentified vehicles are considered a serious threat to the security and safety of passengers and other stakeholders of railways.

Note: Minister of Railways: Piyush Goyal.

3. J&K will host Global Investors Summit 2019: Jammu and Kashmir administration will host a 3 days global investors’ summit from October 12 in Srinagar. The summit will provide J&K with an opportunity to showcase its strengths, strategies and potential. It will also provide an opportunity to allay fears and apprehensions in the minds of outside trade and the business community.

Note: Governor of Jammu & Kashmir: Satya Pal Malik.

4. ‘Panchamirtham’ of Palani temple gets GI tag: The Panchamirtham is an ‘abhishega prasadam’ of the Murugan temple has been bestowed with the Geographical Indication tag. The Murugan temple is situated in Tamil Nadu.  The panchamirtham is a combination of five natural substances — banana, jaggery, cow ghee, honey and cardamom. Dates and diamond sugar candies are added for flavour. It is served in a semi-solid state.

5. Karnataka launches “E-Step” initiative to empower student start-ups: Karnataka Government has launched “E-Step” initiative to empower student start-ups. The “E-Step” initiative has been launched by The Department of IT, BT and S&T in Karnataka, through Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS). Under the E-step initiative boot camps, mentoring and training programmes will be organised which will cover various aspects of entrepreneurship. The programme is specially crafted for students/start-ups/entrepreneurs to understand the basics of entrepreneurship from experienced trainers.

6. Mamata Banerjee inaugurates world's 1st museum on Sri Chaitanya: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has inaugurated the world’s first museum on Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu at Baghbazare in Kolkata. The museum has been constructed by Baghbazar Gaudiya Mission. The Chaitanya museum has paintings on one of the aspects of Lord Krishna's life known as ‘Vrindavan Leela’. The museum will also showcase the lineage of six Goswamis who were great Vaishnava scholars.

Note: Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was the 16th-century Bengali Hindu mystic and saint and the chief proponent of the Gaudiya Vaishnavism tradition within Hinduism.

International Affairs

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India, Russia to boost ties to achieve USD 30 billion bilateral trade by 2025: Piyush Goyal (Commerce and Industry Minister) led a high-power delegation of Chief Ministers of Haryana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Goa and about 140 Indian companies to Vladivostok, Russia (11-13 August 2019). Goyal underlined the need to diversify and deepen trade links in priority sectors, in order to meet the trade target of USD 30 billion by 2025. The 5th Eastern Economic Forum will be held in September in Vladivostok, Russia.

2. India contributes 1 million to UN Special Purpose Trust Fund: India has contributed one million US Dollars to the United Nations Special Purpose Trust Fund for the Resident Coordinator System. According to the UN information, Special Purpose Trust Fund (SPTF) is a specific fund housed within the UN Secretariat, established to receive, consolidate, manage all contributions and financial transactions of the new Resident Coordinator system in a transparent and effective way. SPTF web portal, displays in real-time all commitments, contributions and expenditures recorded for the fund.

3. Organ Donation Day: 13 August: Organ donation day is observed on August 13 every year to create awareness about organ donation. This day tries to remove the myths about organ donation from people's mind. Read here to know more about organ donation.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Dutch Hero Wesley Sneijder announces retirement from Football: The Netherlands' most-capped player Wesley Sneijder announced his retirement from football. He played 134 times for his country and his career included a World Cup runners-up medal as well as Champions League, La Liga and Serie A titles.

2. Women’s T20 cricket included in 2022 Commonwealth Game: Women’s Twenty20 cricket, beach volleyball and Para-table tennis have been included in the 2022 Commonwealth Game. Commonwealth Game 2022 scheduled to be held in Birmingham, England. This time shooting and archery events will not take place in the 2022 Commonwealth Game. This is the first time cricket has been included in the Commonwealth Games since 1998 in Kuala Lumpur when South Africa won the Gold in the men's 50-over competition.

3. Simone Biles makes history with a “triple-double” twist: Simone Biles makes history with a never-before-seen “triple-double” floor exercise landing. She performed the landing featuring "two flips and three twists" in U.S. Gymnastics Championships held in Kansas City. 

4. P.T. Usha appointed as a member of AAA's Athletes Commission: Legendary Indian sprinter P.T. Usha, one of India’s greatest athletes, has been appointed as a member of the Asian Athletics Association’s (AAA) Athletes Commission. This is the 2nd time P.T. Usha has been appointed a member of the Asian Athletics Association’s Athletes Commission. P.T. Usha will be one of the six members of the AAA Athletes Commission, to be headed by 1992 Olympics gold medallist hammer thrower Andrey Abduvaliyev of Uzbekistan.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. Government rolls out scheme for liquidity support to NBFCs: The Central government has rolled out scheme for liquidity support to NBFCs. The partial guarantee scheme will allow state-run banks (PSBs) to purchase assets of non-banking and housing finance companies (NBFCs and HFCs). The partial guarantee scheme aims at providing liquidity support to avoid distress sale of assets in a sector facing a shortage of cash due to asset-liability mismatch. NBFCs will be able to sell 20% of standard assets, worth up to Rs 5,000 crore, as on March 31.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Ola ‘acqui­hires’ AI start-­up Pikup.ai: Cab aggregator Ola announced acquihiring of Pikup.ai, an Artificial Intelligence start­up based in Bengaluru.  Acquihiring typically refers to a transaction in which the staff of the target company join the acquiring firm. Pikup.ai uses autonomous technologies like AI, computer vision and sensor fusion to provide seamless AI-powered solutions for businesses.

Note: CEO of Ola: Bhavish Aggarwal; Headquarter: Bengaluru.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman to be honoured with Vir Chakra: Indian Air Force's (IAF) Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman (36-years) to be conferred with Vir Chakra on Independence Day. The Vir Chakra is the third highest wartime gallantry award after the Param Vir Chakra and Maha Vir Chakra. Wg Cdr Abhinandan had sustained injuries while ejecting from his MiG-21 Bison during the aerial combat between Indian and Pakistani air forces on February 27. IAF Squadron Leader Minty Agarwal will also be honoured with Yudh Seva Medal for her role as a fighter controller during the 27th February aerial conflict between India and Pakistan. Indian Army’s Sapper Prakash Jadhav of 1 Rashtriya Rifles (Mahar) will also be conferred Kirti Chakra (posthumously), for the role he played in an operation in Jammu and Kashmir. Besides, eight Army personnel will also be conferred Shaurya Chakra, five of them posthumously.

2. Priyam Chatterjee becomes 1st Indian chef to win French honour: Priyam Chatterjee became the 1st Indian chef to be awarded the 'Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite Agricoleto' by the government of France to recognise his contribution towards reinventing the gastronomic scene in India. Chatterjee is best known for revisiting the traditional dishes from his native state of West Bengal and giving it a French twist. 'Ordre du Mérite Agricole' (Order of Agricultural Merit) is a distinction bestowed by the French Republic for outstanding contributions, to agriculture, agro-food industry and gastronomy.

Note: President of France: Emmanuel Macron; Capital: Paris; Currency: Euro, CFP Franc.

3. Rajasthan bags award at World Education Summit 2019: Rajasthan wins the “best innovation and initiative leadership award” for its achievements in higher education in the World Education Summit-2019 held in New Delhi.

Note: Chief Minister of Rajasthan: Ashok Gehlot; Governor of Rajasthan: Kalyan Singh. Capital: Jaipur.

DEFENCE

1. Japanese Maritime Self Defence Ship visits Kochi: Japanese ship "JS Sazanami", visited Kochi on a 2 day goodwill visit. JS Sazanami, a Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force Ship is a missile destroyer. The visiting team was given a conducted tour of the Anti-Submarine Warfare School and the Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel, INS Sunayna. A visit of Indian Navy personnel was also conducted onboard JS Sazanami.

2. Naval Air Enclave & CIAL inks MoU for air operations: The Naval Air Enclave in Kochi and Cochin International Airport Limited have signed a MoU for commencement of naval air operations from the NAE, a naval aviation facility at CIAL in Nedumbassery. According to MoU, military aircraft will use the CIAL runway for takeoff and landing and the NAE taxy track for accessing the dispersal and aircraft hangar.

Note: Chief of the Naval Staff: Admiral Karambir Singh.

OBITUARIES

1. Former Argentina defender Brown passes away: Argentina's 1986 World Cup-winning defender Jose Luis Brown (62-years) passed away following a long battle with Alzheimer. Brown made 36 appearances for his country, the most famous of which came in the 1986 World Cup final in Mexico. Jose Luis Brown knew by his nickname "Tata", dislocated his shoulder in the match but refused to be substituted.