Daily GK Update- 6th Sept, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Himachal CM Sukhu launches SABAL Yojna to empower specially-abled children: Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched the Mukhya Mantri Sporting Abilities, Rebuilding Aspirations and Livelihood Scheme (SABAL). Objective:  To take care of specially-abled children in around 400 schools across Hamirpur, Solan, and Shimla districts. Aim: To improve the lives of specially-abled children in the state. The initiative focuses on providing essential facilities and opportunities for them, a statement issued here said.

 

2. Center signs MoU with Adobe to help children learn AI: Union Ministry of Education Dharmendra Pradhan signed an MoU with global software major Adobe to help children develop creative expression in classrooms using the application Adobe Express.  Aim: To provide schools across the country with free access to Adobe Express Premium and the professional development of educators. In the time of digitisation, new ideas, new innovation the partnership will create a new standard and benchmark for students.

 

3. Dharmendra Pradhan launches 3-year partnership with Meta: Dharmendra Pradhan has launched a 3-year partnership “Education to Entrepreneurship: Empowering a generation of students, educators and entrepreneurs” between the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, and Meta in New Delhi. Three Letters of Intent (LoI) were exchanged between Meta and NIESBUD, AICTE and CBSE. The initiative launched is in furtherance to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of making India a skilled capital of the world and empowering our Amrit Peedhi. Under the partnership with NIESBUD, five lakh entrepreneurs will get access to digital marketing skills by Meta over the next three years.

 

4. IIT Jodhpur scientists develop ‘CODE’ device for good air quality: Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur researchers have developed a novel Cold-plasma Detergent in Environment (CODE) device for good indoor air quality. The CODE device consumes less power, deactivates bacteria, moulds and viruses, captures dust and pollen, and also removes odours. The device has been tested extensively which deactivates more than 99.99 percent of harmful pathogens and provides quality indoor air. Air pollution is basically one of the top 5 risks causing chronic diseases, according to the World Health Organization. We consume nearly 8 times as much air by volume as food and 4 times as much air as water. Indoor air often contains around 2-5 times more pollution as compared to outdoor air. The concept is based on non-equilibrium cold plasma in combination with nano-technology. This Novel CODE device produces optimum concentrations of negative ions having cold-plasma detergent ions as well as positive ions in an environment similar to mother nature.

 

5. Lokesh Suji elected to IESF Membership Committee for 3-year term: The General Body of the International Esports Federation (IESF) has elected Lokesh Suji, director of the Esports Federation of India (ESFI) and vice-president of the Asian Esports Federation (AESF), to its membership committee for a three-year term. The election marks the first time that an Indian has become a part of the membership committee of the International Esports Federation. The elections for Suji’s appointment were conducted during the recent Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) of the IESF on August 28 in Iasi, Romania, where out of the 70 voting and present members, a majority of 42 member countries voted in favour of his selection. As part of the membership committee, he will now leverage his experience and expertise to ensure the execution of the process, contributing to a future for esports within the IESF.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Nasscom appoints Cognizant India MD Rajesh Nambiar as Chairperson: Rajesh Nambiar, Chairman and Managing Director of Cognizant India, has been appointed as the new Chairperson of Nasscom.  He succeeded Anant Maheshwari, former president of Microsoft India. Chairperson Rajesh Nambiar along with President Debjani Ghosh, will continue to work with the Nasscom Executive Council, industry, and the government in strengthening India's position as a global technology hub while navigating the current volatile macro environment.

 

2. Corning to build $113m India’s First Gorilla Glass plant in India: US-based multinational technology company Corning has announced plans to set up a $113m First Gorilla Glass manufacturing facility in the Indian state of Telangana. Telangana accounts for 6% of the electronic production in India, with more than 250 companies employing over 50,000 people across different industry sub-segments there. Importantly it is a strategic investment in manufacturing for smartphones and other electronic devices.

 

3. 20 Expansion: The arrival of G21 with the African Union: The G20 Summit is poised to make history by transforming into the G21 with the inclusion of the African Union (AU).  This move, proposed by India, reflects a growing recognition of the importance of representing the global south. AU consisting of 55 diverse member countries, is set to join the ranks of the world’s 20 largest economies later this week.  AU also comprises eight regional economic committees each with its own structure and role.

 

4. OpenAI chief Sam Altman becomes the first to get Indonesia’s ‘Golden Visa’: Indonesia has granted its first golden visa to Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, a pioneering firm in artificial intelligence.  Aim: To serve as an incentive for high-profile foreign investors.  The Indonesian immigration authority issued a 10-year visa to Altman, acknowledging his global renown and potential contributions to the nation. He is set to benefit from priority security screening at airports and streamlined entry and exit procedures.

 

5. Bharat Electronics inks pact with Israel Aerospace: Bharat Electronics Limited (BEl) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the defence company, have inked an MoU for cooperation in addressing India’s requirements in the domain of Short Range Air Defence Systems. Objective: To boost the cooperation between the two companies in the field of Short Range Air Defence Systems.  Aim: leveraging IAI and BEL’s capabilities and is in sync with the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ policies of the Government of India.

 

6. Vanuatu parliament appointed Sato Kilman as prime minister: Vanuatu’s parliament elected Sato Kilman as the nation’s new prime minister and replaced Ishmael Kalsakau. Kilman, a former prime minister and leader of the People’s Progressive Party, was elected prime minister by 27 of 50 lawmakers in a secret ballot. Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau is a Vanuatuan politician who served as Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu from 4 November 2022 until 4 September 2023.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Hitachi Payment Services launches India's first-ever UPI-ATM with NPCI: Hitachi Payment Services, a subsidiary of Japan-based Hitachi Ltd,  announced the launch of India's first-ever UPI-ATM as a White Label ATM (WLA) named Hitachi Money Spot UPI ATM, with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). The ATM will offer cardless cash withdrawals, eliminating the need for physical cards.  A UPI-ATM allows users to withdraw cash from multiple accounts using the United Payments Interface app. WLAs are operated by non-banking entities.

 

2. Paytm launches first ‘Card Soundbox’ enabling credit, debit card payment: Paytm has unveiled the Paytm Card Soundbox, a device that allows merchants to accept both mobile and card payments, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and RuPay, through its Soundbox.  Aim: To assist merchants in scaling their businesses by offering a "tap and pay" solution via credit and debit cards. The new in-store payments option also provides audio-based confirmations using Paytm Soundbox.  The Paytm Soundbox features a 4W speaker for clear payment alerts

 

3. Indian Bank collaborates with IBM to deploy new front-end banking apps: Indian Bank has collaborated with Nasdaq-listed IBM to deploy future ready infrastructure to enhance scalability and agility. Aim: To accelerate its modernisation path with flexible and secure infrastructure for deploying new front-end banking applications. The city-headquartered bank wanted to consolidate its front branch servers for better manageability and availability at Data Centres and Disaster Recovery centres under their 'Project Paradise' initiative.

 

4. Paytm launches new ‘Soundbox’ that enables card payments: Paytm has launched its latest innovation – Card Soundbox, which is intended to empower merchants to accept both mobile and card payments across all Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and RuPay networks. UPI payment system has become hugely popular for retail digital payments in India, and its adoption is increasing at a rapid pace. These card-based payments on ‘tap and pay’ basis will help merchants scale their business. With Paytm Card Soundbox, the company solves two problems for merchants – accepting card payments along with instant audio alerts for all payments. Paytm was the first company to launch audio-based confirmations with Paytm Soundbox in 2019. Paytm Card Soundbox has a built-in ‘tap and pay’ functionality through which merchants can accept card payments up to Rs 5,000.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani top the Fortune India Rich List for 2023: Mukesh Ambani, the patriarch of Reliance Industries (RIL), have secured the top position on the Fortune India Rich List 2023, with wealth of $99.7 billion  Gautam Adani, the chairman of the Adani Group of companies, secured second position with a wealth of $63.71 billion. With a wealth of $34.6 billion, the Mistry family of Shapoorji Pallonji Group holds the third position on the list The Poonawalla family with a wealth of $32.9 billion, stands fourth.

 

2. Dr Navneet Agrawal won National Diabetologist of the Year Award: Chief Clinical Officer of BeatO, Dr Navneet Agrawal was awarded the ‘Diabetologist of the Year (National Winner)-2023’ for his exceptional medical service and dedication to the cause of improving the lives of people with diabetes. The award, presented by ET Healthcare Awards, recognizes Dr. Agarwal’s unwavering commitment and contribution to improving diabetes management and the lives of lakhs of Indians dealing with the condition. Dr Navneet Agrawal is the Chief Clinical Officer at BeatO – a full-stack digital platform for diabetes control and management. He leads the entire medical operations and medical affairs team, comprising an esteemed panel of doctors, expert coaches and dietitians at BeatO.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former international umpire Piloo Reporter passes away aged 84: Former Indian umpire Piloo Reporter, a pioneer who was among the first neutral umpires to officiate in Test cricket, passed away in Mumbai at the age of 84, leaving behind a remarkable legacy. In addition to international matches, Reporter also had a role in 13 first-class matches, where he served as a match referee in two instances. He embarked on his umpiring journey with the Delhi Test between India and England in December 1984.

 

2. N Valarmathi, the voice behind ISRO mission launches, passes away: Indian Space and Research Organization (ISRO) scientist N Valarmathi, the voice behind the national space agency’s rocket launch countdowns, has passed away. She was a part of the Range Operations Programme Office at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre where she used to announce the countdown on all launches. The mission was launched on July 14 with the aim of achieving a soft landing on the Moon’s South Pole, a feat that was achieved shortly after 6pm on August 23, as scheduled. With this, India became only the fourth country to achieve a lunar soft-landing, the others being the United States, Russia, and China. Also, India is the first nation to reach the Moon’s South Pole.