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Friday, September 8, 2023

Daily GK Update- 8th Sept, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India's first underground transformer unveiled in Bangalore: Bengaluru’s first underground electric transformer was inaugurated at Malleshwaram by the city’s civic body and electricity board together. Aim: To ensure the safety of people and to maintain the aesthetics of India’s garden city. This adds to the overall safety of the environment, encouraging the citizens to use footpaths without any hassles since they’d be free from interruption during maintenance works of overhead cables and related equipment.

 

2. Ahmedabad becomes second city in India to implement emission trading scheme: The Gujarat government announced that after Surat, Ahmedabad has become the second city in the country to implement an emission trading scheme (ETS) for particulate pollution that will help regulate industrial emissions and reduce the state’s pollution levels. Aim: To reduce particulate pollutants PM2.5 and PM10. Objective:  to ensure a balance between economic development and environment preservation. The scheme will cover 118 industries in Ahmedabad.

 

3. Jharkhand Cabinet approves 1k pension for transgender community: Jharkhand Cabinet gave its approval for transgender persons to be provided benefits of the State Social Security Scheme under which they will be given a pension of Rs 1,000 per month.  Transgenders are included in the category of OBC. Proposals are first, transgender persons should be declared as a third gender Second, Those transgender persons who are not covered under any other category for reservation should be included in the OBC at serial number 46 in the list

 

4. Anushka Sharma appointed as Brand Endorser by “W”: Women’s fashion brand W has on-boarded actor and entrepreneur Anushka Sharma as its brand ambassador. The brand has launched its festive campaign featuring Sharma that talks about every festival having a story. With this partnership, the brand prepares to launch its high-decibel festive campaign that beautifully merges the warmth of festivities with the spirit of modernity.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Japan launches rocket carrying ‘Moon Sniper’ lunar lander: Japan launched a lunar lander on 7th Sep 2023, aiming to become the fifth nation to achieve a soft landing on the moon's surface following India's success. The Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) was sent to space on an H-IIA rocket.  SLIM is a light and small spacecraft developed by Mitsubishi Electric. One of the goals of the mission is to demonstrate precision landing technology.  The spacecraft is expected to land within 100 meters of a target site.

 

2. International Literacy Day is observed on 8th September: The world observes International Literacy Day on September 8  to signify the role of literacy and education in one's life. Theme 2023 - Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies.' The day reminds us of the importance of personal development, literacy, and progress of society. The day is a stark reminder of the fact that literacy is not a luxury but a fundamental right important for a person's dignity.

 

3. Telangana govt partners with Tabreed for cooling infrastructure: UAE-based leading cooling utility firm Tabreed has signed MoU with the Government of Telangana to build 1.25 lakh refrigeration tonne (RT) of district cooling plants and networks.  Aim:  To aid 6,800 GWh of power as well as 41,600 megalitres of water savings, and has the potential to reduce over 200 MW of peak electricity demand. Telangana is set to house Asia's largest district cooling system to establish cooling infrastructure for industrial parks.

 

4. Amazon Signs MoU With 5 Indian States To Empower People With Disabilities: Amazon India signed a MoU with five State Governments, including Haryana, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, to train employable Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) and bring them to the mainstream workforce. Aim: To provide skilling and employment opportunities to PwD candidates in these five states. Under this initiative, Amazon has a focus on skilling and livelihood for PwD across Amazon India’s Operations network, over a period of three years.

 

5. World physiotherapy day is observed on 8th September: World Physical Therapy Day observed on 8 September celebrates the significant contributions of physical therapists and physiotherapists in promoting health and well-being. The Theme of 2023 is  "prevention and management of arthritis". It serves as an opportunity to raise awareness about the crucial role these professionals play in helping people recover from injuries, manage chronic conditions, and improve their overall physical function and quality of life.

 

6. Kerala to Host Inaugural Zayed Charity Marathon in 2024: The Higher Organizing Committee of the Zayed Charity Marathon has announced that the inaugural edition of the marathon in India will be held in Kerala in 2024. The marathon will be held in collaboration with the authorities in Kerala State and the Indian community in the UAE. The proceeds from the marathon in Kerala will be used to support healthcare initiatives in the state. Zayed Charity Marathon is a prestigious event that honors the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Former President of the United Arab Emirates. The Zayed Charity Marathon was launched in 2001 in Abu Dhabi to spread humanitarian and charitable messages that embody the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

 

7. India will open embassy in Timor Leste: At the ASEAN-India summit, the prime minister announced the decision to establish an Indian Embassy in Dili, Timor-Leste. PM Modi announced the decision while co-chairing the annual ASEAN-India summit in this Indonesian capital. The decision is a reflection of the importance India attaches to ASEAN and its relations with Timor Leste. Timor Leste joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2022 as an Observer, before becoming its full member. ASEAN is considered one of the most influential groupings in the region, and India and several other countries including the US, China, Japan, and Australia are its dialogue partners.

 

8. 7 September – International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies: International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies is observed annually on 7 September. The day is dedicated to recognizing the vital importance of clean air for people’s well-being and daily life. Theme 2023 – Together for Clean Air Resolution 74/212 of January 22, 2020, established September 7 as the “International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies”.

 

9. 8 September – International Literacy Day: International Literacy Day is celebrated every year on 8 September. The day aims to highlight the importance of literacy for human rights, dignity, and the development of sustainable societies. Theme 2023 – Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies UNESCO introduced International Literacy Day in 1966 at its 14th General Conference. The first International Literacy Day was celebrated in 1967. The official date of International Literacy Day is 26 October, which was established during the 1966 UNESCO conference.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Indian men’s team won bronze medal at Asian Table Tennis Championships 2023: In Table Tennis, the Indian men’s team finished with a bronze medal at the Asian Table Tennis Championships 2023 following a semi-final defeat to Chinese Taipei in Pyeongchang, the Republic of Korea.  Indian men’s team comprising Sharath Kamal, Harmeet Desai and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran lost in their final four match.  The two losing semi-finalists are awarded bronze medals at the competition. This championship was also a qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympics. 

 

2. Amul to sponsor Indian Contingent at Hangzhou Asian Games 2023: Amul is named as the official sponsor of the Indian Contingent for the 19th Asian Games 2022 to be held in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8, 2023. Amul has partnered with Indian sportspersons through the Indian Olympic Association since the London 2012 Olympics for all Indian contingents to Olympics, Commonwealth Game. The XIX Asian Games 2022 will feature 482 events across 40 sports. The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every fourth year among athletes from all over Asia. The upcoming event is officially called the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022. It was originally slated to be held last year but was postponed due to Covid-19. The India contingent will field 634 athletes at the Asian Games across 38 different sports with the largest contingent of 65 in athletics. At the last edition, Jakarta 2018, India sent a contingent of 570 to compete in 36 sports and won 70 medals.

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SBI Card launches credit card for MSMEs to cater to short-term credit needs: Credit card issuer SBI Card launched a new credit card SimplySAVE Merchant SBI Card for MSMEs to cater to their short-term credit requirements.  Available on RuPay network, the card can be linked to UPI for payments through various UPI-enabled third-party apps.   MSMEs contribute significantly towards economic growth and job generation Launch of SimplySAVE Merchant SBI Card is an attempt to address this larger segment by extending interest-free short-term credit to MSME

 

2. Mastercard partners with KredX to Make B2B Payments Rewarding for Vendors: Mastercard collaborated with KredX, a supply chain finance platform, to make B2B digital payments rewarding for both enterprises and vendors.  Aim: To integrate its commercial card service with the KredX platform, eliminating the complexities associated with B2B payments, especially those made via cards. Equipped with features like dynamic discounting, early payment and price discovery, the platform will enable enterprises and vendors to improve their cash flows.

 

3. SBI Card adds new features to AURUM super premium credit card: SBI Card, the country’s largest pure-play credit card issuer, has unveiled new features of its super-premium card ‘AURUM’, targeted at C-suite executives and high net-worth individuals.  Aim: To enhance benefits to its users, ranging from the introduction of new annual spending-based milestones and welcome benefits to additional international lounge benefits AURUM cardholders will now be able to derive benefits of up to worth ₹ 2 lakh annually, basis their spends.

 

4. NPCI launches slew of new payment options on payment platforms UPI: The National Payments Corporation of India has launched Credit Line And Voice-Enabled Payments on popular payment platforms UPI. Aim: To create an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable digital payments ecosystem that will help UPI achieve the target of 100 billion transactions per month.  NPCI has partnered with AI4Bharat at IIT Madras, to co-develop Hindi and English payment language models.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Adeeb Ahamed wins Leading Fintech Personality of the Year Award: Global Fintech Awards (GFA) 2023 is held annually as part of the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2023 in Mumbai, India. This year, the coveted global award for ‘Leading Fintech Personality of the Year’ from the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) region was awarded to Adeeb Ahamed, Managing Director of the Abu Dhabi-based Lulu Financial Holdings. A visionary entrepreneur in the financial services world, Adeeb has been instrumental in revolutionizing cross-border payments between the GCC and India. His company operates a network of 300+ customer engagement centres and digital payment solutions in 10 countries across the Middle East, Asia Pacific and GCC regions.


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