Daily GK Updates - 5th September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. National Teachers' Day: 5th September: Teachers' Day is being celebrated throughout the country on the birthday (5th September 1888) of educationist and former President Bharat Ratna Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Dr. Radhakrishnan was India's first Vice President and second President.President Ramnath Kovind gave away National Teachers’ Awards to 46 teachers at a function in New Delhi. The award is given to meritorious teachers, who through their commitment have not only improved the quality of school education but also enriched the lives of their students. The awards which were instituted in 1958 carries a Silver medal, a certificate, and award money of 50 thousand rupees. On teacher's day, the Uttar Pradesh government schools are going to enter a new era of digital transformation with "Prerna App" which was launched by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath yesterday. 

2. PM to launch a pension scheme for traders: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Pradhan Mantri Laghu Vyapari Maan­dhan Yojana, the Centre’s pension scheme for traders. A few of the first subscribers from across the country will be given pension cards by the PM. The scheme, which is an extension of the PM Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan Yojana, will make all beneficiaries eligible for a monthly pension of Rs 3000 after the age of 60 at a miniscule monthly contribution.

3. CBI's 1st national conference on cybercrime investigation inaugurated: CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla has inaugurated the 1st National Conference on Cyber Crime Investigation and Cyber Forensics at CBI Headquarters in New Delhi. The two-day conference covers one of the mandates of CBI which is to investigate crimes with inter-state and international ramifications. The conference is aimed at creating the platform and bringing together investigators, lawyers, forensic experts and academia to discuss challenges related to cybercrime and ways to find solutions. It will also be a platform to share good practices to learn from experiences of various State police and Law Enforcement Agencies. 

4. Asia's only 5th Generation - VR based simulator centre launched at Chennai by AASI: Asia's first 5th Generation Virtual Reality based Advanced Driver Training Simulator Centre was launched at the Automobile Association of Southern India Centre (AASI), Chennai. Under 'Safe Drivers Campaign', AASI will train 200 Ambulance drivers in the first six months, free of cost. The patented simulator was ideated, designed and developed by Chennai based Red Chariots Technologies Pvt Ltd. The training session is a combination of level-based practical learning modules coupled with self-learning theory modules through an interactive e-learning quiz app built in-house.

5. Rohit Sharma launches a campaign to save Rhinos in India: Indian Cricket team vice-captain Rohit Sharma is launching Rohit4Rhinos campaign, in partnership with WWF India and Animal Planet. This campaign helps to build awareness for the need to conserve the Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros or the Indian Rhino.  The Indian rhinoceros faces several threats, including poaching, habitat loss and mass mortality from inbreeding and disease.

6. ‘Loktantra Ke Swar’ and ‘The Republican Ethic’ books to be released by V. President: The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu will release 2nd editions of ‘Loktantra Ke Swar (Khand 2)’ and ‘The Republican Ethic (Volume 2) in New Delhi. In order to promote and disseminate selected speeches of President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind. They are a compilation of 95 speeches delivered by the President during his second year in office (July 2018 to July 2019).

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. US Federal Trade Commission fines YouTube with $170 million: The US's Federal Trade Commission has fined Google's YouTube with $170 million. YouTube will have to pay $170 million to settle allegations of collecting personal information about children. YouTube has been accused of tracking viewers of children's channels using cookies without parental consent. YouTube also used those cookies to deliver millions of dollars in targeted advertisements to those viewers. The penalty on YouTube is the largest since a law came into effect in 1998 which banned the collection of information about children aged below 13. The law was revised in 2013 to include “cookies,” which can be used to track a person's internet viewing habits.

2. Delhi, Mumbai fall in EIU’s Global Liveability Index 2019: Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index for 2019, released with both Delhi and Mumbai sliding down ranks. New Delhi dropped 6 places to 118, from 112 last year and Mumbai also fell in this year’s index, by two places to 119, from 117 last year. Vienna in Austria, Melbourne and Sydney in Australia make the top three cities. The survey ranks countries across indicators including stability, healthcare, education, infrastructure, culture and environment.

Note: Headquarters of EIU's: London, UK; Founded: 1946.

3. Jaideep Sarkar appointed as next High Commissioner of India to Lesotho: India's High Commissioner to South Africa, Jaideep Sarkar has been concurrently accredited as the next High Commissioner of India to the Kingdom of Lesotho, with residence in Pretoria. He is a 1987 IFS-batch officer and earlier served as envoy to Israel and Bhutan.

Note: Capital of Lesotho: Maseru; Currencies of Lesotho: South African rand, Lesotho loti.

4. International Day of Charity: 5 September: The United Nations observes 5 September every year as International Day of Charity with the objective of sensitizing and mobilizing people, NGOs, and stakeholders all around the world to help others through volunteer and philanthropic activities. The date of 5 September was chosen to commemorate the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Teresa. She also received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 "for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace."

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. FIFA unveils official emblem for Qatar World Cup 2022: For Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022, FIFA has announced the official emblem for the event. The emblem has a swooping curve which represents the undulations of desert dunes and the unbroken loop depicts both the number eight and the infinity symbol. The eight represents the number of stadiums that will host the football tournament while the infinity symbol reflects the interconnected nature of the event. Qatar also unveiled the logo for the FIFA 2022 World Cup. The design is a stylised Arabic white unisex shawl with maroon patterning, which is displayed in a figure-of-eight symbolising infinity while creating a heart shape above the words “FIFA WORLD CUP Qatar 2022”.

Note: The 2022 FIFA World Cup (22nd edition) is scheduled to be held from 21 November to 18 December in Qatar. This will be the first World Cup ever to be held in the Arab world and the first in a Muslim-majority country.

2. Hockey: schedule of FIH Pro League season 2 released: As per schedule of FIH Pro League season 2 Hockey, India will play a total of 16 home and away games. The opening match will oppose China and The Netherlands in the women's event on 11th January 2020. Indian men's hockey team will open its campaign against the Netherlands at home on 18th and 19th January 2020. This will be followed by two home fixtures against Australia on 22nd and 23^rd. In away games, the Indian team will travel to Germany, Great Britain, Argentina and Spain in April, May and June. India will play the last leg of the Pro League round-robin matches in Spain in June 2020. The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has confirmed the match schedule of the second edition of the FIH Pro League, which includes 144 matches.

3. Indian boys settle for silver at Asian Junior and Cadet TT Championships: The Indian boy's team has settled for a silver medal after losing the final 0-3 to top seed China at the Asian Junior and Cadet Table Tennis Championships held at Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The second place helped Indian boys qualify for the World Junior Championships to be held at Korat, Thailand (Nov 2019).

4. Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan becomes the youngest skipper ever in Test cricket: Afghanistan Spin sensation Rashid Khan (20 years and 350 days old) has become the youngest ever Test skipper at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chittagong. Rashid beat the previous record held by former Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu (20 years and 358 days) by a mere 8 days. Taibu was 7 days short of his 21st birthday when he led his side against Sri Lanka in Harare on 6th May 2004. India's Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi rounds up the top-3 in this regard, having made his captaincy debut against West Indies at the age of 21 years and 77 days on March 23, 1962.

5. Bianca Andreescu becomes 1st teen US Open semi-finalist in a decade: Canadian teen Bianca Andreescu (19-years) has become the first teen US Open semi-finalist in a decade defeating Belgium's Elise Mertens to set up a battle with Belinda Bencic for a spot in the final. Bianca Andreescu (15th-seeded) from suburban Toronto rallied past 25th seed Mertens 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 to reach a clash against fellow Slam semi-final debutante Bencic. Andreescu, a winner this year at Indian Wells and Toronto, is the first teen in the US Open's last four since Caroline Wozniacki in 2009. She could become the first teen to win a Grand Slam title since Maria Sharapova captured the 2006 US Open.

6. Pakistan names Misbah-ul-Haq as head coach and chief selector: Former captain Misbah-ul-Haq has been appointed as head coach and chief selector of Pakistan's cricket team. He has been appointed for three years. Waqar Younis will join him as the team's new bowling coach. Misbah-ul-Haq has scored over 10,300 international runs in 75 Tests and 162 one-dayers for Pakistan and was also the most successful and longest-serving Test captain for Pakistan.

BANKING & FINANCE

1. CRISIL revises India's GDP growth to 6.3% in fiscal 2020: Rating agency CRISIL has revised India’s fiscal year 2020 GDP growth forecast to 6.3%. CRISIL has lowered the GDP growth forecast from 6.9% to 6.3%. The growth was revised as the first-quarter growth rate of India reduced to a 25-quarter low of 5%.

Note: Managing Director and CEO of CRISIL: Ashu Suyash.

2. RBI Makes External Benchmark Based Interest Rate mandatory for certain categories of loans: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has made it mandatory for banks to link all new floating-rate loans for housing, auto and MSMEs (Micro and Small Enterprises) to external benchmark like repo from 1st October 2019. The banks are free to choose one of the several benchmarks indicated in the circular. Industry and retail borrowers have been complaining that banks do not pass on the entire RBI's policy rate (repo rate) reduction to them. In 2019, the Reserve Bank has already reduced the repo or short-term lending rate by 110 basis points, but the banks have reportedly passed on only up to 40 bps to borrowers.

3. Wipro bags $300-million deal from ICICI Bank: IT services major Wipro Limited has bagged a strategic contract valued at $300 million from the ICICI Bank. Under the contract, Wipro will offer a comprehensive suite of services to ICICI Bank for the next seven years, starting September 2019. Currently, Mumbai-based IT services firm Vara infotech provides these services to the ICICI Bank. As part of this strategic engagement, Wipro will absorb about 3,800 employees of Vara infotech along with its existing contracts, facilities and assets.

Note: MD & CEO of ICICI Bank: Sandeep Bakhshi; ICICI Bank Headquarters: Mumbai; MD & CEO of Wipro: Abidali Z. Neemuchwala.

4. India among top 10 nations in gold reserves: India has surpassed the Netherlands to move into the list of top10 countries in terms of total gold reserves. According to the World Gold Council, India has gold reserves totalling 618.2 tonnes, which is marginally higher than the Netherlands’ reserves of 612.5 tonnes. According to the World Gold Council, the U.S. leads the country list with total gold reserves of 8,133.5 tonnes followed by Germany with 3,366.8 tonnes.  In terms of individual countries, India actually ranks 9th since the International Monetary Fund (IMF) occupies the third position after the U.S. and Germany.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Prof Muhammad Yunus conferred 'Lamp of Peace of Saint Francis ' award: Nobel Laureate from Bangladesh Professor Muhammad Yunus was conferred the 'Lamp of Peace of Saint Francis ' award by the Vatican for his contribution towards establishing peace and harmony. The award is a recognition for distinguished work by an individual for promoting peace and dialogue among people. The ceremony took place at the historic Papal Basilica of Assisi in Italy.

Note: The Lamp of Peace award was first given to the Polish trade union leader Lech Walesa in 1981. Dalai Lama, Mikhail Gorbachev and Angela Merkel are a few other prominent persons who received this award earlier.

Daily GK Updates - 4th September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. India to contribute USD 22 million to GFTAM: India has announced a contribution of USD 22 million to the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFTAM) for the 6th replenishment cycle (2020-22). This is an increase of 10% over the amount contributed by the US in the 5th cycle. The Global Fund is a partnership designed to accelerate the end of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. As an international organization, the Global Fund mobilizes and invests more than USD 4 billion a year to support programs run by local experts in more than 100 countries.

India has received USD 2.0 billion from the Global Fund for attaining targets related to HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria reduction. As a donor, India has contributed USD 46.5 million so far till 2019 including USD 20 million for the 5th Replenishment.

2. Indira Gandhi International Airport Gets India’s tallest ATC tower: The Union Minister for Civil Aviation Hardeep Singh Puri has inaugurated the new “Aerodrome Control Tower” at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi. This ATC tower is India’s tallest (102-metres) and most technologically advanced air traffic control (ATC) tower. It will enhance safety and boost the efficiency of air transport management services. The earth-quake resistant building has been constructed at the cost of approximately Rs 250 crore. This allows for simultaneous landings from the same direction on parallel runways which will further increase the capacity of the airport.

3. UDAN regional connectivity scheme launched in Haryana from Hisar: Hisar, Haryana has entered into the civil aviation map after the launch of the air shuttle service between Hisar and Chandigarh. SpiceJet has started the air shuttle service between Hisar and Chandigarh under the Ude Desh ka Har Nagarik (UDAN) Regional Connectivity Service scheme. SpiceJet would provide the service of two flights between Hisar and Chandigarh daily.

Note: Haryana Capital: Chandigarh; Chief Minister: Manohar Lal Khattar; Governor: Satyadev Narayan Arya.

4. Aadhaar for ITR filing, PAN will be auto-generated: The Income Tax Department announced that it will automatically issue PAN to all taxpayers who do not have a Permanent Account Number and are using Aadhaar for filing income tax returns (ITR). Under this new Aadhaar-PAN rule, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) will obtain demographic information from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and issue a new Permanent Account Number (PAN).

Note: UIDAI Chief Executive Officer(CEO): Ajay Bhushan Pandey; Headquarters: New Delhi.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Oleksiy Honcharuk appointed new Prime Minister of Ukraine: Oleksiy Honcharuk (35-years) has been appointed as the youngest-ever Prime Minister of Ukraine. He replaces Volodymyr Groysman, who offered his resignation after Zelensky's inauguration. Ukraine's new president Volodymyr Zelensky (41-year) nominated Honcharuk after weeks of consultations. The Prime Minister is appointed by the president with the consent of the Verkhovna Rada.

2. Trump nominates Indian-American ‘Shireen Mathews’ as District Court judge: President Donald Trump has nominated Indian American Shireen Mathews as a judge of the US District Court for the Southern District of California. Currently, Matthews is a partner at Jones Day, the fifth-largest law firm in the country, in San Diego. Matthews will be the first Asian Pacific American woman and first Indian-American to serve as an Article III federal judge in the Southern District. Article III judges "hold their office during good behaviour", which means they have a lifetime appointment, except under very limited circumstances.

3. CEC Sunil Arora assumes charge as AWEB Chairman: India’s Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora (1980 batch IAS officer - Rajasthan cadre) has assumed Chairmanship of Association of World Election Bodies (AWEB) for the term 2019-21, as India takes over the chair from Romania. Earlier, India was unanimously nominated to the Vice-Chair of AWEB at the last General Assembly held at Bucharest (in 2017). The AWEB Flag was handed over to the new Chairman, Sunil Arora and it will remain with Election Commission of India for the two-year term till 2021. More than 110 delegates from 45 countries attended the meeting. Mr Arora announced, an AWEB Centre would be set up at the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management, New Delhi for documentation, research and training and for the sharing best practices.

4. 1st ASEAN-US Maritime Exercise (AUMX) begins: The first ASEAN-US Maritime Exercise (AUMX) between the regional bloc and Washington, starting at the Sattahip Naval Base in Thailand and ending in Singapore. This drill is Co-led by the US and Royal Thai navies, the exercises will stretch into "international waters in Southeast Asia, including the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea".  The drills come at a time of stepped-up US engagement in the region and tensions between Beijing and Southeast Asian nations over the South China Sea.

5. Joint India-New Development Bank Workshop held in New Delhi: A joint India- New Development Bank workshop was held in New Delhi. The workshop was organized to enhance the NDB’s engagement with the India's private and public sector.  The NDB is aiming to support the Indian public and private sector for infrastructure development through innovative means such as loans in a local currency, guarantees, credit enhancement and equity investments. The NDB is the first Multilateral Development Bank established by developing countries and emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Note: President of NDB: K V Kamath; Headquarters: Shanghai, China.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Mithali Raj announces retirement from T20Is: Indian women's cricket ODI (One Day International) Captain Mithali Raj (36-years) has announced her retirement from T20 Internationals. She wants to focus on her ODI career, keeping in mind the 2021 World Cup in New Zealand. Mithali ended her T20 career with 2,364 runs from 89 matches at an average of 37.5 and the highest score of 97 not out. Mithali is also the first Indian woman to reach the landmark of 2000 T20 runs. In 203 ODIs, she scored 6,720 runs at an average of 51.29, with seven hundred. She has also played in 10 Tests, with 663 runs including a hundred.

2. Hamilton Masakadza announces retirement from International Cricket: Zimbabwe captain Hamilton Masakadza (36-years) has announced to retire from international cricket after conclusion of Bangladesh & Afghanistan T20I Tri-series (13 to 24 September 2019). He is a right-handed batsman and occasional right-arm medium-pace bowler. Hamilton Masakadza has represented Zimbabwe in 38 Tests (2223 runs), 209 ODIs (5658 runs) and 62 T20Is (1529-run). In his overall international career, he scored 9,410 international runs including 10 international tons and 42 half-centuries.

BANKING & FINANCE

1. ESIC ties up with SBI for real-time payments to ESIC beneficiaries: The Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and the State Bank of India (SBI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to provide electronic payment services for beneficiaries of ESIC. As per an agreement, SBI will provide e-payment services directly to bank accounts of all ESIC beneficiaries and payees without any manual intervention as an integrated and automated process. The e-payment integration would affect the statutory benefit payments to ESIC beneficiaries as well as other payees on a real-time basis, reducing time lags and delays and at the same time, help eliminate mistakes and errors caused by repetitive and manual data entries.

Note: Director-General of ESIC: Rajkumar; Chairman of SBI: Rajnish Kumar.

2. IDBI Bank to be recapitalised with an infusion from government, LIC: The Union Cabinet has cleared recapitalization of IDBI Bank with a one-time infusion of funds by both the government and the LIC. It has approved 9,000 crore capital infusion into IDBI Bank, including 4,557 crores by the government as one-time re-capitalisation. This will help both IDBI and LIC, and it shows the government's commitment to take banking to a sound level. The capital infusion process will be done through recapitalisation bonds under which the government will infuse the capital into the bank and the bank will buy the recapitalisation bonds from the government on the same day.

Note: IDBI Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, MD and CEO: Rakesh Sharma.

3. ECL Finance and Central bank of India ink pact to co-lend to MSMEs: ECL Finance Ltd, a subsidiary of Edelweiss Financial Services, and Central Bank of India have signed an agreement for priority sector lending to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME's) customers. The partnership aims to facilitate speedy disbursal of credit across a bouquet of products, including machinery and business loans. Through this partnership, MSMEs will be offered a blended lower rate of interest, translating into a lower cost of funds, helping them deploy capital more effectively in their business.

Note: Chairman of Central Bank of India: Rajeev Rishi; MD & CEO of Central Bank of India: Pallav Mohapatra.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Vaishno Devi Shrine tops the list of ‘Swachh Iconic Places’: Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir has been adjudged as the "Best Swachh Iconic place" in the country in the ‘Swachh Iconic Places’. The Shrine has been adjudged on the basis of the overall improvement in sanitation. This list released by the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation. President Ram Nath Kovind will confer the award to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) during the ‘Swachh Mahotsav’ to be organised by Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation on 6 September 2019.

DEFENCE

1. Army to commission 1st batch of women soldiers in 2021: The Indian Army has announced that the first batch of 100 women soldiers in the Army is likely to be commissioned by March 2021. The women soldiers will be commissioned into the Corps of Military Police of the Indian Army. In the Corps of Military Police, women soldiers will take up duties of policing cantonments and other Army establishments.  They will also work in co-operation with civil police of various state governments as well as the Centre and will also investigate cases of crime. At present, women in the Army work only in engineering, medical, legal, signals and educational wings.

2. India, US to carry out joint Military Exercise "Yudh Abhyas 2019": Indo-US defence cooperation, a joint military training, Exercise "Yudh Abhyas 2019". This exercise is being conducted at Joint Base Lewis Mc Chord, Washington, the USA from 05-18 September 2019. Exercise Yudh Abhyas is one of the largest joint running military training and defence corporation endeavours between India and USA. This will be the 15th edition of the joint exercise hosted alternately between the two countries.   The exercise is also an ideal platform to learn from each other's expertise and experiences of planning and execution of operations.

Note: Chief of the Army Staff of India: General Bipin Rawat; Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army: Mark A Milley.

Daily GK Updates - 3rd September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Tourism Minister inaugurates first-ever architectural LED illumination at Qutub Minar: Minister of State for Culture and Tourism Prahalad Singh Patel inaugurated first-ever architectural LED illumination at the  Qutub Minar. With the illumination, the architectural beauty of the 12th-century monument will display its historic majesty after sunset. Qutb Minar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of most visited historical site in Delhi.

2. PM Modi inaugurates Garvi Gujarat Bhavan in New Delhi: Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has inaugurated the new building of ‘Garvi Gujarat Bhavan’ at Akbar Road in New Delhi. The Bhavan is equipped with traditional and modern artefacts and technologies and will serve as a home for Gujaratis in the national capital. The new structure is built on an area of 20,325 square meters and have 19 suits rooms, 59 regular rooms, a restaurant, a public dining hall, a business centre, a souvenir shop, a multi-purpose hall, conference hall, four lounges, a gymnasium, a yoga centre, a terrace garden and a library.

Note: Chief Minister of Gujarat: Vijay Rupani; Governor of Gujarat: Acharya Devvrat.

3. Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu to inaugurate ‘Aqua Aquaria India’: Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu will inaugurate the 5th edition of the aquaculture event, Aqua Aquaria India, in Hyderabad. The theme for this year’s event is ‘Taking Blue Revolution to India’s Hinterland’. This event organised for encouraging diversification and intensification of aquaculture in a sustainable manner. iii. This is an initiative of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) under the Commerce Ministry.

Note: Union Minister of Commerce and Industry: Piyush Goyal.

4. New Health Insurance Scheme AB-MGRSBY launched in Rajasthan: The Rajasthan government has launched a new health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat-Mahatma Gandhi Rajasthan Swasthya Bima Yojna (AB-MGRSBY). The scheme is implemented after merging the Centre's Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY) and the state's Bhamashah Swasthya Bima Yojna (BSBY). With the merger of (AB-PMJAY) and (BSBY) the number of families getting benefits will be increased from 1 crore to 1.1 crores.

Note: Rajasthan Chief Minister: Ashok Gehlot; Governor: Kalraj Mishra; Capital: Jaipur.

5. Haryana govt waives off interest & penalty of Rs 4,750 cr on crop loans: Haryana government has announced Rs 4,750 crore interest and penalty waiver on crop loans. The waive off is for farmers who had borrowed from Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies, District Cooperative Central Banks and Land Mortgage Bank. The step will benefit around 10 lakh farmers in the state.

Note: Haryana Capital: Chandigarh; Chief Minister: Manohar Lal Khattar; Governor: Satyadev Narayan Arya.

6. KVIC launches ‘Terracotta Grinder’ to reuse wasted pottery: Khadi and Village Industries Commission has launched a ‘Terracotta Grinder’ at Sewapuri in Varanasi. The machine will be able to grind the wasted and broken pottery items for re-using in pottery-making.   This Terracotta grinder will make grinding of wasted pottery items faster than the traditional mortar and pestle. It will lessen the cost of production, and will also help in solving the problem of shortage of clays. On the occasion, KVIC also distributed 200 Electric Potter Wheels and other pottery machines among the villagers.

Note: Chairman of KVIC: Vinai Kumar Saxena.

7. IIT-Kharagpur and Amazon Web Services join hands to develop AI portal: IIT Kharagpur has collaborated with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to develop a National Artificial Intelligence resource platform (NAIRP) to promote learning and development in artificial intelligence (AI). The National Artificial Intelligence Resource Portal (NAIRP) will provide access to compute facilities to users for AI learning and experimentation. Novice machine learning practitioners will be able to quickly search and get access to myriads of learning resources and prototype the learned concepts into hands-on running modules without being held back by the lack of resources.

Note: CEO of Amazon: Jeff Bezos; Established: 5 July 1994.

8. Prakash Javadekar Unveils New Logo, Certificate Design of CBFC: Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar unveiled the new logo and certificate design of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).  The introduction of a QR code in the new certificate design is in sync with the world of digital technology and will bring in greater transparency and provide information to filmmakers in a better way.

Note: Chairman of CBFC: Prasoon Joshi.

9. A new book released on the history of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: The book, "India's Lost Frontier the Story of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan", has been penned by veteran civil servant Raghvendra Singh. He was the Director-General of the National Archives of India.  This book on the history of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, earlier known as the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). This book presents the chronicles of Congress leadership in 1947 surrendered India's claim on the "tactically important" province despite the resistance of Mahatma Gandhi and some influential political leaders of the region.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ‘Namaste Pacific’ Cultural Event held in New Delhi:  The High Commissions of Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Fiji jointly organised a cultural event 'Namaste Pacific' held in Delhi, India. This event is organised to showcase the culture of the Pacific countries. There was also showcase of the International Solar Alliance and Pollinate Energy based in Australia, Nepal and India and solar lanterns from Barefoot College in Rajasthan.

Note: Chief Minister of Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal; Lt. Governor of Delhi: Anil Baijal.

2. PM Narendra Modi embarks on 3-day visit to Russia to attend EEF summit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on 3-day visit to Russia to take part in the 5th Eastern Economic Forum – (EEF) summit. PM Modi will also attend the 20th annual summit between Russia and India. According to Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, both India and Russia want to move beyond the conventional cooperation in defence and nuclear civil cooperation to the new areas of the economy. On the sidelines of Eastern Economic Summit, the Prime Minister is expected to hold bilateral talks with the Government Heads of Japan, Malaysia and Mongolia.

Note: Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) is an international forum held each year in Vladivostok, Russia, for the purpose of encouraging foreign investment in the Russian Far East. The Eastern Economic Forum was established by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin in 2015.

3. Defence Ministers of India & Japan meet in Tokyo: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo to further enhance the defence engagements between both the countries. Earlier Mr Singh co-chaired the annual Defence Ministerial Dialogue with his Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwayain. According to Rajnath Singh, India and Japan will continue working together to further deepen the defence ties between both the nations.

Note: Japan Capital: Tokyo; Currency: Japanese Yen; PM: Shinzo Abe.

4. 72nd Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia: Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare inaugurated the 72nd Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia held in New Delhi. The committee is the highest decision making and governing body of WHO in the region. Dr Harsh Vardhan was unanimously elected as Chair of the 72nd Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia.

Note: WHO Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; Director general: Tedros Adhanom.

5. Bangladesh TV starts telecast in India: Dr. Hasan Mahmud (Information Minister of Bangladesh) has inaugurated the state-owned TV channel Bangladesh Television (BTV) at BTV Auditorium in Dhaka for viewers in India on DD free dish. This would create platforms for learning from each other’s experiences and fostering better understanding between the two countries. The BTV programmes in India will be broadcast by using the country's first communication satellite Bangabandhu 1. Initially, the viewers would be able to watch BTV World service programmes in India. India and Bangladesh signed an agreement in May 2019 to make BTV and DD available in both the countries.

6. Japan to launch special police unit to patrol isles in the East China Sea: Japan will launch a special police unit equipped with submachine guns and helicopters to patrol disputed isles in the East China Sea. According to the National Police Agency, it had put in a budget request for an additional 159 officers to head off illegal landings on remote islands by armed groups. It was the first-time police had stepped up patrols near the disputed islands. The uninhabited islets are at the centre of a festering row between Tokyo and Beijing, which is also involved in a widening dispute with several Southeast Asian countries over islands in the South China Sea. The Japanese Government has long complained about China's routine dispatch of coastguard ships to waters surrounding the islands. Relations between Japan and China deteriorated in 2012 when Tokyo nationalized some of the islets.

Note: The ‘East China Sea’ is a part of the Pacific Ocean and covers an area of roughly 1,249,000 square kilometres. The sea connects with the Sea of Japan through the Korea Strait and opens to the north into the Yellow Sea. The states which border the sea include Japan, Taiwan and the People's Republic of China.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Virat Kohli becomes India's most successful Test skipper: Virat Kohli has surpassed Mahendra Singh Dhoni to become India's most successful Test skipper. It came after the Indian team recorded its 28th win under Kohli's leadership in the second and final test against the West Indies at Kingston. The 28 wins have come from 48 matches for Kohli as captain. M S Dhoni led India to 27 wins from 60 Test matches during his tenure. Overall, Graeme Smith (former South Africa skipper) remains the most successful skipper in the world with 53 Test wins, followed by Ricky Ponting (ex-Australia captain) who recorded 48 Test wins in his captaincy tenure.

2. India beat West Indies in 2nd cricket test at Kingston; Clinches series 2-0: India beat West Indies by a thumping margin of 257 runs to win the second Cricket Test and clinch series 2-0. Chasing a mammoth victory target of 468 runs set by India, West Indies were all out for 210 in their second innings on the penultimate day of the Test at Kingston, Jamaica. India produced a top-notch bowling performance to demolish West Indies as the series victory put them on top of ICC World Test Championship points table.

Brief scores: India: 416 (140.1) & 168/4d (54.4)

West Indies: 117 (47.1) & 210 (59.5).

3. Nadubhagam Chundan Lifts 67th Nehru Trophy in Alappuzha: Nadubhagam Chundan, the snake boat of Pallathuruthy Boat Club, lifted the 67th edition of the Nehru Trophy at the Punnamada Lake in Alappuzha in Kerala. A total of 79 boats, including 23 snake boats, participated in the Nehru trophy. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the event in the presence of cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who was the chief guest of the event.

Note: Governor of Kerala: Arif Mohammed Khan; Capital of Kerala: Thiruvananthapuram.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. PM Narendra Modi to be honoured with Global Goalkeeper Award: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be honoured with the prestigious 2019 ‘Global Goalkeeper Award’ for his work in the ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’. Mr. Modi will be felicitated by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, owned by Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda Gates. The award is a “special recognition” that celebrates the commitment of a political leader towards the Global Goals, demonstrated through impactful work in their country and/or globally. The Foundation will host the fourth annual Goalkeepers 'Global Goals Awards' on 24th September in the United States.

Note: The annual awards, in five categories, are presented to leaders and individuals for their efforts in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The categories are Progress, Changemaker, Campaign, Goalkeepers Voice and the Global Goalkeeper.

DEFENCE

1. Eight US-made Apache AH-64E attack helicopters to be inducted into IAF: Eight United States-made Apache AH-64E attack helicopters have been inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in a ceremony at the Pathankot Air Force station. The addition of the Apache fleet will significantly enhance the IAF's combat capabilities. The AH-64E Apache is one of the world's most advanced multi-role combat helicopters. The IAF had signed a multi-billion dollar contract with the US Government and Boeing Ltd in September 2015 for purchase of 22 Apache helicopters.

Note: Apache helicopter can deliver a variety of weapons which includes air to ground hellfire missiles, 70 MM Hydra rockets and air to air stinger missiles. Apache also carries one 30MM chain gun with 1200 rounds as part of area weapon subsystem. It carries fire control radar which has 360-degree coverage and nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems.

Daily GK Updates - 2nd September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Ganesh Utsav begins across the country with traditional gaiety: The ten-day long festival of Ganesh Utsav begins with great devotion from 2nd September. The festival marks the birth of Lord Ganesha, who is a symbol of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. Ganesh Chaturthi is a major attraction in Maharashtra, where people celebrate it with great zeal. On the first day of the festival, devotees are welcoming the idols of Lord Ganesha to their homes and at public pandals in various parts of the state.

2. Higher penalties for violating traffic rules come into force: The amended provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act, which hike the penalty for traffic rules violation have come into force from 01st September 2019. As many as 63 clauses of the Act, which correspond to an increase in the fine for traffic rule violation came into force. The fine for jumping red-light has been revised from 1,000 rupees earlier to 5,000 rupees now. Driving without wearing the seat belt, which earlier invited a fine of 100 rupees will now attract a fine of 1,000 rupees.

3. EC launches Electors Verification Programme: The Election Commission launched a new mega Electors Verification Programme (EVP) across the country. The programme, which seeks to electoral rolls through crowdsourcing, will go on till 15th of October. Under the programme, a voter from each family will get a username and password, allowing a person to upload all documents related to electoral registration and tag similar details about his or her family members. The EVP programme can be effected both online and offline.

4. India’s first garbage cafe to be opened in Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh: In a unique initiative, the Ambikapur municipal corporation of Chhattisgarh will open a first-of-its-kind 'Garbage Cafe'. This initiative is a step towards making the city plastic-free. In this unique Cafe' poor people and rag pickers will get free food in exchange for one kilogram of plastic, while breakfast will be provided if half a kilogram of plastic is brought to the cafe. The collected garbage will be sold at Solid-Liquid Resources Management Centre. The collected plastic waste would further be turned into granules and will then be used in the construction of roads in the city. Ambikapur is Chhattisgarh’s first dustbin-free city.

Note: CM of Chhattisgarh: Bhupesh Baghel. Governor of Chhattisgarh: Anusuiya Uikey.

5. CGHS services to be made available in 100 cities by 2022: Health Minister: The Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan launched a new scheme of Annual Health Check-up for CGHS beneficiaries who are pensioners of the age of 75 years and above. He also inaugurated state-of-the-art CGHS Bhawan in New Delhi. Dr Harsh Vardhan stated that CGHS services should be made available in 100 cities by 2022. The CGHS services which started in 1954 from Delhi expanded to only 25 cities till 2014.

6. IPS Vivek Kumar Johri takes charge as BSF DG: IPS officer Vivek Kumar Johri took charge as the Director General (DG) of the country's largest border guarding force, BSF. He will replace Rajni Kant Mishra. VK Johri has been serving as the Special Secretary in the external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), under the Cabinet Secretariat. He will retire in September next year and is the 25th chief of the force.

Headquarters of BSF: New Delhi; Established: 1 December 1965.

7. Google signs a pact with IT ministry for 'Build for Digital India': Tech giant ‘Google’ has signed a statement of intent with the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) for rolling out 'Build for Digital India' programme. The programme will offer a platform for engineering students to develop market-ready, technology-based solutions that address key social problems. As part of the program, engineering students across the country will be invited to present their ideas and solutions in areas like healthcare, agriculture, education, smart cities and infrastructure, women safety, smart mobility and transportation, environment, accessibility and disability and digital literacy. Google will also offer mentorship sessions in product design, strategy and technology to the most promising products and prototypes.

Note: Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology: Ravi Shankar Prasad; Chief Executive Officer of Google: Sundar Pichai.

8. The Union Government approves Gorewada International Zoo in Nagpur: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar has announced the approval of the new ‘Gorewada International Zoo’ in Nagpur district of Maharashtra. The Zoo will have attractions like Bio Park, Indian Safari, African Safari, Night Safari, Research, Education and Training, facilities for tourists, etc. The task of construction of Indian Safari and ancillary activities, Water Reservoir and Gorewada Reserve has been given to FDCM Ltd. with Government Grants. The Government of Maharashtra has accorded permission for establishing the International Zoo, through Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra Limited (FDCM. Ltd.), Nagpur.

Note: The Gorewada International Zoo is likely to be one of the largest captive Zoo Safari in India with over 1914 Hectares of land adjoining the Gorewada Lake.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Bangladesh partners with Reliance Power for gas-based power plant: The Bangladesh government has signed an agreement with Reliance Power of India. As per the agreement, they will set up a 750 MW gas-based power plant in Meghnahat near Dhaka. The construction of the plant will be completed by 2022. Reliance Power has also signed an MoU with Petro Bangla to set up 500 mmscfd (million standard cubic feet per day) LNG terminal at Kutubdia Island near Chittagong in Bangladesh.

Note: Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka; Currency: Taka; PM: Sheikh Hasina.

2. India ranks 9th on "Global Happiness Survey" by Ipsos: According to a "Global Happiness Survey" by Ipsos, Indian has been ranked 9th on the happiness index among 28 global markets. For India, there has been a six per cent drop (from 83 per cent in 2018 to 77 per cent in 2019). Australia and Canada at the top spot (at 86 per cent) have emerged as the happiest nations of the world, While Russia (47 per cent) emerged at the bottom of the heap, among the 28 markets.

3. Russia to train Indian astronauts for Gaganyaan mission: Russia will train four Indian astronauts for India’s ambitious manned mission to space, Gaganyaan. Indian astronauts will be trained at Russian facilities. A special ISRO unit will be established in the embassy in Moscow to facilitate increased cooperation between India and Russia in view of the Gaganyaan mission. Under the Gaganyaan Mission, Indian Space Research Research Organisation has outlined a road map to put a three-man crew in a low earth orbit for 5-7 days by December 2021.
Note: Chairman of ISRO: K. Sivan; Headquarters: Bengaluru.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Yashaswini Deswal wins gold at ISSF World Cup: Indian shooter Yashaswini Singh Deswal won gold in the women's 10meter Air Pistol event at the ISSF World Cup at Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. She has also secured an Olympic quota for India. This is India's 9th quota in shooting for 2020 Tokyo Games.

Note: Capital of Brazil: Brasilia; Currency of Brazil: Brazilian Real.

2. Jasprit Bumrah became the 3rd Indian to take a Test hat-trick: Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah (25-years) has become the third Indian to claim a hat-trick in Test cricket during the ongoing second Test against West Indies at Sabina Park. Bumrah got the wickets of Darren Bravo, Shamarh Brooks and Roston Chase off successive deliveries to achieve the feat. Burmah is also the 44th player to achieve the feat in the longest format of the game. Harbhajan Singh was the first Indian to pick up a Test hat-trick (vs Australia in Kolkata in 2001). Left-arm pacer Irfan Pathan repeated the feat when he took three wickets off consecutive balls against Pakistan in Karachi in 2006.

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. IDBI Bank introduces repo-linked home and auto loans: IDBI Bank will introduce two Repo Linked Products -Suvidha Plus Home Loan and Suvidha Plus Auto Loan from September 10. The new Home Loan and Auto Loan products will be offered to new customers having a good credit score and a minimum income of Rs. 6 lakh per annum. The Suvidha Plus Home Loan will be offered for up to Rs. 75 Lakh with a tenor of up to 35 years. The Suvidha Plus Auto loan will be offered for up to Rs. 25 lakh covering the on-road price with a tenor of up to 7 years.

Daily GK Updates - 1st September, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. New Governors Appointed for 5 States: President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed new Governors for five states: Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and Telangana.

(1) Former Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya will be the Governor of Himachal Pradesh in place of Kalraj Mishra. (2) Kalraj Mishra, has been given the charge of Rajasthan, replacing incumbent Governor Kalyan Singh. (3) Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Bhagat Singh Koshyari has been named the Governor of Maharashtra replacing C. Vidyasagar Rao. (4) Former Union Minister, Arif Mohammed Khan was appointed Governor of Kerala replacing P. Sathasivam. (5) Tamil Nadu BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan will be the new Governor of Telangana replacing E.S.L Narshiman.

2. Lt Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane Takes Charge as Vice Chief of the Army Staff: Lt Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane assumed the charge of Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS). He succeeds Lt Gen Devraj Anbu who superannuated on 31 August 2019. Prior to this, Lt Gen Naravane was the incharge of the Eastern Command of the Indian Army.

3. Govt accepts State Bank of India MD Anshula Kant’s resignation: The government has accepted the resignation of State bank of India’s managing Director Anshula Kant, following her appointment as MD and chief financial officer of the World Bank. Kant was appointed as the managing director and chief financial officer of the World Bank.

4. September Month Being Celebrated as ‘Rashtriya Poshan Maah’: The Government of India has decided to observe the entire month of September as the ‘Rashtriya Poshan Maah’ (National Nutrition Month) beginning September 01, 2019. The theme for 2019 celebrations is Complimentary Feeding. Through the Poshan month celebrations, government aims to take the message of nutrition to every nook and corner of the country to focus on complimentary food, treatment and prevention from infections in children.

5. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu Inaugurates India’s Longest Electrified Rail Tunnel: Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu dedicated India’s longest electrified rail tunnel between Cherlopalli and Rapuru and the electrified railway line between Venkatachalam and Obulavaripalli in Andhra Pradesh. The railway tunnel has been built at a cost of Rs 437 crore and has 44 trolley refuges and 14 cross-passages in a horseshoe design. The 112-km new line has no level crossings and is completed at a cost of Rs 1,993 crore and consists of 9 railway stations along the route, 146 bridges, 60 road-under-bridges and two tunnels. The minister also inaugurated the re-modelled yard at Guduru railway station and flagged-off a new inter-city superfast express train between Guduru and Vijayawada.

Rajasthan launches AB-MGRSBY health insurance scheme: The Rajasthan government has launched a new health insurance scheme- Ayushman Bharat-Mahatma Gandhi Rajasthan Swasthya Bima Yojna (AB-MGRSBY)- from September 1. The scheme will be implemented after merging the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY) and the state’s Bhamashah Swasthya Bima Yojna (BSBY). With the merger of AB-PMJAY and BSBY, the number of families getting benefit will increase.

6. Haryana CM releases book penned by senior IPS officer O P Singh: Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar released a book titled ‘Jin Dhoondha Tin Paaiyan’ penned by senior IPS officer O P Singh. The 174-page book is written in Hindi and has 45 chapters. It covers a wide range of issues including crime, violence, police, sports and social media. The book urges the readers to keep upgrading their worldview and avoid getting obsolete.

7. “A Short History of Indian Railways” book penned by Rajendra B Aklekar released: A new book named “A Short History of Indian Railways”, has been penned by veteran journalist and author Rajendra B Aklekar. This new book on the history of Indian Railways chronicles the journey of the national transporter from the 1830s to the new high-speed Train 18 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious bullet train project.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. ECI to Host 4th General Assembly of Association of World Election Bodies: The Election Commission of India (ECI) will host the 4th General Assembly of Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) at Bengaluru on 3rd September 2019. India will also take charge as the Chair of A-WEB for the 2019-21 term. An International Conference on “Initiatives and Challenges of Social Media and Information Technology in Elections” will also be held during the meet that will take place from 02 to 04 September, 2019.

Note: The Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB) is the largest association of Election Management Bodies (EMBs) worldwide. Its permanent secretariat is located at Seoul South Korea. 

2. Indonesia picks eastern Borneo island for new capital: Indonesia has chosen the eastern edge of jungle-clad Borneo island for its new capital, President Joko Widodo said, as the country looks to shift its political heart away from congested megalopolis Jakarta. The proposed location — near the regional cities of Balikpapan and Samarinda- is in the geographical centre of the Southeast Asian archipelago and an area where the government already owns some 180,000 hectares (445,000 acres) of land, he added.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Charles Leclerc wins F1 Belgian Grand Prix: Monacan based Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) has won the Formula 1, Belgian Grand Prix 2019. This is his first F1 win. Lewis Hamilton was on second while Valtteri Bottas finished third. 

2. India’s Sasikumar Mukund Finishes Runner Up in Both Singles and Doubles at ATP Challenger Tour: In Tennis, Sasikumar Mukund ended runner-up in both singles and doubles at ATP Challenger Tour, in Baotou, China. The 12th seed Mukund lost to Australian top seed James Duckworth 4-6 3-6 in the singles in the clay-court event of Challenger 80 category tournament. In the doubles, Mukund and Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili pair lost 6-7 (3) 2-6 to second seed Korean pair of Ji Sung Nam and Min-Kyu Song.

3. Tejinderpal Wins Shotput Silver at Czech Republic Athletic Meet: Asian Games gold medallist Tejinderpal Singh Toor won silver medal in men’s shot put event at V. Koci Memorial Athletics Meet at Decin, Czech Republic. The 24-year-old came with his best throw of 20.09m. Tomas Stanek of Czech Republic won the gold with 20.86m.

4. India Thrash Nepal 7-0 to Win U-15 SAFF Championship: India defeated Nepal 7-0 in the final of the 2019 SAFF (South Asian Football Federation) U-15 Championship at the Kalyani Stadium, West Bengal. Maheson Singh (15'), Amandeep (41'), Sibajit Singh (43+1'), Himanshu Jangra (65') and Sridarth Nongmeikapam (52', 76', 80') got their names on the scoreboard. With seven goals to his name, Jangra finished as the top scorer in the tournament in which the hosts had secured their place in the final with a game to spare. 

BANKING AND FINANCE

1. 2% TDS on cash withdrawals of over Rs 1 crore from September 1: Tax department: The revenue department said that the 2 per cent tax deduction at source (TDS) on cash withdrawals of over Rs 1 crore will come into effect from September 1. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) further said that if a person has already withdrawn Rs 1 crore or more in cash up to August 31, 2019, in the current fiscal, 2 per cent TDS shall apply on all subsequent cash withdrawals. The government had made the provision of levying 2 per cent TDS on cash withdrawals exceeding Rs 1 crore in the Union Budget with an aim to discourage cash transactions and move towards less cash economy.

2. RBI extends KYC deadline for mobile wallets by 6 months: The Reserve Bank of India has given mobile wallet providers time till February 29, 2020 to fully comply with Know Your Customer (KYC) norms, in a major relief to companies such as Paytm, Amazon Pay and PhonePe just a day before the expiry of its earlier deadline. These companies ran the risk of losing thousands of customers if they had failed to comply with the August 31 deadline to convert customer accounts authenticated through the minimum KYC route to full KYC wallets, ahead of the crucial festival season.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

1. Digital payments growing in India at 12.7% CAGR: KPMG: Digital payments in India are witnessing thriving growth with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.7 per cent in the number of non-cash transactions, global advisory KPMG said. A KPMG report said that the mobile payment revolution in the country has led to a boom in the number of merchants adopting digital payments with close to 1.5 million digital payment acceptance locations in 2016-17.

OBITUARIES

1. US actress and four-time Emmy winner Valerie Harper passes away: Actress Valerie Harper, the star of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and spin-off series “Rhoda”, has passed away after a long battle with cancer. She was 80.