Daily GK Updates - 28th August, 2019

 NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Govt Launched mobile app “Janaushadhi Sugam”: Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers launched a mobile application “Janaushadhi Sugam”. This app will enable people to search for Janaushadhi generic medicines and the stores at the tip of their fingers. “Janaushadhi Sugam” mobile application would have user-friendly options like- to locate nearby Janaushadhikendra, direction guidance for the location of the Janaushadhikendra through Google Map, search Janaushadhi generic medicines, analyse product comparison of Generic vs Branded medicine in form of MRP & overall Savings, etc. The mobile application is available on both Android & iOS platforms.

Note: Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers: D.V. Sadananda Gowda.

2. Lt. Governor launches 'QR Code Scheme' on Himmat Plus app: Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Anil Baijal launched a 'QR Code Scheme' on the Himmat Plus app in Delhi. This mobile app launched by the Delhi Police to ensure the safety of women. This added feature is to ensure that only genuine and verified drivers ferry passenger to their destinations from airports and railway and metro stations. The aim of the scheme is to enhance the safety and security of women and other commuters travelling in the yellow or black taxis or auto-rickshaws from railway stations, airport and metro stations.

Note: Chief Minister of Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal.

3. Tamil Nadu Govt launches education TV channel for school students: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami has launched its exclusive education TV channel named ‘Kalvi Tholaikkatchi’. The channel will telecast various programmes, including rhymes songs, video lessons and coaching classes. It is an initiative of the School Education Department aimed at benefiting students of classes I to XII. ‘Kalvi Tholaikkatchi’ will telecast programmes from 6 am to 9.30 pm every day. Soon, cable connections will be installed at primary and middle schools as well for its full coverage.

Note: Tamil Nadu Capital: Chennai; Governor: Banwarilal Purohit.

4. IIP sets up a plant to turn plastic waste into diesel: Dr. Harsh Vardhan (Union Minister for Science and Technology) and Trivendra Singh Rawat (Chief Minister of Uttarakhand) have jointly inaugurated a waste-plastic to diesel plant in Dehradun. The plant has been set up in Indian Institute of Petroleum whose scientists will process waste plastics into fuel. It has the capacity to produce 800-litre diesel from one tonne of plastic. It has been set up at a time various country are working towards a plastic-free world.

5. Over 2 lakh bio-toilets installed in 60,906 train coaches of Indian Railways: According to Railway ministry, over 2 lakh bio-toilets have been installed in 60,906 train coaches of Indian Railways. The 'Bio-Toilet project' of Indian Railways is an innovative and indigenous development of technology. The Bio-toilet project is aligned with Swachh Bharat Mission, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The technology for Bio-toilets have been innovated, designed and is 'Made in India'. It has been developed jointly by Indian Railways' Engineers & DRDO's scientists.

Note: The bio-toilet system utilizes anaerobic bacteria which consume the waste material and convert it into water and gas.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. G7 to finance fire-fighting aircraft for Amazon: G7 has agreed to spend 22 million US Dollars to tackle the huge forest fires engulfing the world's biggest Amazon rain forest. This was stated by Presidents of France and Chile at the G7 summitin the French town of Biarritz. The G7 group comprising Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States, has also agreed to support a medium-term reforestation plan which will be unveiled at the UN in September. The initiative was announced after G7 leaders held talks on the environment, which focused on the fires destroying chunks of the Amazon rain forests. Nearly 80,000 forest fires have been detected in Brazil since the beginning of the year a little over half in the Amazon region.

2. Lionel Aingimea elected President of Nauru: Nauru's Parliament chose Lionel Aingimea as president, three days after elections in the tiny Pacific island nation. Aingimea won the presidency 12-6 over rival David Adeang, the Nauru government information office reports. Aingimea, a lawyer trained in Australia, previously worked with the Regional Rights Resource Team, a nongovernmental organization. However, Aingimea subsequently worked in the Waqa administration, first as a senior public servant — then as an assistant minister for justice and border control.

Nauru Capital: Yaren; Nauru Currency: Australian Dollar.

3. Johnson & Johnson asked to pay $572 mn for Opioid addiction crisis: Johnson & Johnson has been ordered to pay $572 million for Opioid addiction crisis in the US. Oklahoma court has accused J&J of its role in fostering the state’s opioid addiction crisis. The money will be used to provide care for addicts, families and communities ravaged by the crisis.

4. Taylor Swift tops Forbes’ list of world’s highest-paid women in music: Forbes has released the list of top 10 highest-paid women in music. Singer Taylor Swift has topped the list with an earning of $185 million. Other in the list are: (2) Beyoncé – Earnings: $81 million ; (3) Rihanna – Earnings: $62 million ; (4) Katy Perry – Earnings: $57.5 million ; (5) P!nk- Earnings: $57 million.

5. Nepal, India launch Kathmandu-Siliguri bus service: A bus service between Nepal's capital Kathmandu and India's Siliguri in West Bengal has started. Nepal's Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transportation Raghubir Mahaseth and Indian Ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri flagged off the bus from Kathmandu. The 44-seater air-conditioned deluxe bus will complete 650 Kilometre-journey between Kathmandu and Siliguri in 18 hours. The bus will leave Kathmandu daily at 3 P.M. and reach Siliguri via Kakarvitta-Panitanki border next day at around 9 A.M. The bus fare is 2,000 Nepali Rupees and tickets would be available on-line.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. West Indies fast bowler Cecil Wright retires at 85: West Indies pacer Cecil Wright has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket at the ripe old age of 85. Wright made his first-class debut for Jamaica against a Barbados side which had legends Wes Hall and Sir Garfield Sobers. The 85-year-old claims to have played over two million games taking over 7,000 wickets in professional cricket. Wright’s longest purple patch span five seasons as he ended up taking as many as 538 wickets in five seasons.

2. Indian team won four medals in Worldskills Kazan competition in Russia: Indian team created history by winning one gold, one silver and two bronze medals at the world's biggest international vocational skill competition, 45th WorldSkills Kazan 2019, Russia. S Aswatha Narayana won the gold medal in water technology, Pranav Nutalapati won a silver medal in web technologies, Sanjoy Pramanik and Shweta Ratanpura won one bronze medal each in Jewellery and graphic design technology.

Note: President of Russia: Vladimir Putin; Capital of Russia: Moscow; Currency: Russian ruble.

PM of Russia: Dmitry Medvedev.

3. Sumit Nagal becomes first Indian to win a set against Roger Federer: Indian tennis player, Sumit Nagal faced Roger Federer during the ongoing US Open. Though Sumit lost the match 6-4, 1-6,2-6,4-6 against Federer, he became the first Indian player to win a set against Federer. He also became only the fourth player to take the opening set against Federer at the US Open. Nagal had qualified for the US Open main draw. Nagal had become the youngest Indian in 25 years to qualify for the main draw of a Grand Slam as he had defeated Brazil’s Jaao Menezes 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. He had earlier won the Wimbledon Boys' doubles title in 2015.

4. Kiren Rijiju meets world champion PV Sindhu, rewards her with 10 lakh rupees: Minister Kiren Rijiju presented 10 lakh rupees cheque to Badminton star P.V. Sindhu for her historic triumph at the World Championships in Basel, Switzerland. Sindhu had defeated Japan's Nozomi Okuhara in a lop-sided World Championships final on Sunday. The Minister also extended his congratulations to Sai Praneeth besides rewarding him with a cheque of four lakh rupees for winning a bronze medal at the Championships. 

5. App launched to help Paralympians in Tokyo: A mobile app was launched to help para-athletes to look up accessible places in Tokyo during their visit to the city for the 2020 Paralympics Games. The application ”IndTokyo" which was launched by Arhan Bagati, Awareness and Impact Ambassador of Paralympic Committee of India, at the 'Countdown to Tokyo 2020'.

Note: President of Paralympic Committee of India: Gursharan Singh.

BANKING & FINANCE

1. Canara Bank introduced OTP facility for ATM withdrawal: Public sector Bank, Canara Bank has launched India’s first OTP facility for ATM withdrawals. This additional factor of authentication protects from unauthorized ATM cash withdrawals for cardholders. Now Canara Bank ATMs get safer and more secured with OTP facility on cash withdrawals above ₹10,000 in a day.

Note: Canara Bank Chairman: Shri. T.N. Manoharan, Headquarters: Bangalore; MD & CEO: R A Sankara Narayanan.

2. Indian Bank opens MSME Centralised Processing Centre: Indian Bank has opened MSME CPC (centralised processing centre) in Chennai. The centralised processing centre will give a boost to the bank's MSME portfolio and will lead to speedy disposal of micro, small and medium enterprises’ loans. The bank has also deployed skilled manpower in the CPC to improve credit quality and shorten transaction processing time.

Note: MD and CEO of Indian Bank: Padmaja Chunduru.

3. Paytm appoints Amit Nayyar as president of FSB: Digital payments company Paytm has appointed ex-Goldman executive Amit Nayyar as president in the financial services business of the company. Nayyar will be responsible for all the financial services business like lending, insurance, wealth management, stockbroking at the company. He will report directly to Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma.

Note: Paytm Founder: Vijay Shekhar Sharma; Parent Organization: One97 Communications.

4. HDFC Bank, MasterCard launch Millennia cards aimed at ‘Young India’: HDFC Bank, MasterCard have launched Millennia Cards. This is India’s first range of cards catering exclusively to the lifestyles and aspirations of the millennials. The cards are in four variants including both debit and credit card. Millennials were those born between 1982 and 2000 and represents the demographic of the first generation of people reaching adulthood in the early 21st century.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Indian documentary 'I'm Jeeja' wins award at We Care Film Festival: Indian documentary film "I'm Jeeja" has won the award at the 14th edition of the 'We Care Film Festival on Disability Issues'. "I'm Jeeja" has won the award in the 'Under 30 minute' category. The documentary directed by Swati Chakraborty attempts to explore the lives and battles of people living with the disability. Another Indian film "Post Dark" received a jury mention in 'Under 5 minutes' category.

2. Eric Cantona to be honoured with UEFA President's Award: Former Manchester United forward player Eric Cantona will be honoured with the 2019 UEFA President’s Award. The award recognises outstanding achievements, professional excellence and exemplary personal qualities of the player. He will receive the award in Monaco during the Champion’s League group stage draw. Cantona won four Premier League titles in five years with United in the 1990s and scored 64 goals for the Old Trafford club in 143 appearances.

Note: The UEFA President's Award recognises outstanding achievements, professional excellence and exemplary personal qualities. The accolade is usually awarded annually to a football personality who is deemed to have advanced the game's development and success.

3. ONGC's CMD honoured with Distinguished Fellowship of IOD, 2019: Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) Chairman and Managing Director (CMD), Shashi Shanker was honoured with the Distinguished Fellowship of the Institute of Directors (IOD) 2019. He was honoured during the 29th Institute of Directors (IOD) Annual Day Ceremony. The prestigious Fellowship honour was conferred to Shanker in appreciation of his distinguished contribution to business and society. The theme of this year's IOD Annual Day Ceremony was 'Future Boards: Leading Strategy to Embrace Sustainability'.

Note: Headquarters of ONGC: New Delhi. Established: 14 August 1956

DEFENCE

1. Astra Rafael Communication System inaugurated in Hyderabad: An Indo-Israel joint venture's "Astra Rafael Communication System" was inaugurated in Hyderabad. The system will design, develop and manufacture tactical communication systems for Indian armed forces. The Joint Venture between Astra Microwave and Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has become India’s first private sector firm to manufacture cutting-edge software-defined radios in multiple variants.

2. IAF’s Shalija Dhami becomes a first female flight commander: Indian Air Force's Wing Commander Shalija Dhami has become the first female officer in the country to become Flight Commander of a flying unit. Dhami took over as Flight Commander of a Chetak helicopter unit at Hindon airbase. Flight Commander is the second in command of the unit after the commanding officer.

Note: Chief of the Indian Air Force: Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa.

OBITUARIES

1. Naval war hero Commander Noel Kelman passes away: Goa Naval war hero and Kirti Chakra awardee, Commander Noel Kelman (92-years) passed away in Porvorim, Goa. Kelman was a founder member of the Goa branch of the All India Anglo Indian Association. He was involved in an operation to flush out the Portuguese from the Anjadip Island. Commander Kelman was honoured with the Kirti Chakra for his bravery during the Indian Navy's conquest of Anjadip Island of the coast of Goa in 1961.

Daily GK Updates - 27th August, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. HRD Ministry launches National Digital Library of India: Human Resource Development Ministry under its National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NMEICT) has launched the National Digital Library of India project. It is to develop a framework of virtual repository of learning resources with a single-window search facility. As of now, there are more than 3 crore digital resources available through the National Digital Library. More than 50 lakh students have registered themselves in the National Digital Library with about 20 lakh active users. National Digital Library has been integrated with UMANG App and users can register through www.ndl.gov.in or through the mobile app

Note: Union Minister of Human Resource Development: Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank'.

2. 4th edition of the Internet of Things (IoT) India Congress 2019: The 4th edition of India’s largest confluence of digital technology, the Internet of Things (IoT) India Congress 2019 held in Bengaluru, Karnataka with the theme of  ‘Mainstreaming the Internet of Things’.  It was inaugurated by Shri Ajay Prakash Sawhney, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Government of India (GoI). The IoT India Congress 2019 will include tracks on segments such as healthcare, manufacturing, telecom, smart cities, energy, retail, cybersecurity, skills and development, IoT Standards, legal and regulatory, and agriculture.

3. 7th 'Community Radio Sammelan' being held in New Delhi: The seventh “Community Radio Sammelan” is being held at Ambedkar Bhawan, New Delhi from 27th to 29th August, 2019. It is being organized by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the theme of this year's Sammelan is 'Community Radio for SDGs'. The 'Sammelan' will witness participation of all operational community radio stations across the country. Representatives of the community radio stations will discuss experiences and possibilities of programming for spreading public awareness on the Sustainable Development Goals in a better way. Union minister Prakash Javadekar wil present National Community Radio Awards 2019 on this occasion.

4. Department of Social Justice & Empowerment and NACO signed an MoU: National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) has signed a MoU. This MoU is to enhance outreach on AIDS prevention, address the risk of HIV transmission among all substance users and empower the discriminated and vulnerable groups such as victims of HIV/AIDS, drug abuse and female sex workers. The MOU will also catalyze in achieving the national goals and objectives of HIV prevention and impact mitigation. 

Note: AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) is under Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJE).

5. Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium to be renamed as Arun Jaitley Stadium: The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) decided to rename Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium as Arun Jaitley Stadium in the memory of its former president of DDCA. Jaitley was the president of DDCA from 1999 to 2013. The renaming of the stadium will take place in September.

Note: President of DDCA:  Rajat Sharma; Headquarter of DDCA: Delhi.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi launches $4.2 mn redevelopment project of Hindu temple in Bahrain: Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his two-day visit launched the $4.2 million redevelopment project of the 200-year-old Sri Krishna temple in the Bahraini capital, Manama. Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the key Gulf nation, offered prayers at the Shreenathji Temple in Manama. The heritage and the 200-year-old legacy of the temple will be highlighted in the redevelopment and the new iconic complex will house the sanctum sanctorum and prayer halls.

2. Boeing delivers 11th C-17 Globemaster to India: American aerospace major Boeing delivered the 11th C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft to the Indian Air Force, boosting its strategic airlift capabilities. The C-17 Globemaster III is a premier transport aircraft. The massive, sturdy, long-haul aircraft can carry large combat equipment, troops and humanitarian aid across long distances in all weather conditions. The C-17 fleet has been a vital part of the IAF’s strategic and combat airlift capability. Boeing has been maintaining IAF’s C-17 fleet through techno-logistics support and training for aircrew that operate the platform.

OTHER UPDATES:

BANKING & FINANCE

1. Indian Bank signs MoU with Tata AIG: Public sector Bank, Indian Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tata AIG General Insurance. The agreement was signed in the presence of Ms Padmaja Chunduru MD and CEO of Indian Bank and Mr Saurabh Maini, Senior Vice President and Business Head-Key partnership Group, Tata AIG General Insurance. This MoU offers the latter’s diverse range of general insurance policies benefiting the bank’s customers by way of protection, wealth creation and savings. Tata AIG General Insurance will work with the bank for sales training, product support and ensuring smooth operational processes, all leading to seamless service to customers.

Note: CEO of Indian Bank: Padmaja Chunduru; CEO of Tata AIG General Insurance:  Neelesh Garg.

2. RBI to transfer Rs 1.76 lakh crore from surplus reserve to government: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the transfer of record Rs 1.76 lakh crore dividend and surplus reserves to the government, This fund will comprise Rs 1,23,414 crore of surplus for the year 2018-19 and Rs 52,637 crore of excess provisions identified as per the revised Economic Capital Framework (ECF). The receipts from the RBI will give a stimulus to the government's efforts to boost the economy from a five-year low. It is the highest-ever surplus amount transferred by the RBI to government. Since 2013-14, the RBI has been paying 99 per cent of its disposable income to government.

Note: Governor of RBI: Shaktikant Das; Headquarters: Mumbai; Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata.

3. SIDBI partnered with Incuspaze to open co-working space for MSMEs: Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has partnered with Incuspaze Solutions Private Limited (Incuspaze) to open a first-of-its-kind co-working space. This co-working space, named @Workspaze exclusively designed for MSMEs and startups. This coworking space is fully furnished office equipped with training and conference room, fast-speed internet, reception, refreshment, recreational area, housekeeping facilities etc.

Note: Founder and CEO of Incuspaze Solutions: Sanjay Choudhary; Chairman of SIDBI: Mohammad Mustafa.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Intel launches first artificial intelligence chip Springhill: Intel Corp has launched its latest processor, its first using artificial intelligence (AI), designed for large computing centres. The chip, developed at its development facility in Haifa, Israel, is known as Nervana NNP-I or Springhill. It is based on a 10 nanometre Ice Lake processor that will allow it to cope with high workloads using minimal amounts of energy.

Note: Intel Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, in the Silicon Valley.

Ceo of Intel: Robert H. Swan; Intel established: 18 July 1968.

2. Microsoft and ISB partner to advance AI skilling in India: The Indian School of Business (ISB) and Microsoft India announced a new partnership to take forward their shared vision for an AI-empowered India at an event in Hyderabad. Through the creation of the AI Digital Lab, the two organizations will collaborate in research which will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to study issues that are relevant for business and public policy. The partnership will also jointly introduce a new executive program titled “Leading Business Transformation in the Age of AI" in October 2019 which will equip business leaders with tools and strategies to transform their respective organizations to AI-driven organizations. Professor Rajendra Srivastava, Dean, Indian School of Business and Anant Maheshwari is President Microsoft India.

3. Amazon India launches Military Veterans Employment programme: E-commerce giant Amazon India has launched a Military Veterans Employment programme in the country that will create employment opportunities for military veterans and their spouses across the company’s fulfilment centres, sort centres and delivery centres in India. Amazon India is partnering with the office of the Director General of Resettlement (DGR) and the Army Welfare Placement Organisation (AWPO) to create continued work opportunities for military families across the country. Globally, Amazon has over 17,500 military veterans and spouses actively engaged in the programme.

Note: CEO of Amazon: Jeff Bezos

4. Microsoft to train 5000 govt employees on AI, cloud:  Microsoft India launched a program under which it will train 5000 government employees over the next year on AI (artificial intelligence) and cloud computing skills. This program was inaugurated by Amitabh Kant, chief executive of NITI Aayog. The program, called 'Digital Governance Tech Tour', will comprise of physical and virtual workshops. The program will be open for technocrats and IT professionals across the government, including employees of Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2018 Announced: Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Awards 2018 has been announced. The award is given in four categories namely, Land Adventure, Water Adventure, Air Adventure and Life Time Achievement. This award is given every year to recognize the achievements of persons in the fields of adventure, to encourage young people to develop the spirit of endurance, risk–taking, cooperative teamwork and quick, ready and effective reflexes in challenging situations. Based on the recommendations of the Selection Committee and after due scrutiny, the Government has decided to confer awards upon the following:

Land Adventure: Aparna Kumar, Shri Dipankar Ghosh, Shri Manikandan K

Water Adventure: Prabhat Raju Koli

Air Adventure: RameshwerJangra

Life Time Achievement: Wangchuk Sherpa

The awardees will receive their awards from the President of India along with other Sports Awardees at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on 29th August, 2019.

They will receive statuettes, certificates and award money of Rs. 5 lakh each.

Note: Edmund Percival Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers in the world who reached the summit of Mount Everest.

OBITUARIES

1. Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya, India’s first woman DGP, passes away: Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya, India’s first woman Director General of Police (DGP), passed away following an illness in Mumbai. Bhattacharya, a 1973 batch officer, made history in 2004 when she was appointed as the DGP of Uttarakhand. Thus she became the first woman in the country to hold such position. She was also the second woman IPS officer in the country, the first being Kiran Bedi.

                                           

Daily GK Updates - 26th August, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar inaugurates National Centre for Avian Ecotoxicology: Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Prakash Javadekar has inaugurated the National Centre for Avian Ecotoxicology at Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural Sciences (SACON) in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. The centre would study the movement of environmental contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls and drugs through the food chain, and their harmful effects on birds.

Note: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister: Edappadi K. Palaniswami; Governor: Banwarilal Purohit; Capital: Chennai.

2. Textiles minister Smriti Irani launches sustainable fashion project "SU.RE": The Union Minister for Textiles Smriti Zubin Irani has inaugurated Project SU.RE (Sustainable Resolution). This is a joint project of CMAI (Clothing Manufacturers Association of India) & IMG Reliance (International Management Group), during Lakme Fashion Winter/Festive 2019 in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Project SU.RE, which involves 16 leading retail fashion brands, reflects the thought of Mahatma Gandhi and is a step towards responsible and smart business. The aim of this initiative is to move towards sustainable fashion that contributes to a clean environment.

3. Rajasthan ranks 1st in free medicine scheme implementation: Chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s flagship free medicine scheme secured the top position in the country in the ranking issued by the National Health Mission (NHM). NHM mission director Manoj Jhalani has issued a letter to health department informing that Rajasthan has been ranked first amongst 16 states of the country in implementation of free medicine scheme. The NHM assessed the performance of the states on the basis of effective implementation of Drugs and Vaccine Distribution Management System (DVDMS), stock of essential drugs, value of drugs about to expire along with other such parameters, which are 10 in total. In the state, the scheme was launched on October 2, 2011.

4. SRK launches heritage postal stamp of Bandra station: Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan launched heritage postal stamp of Bandra station in Mumbai, Maharashtra on the completion of 150 years of the railway station. He urged the people present at the launching event to use the postal stamps instead of online texting.

5. IIT-Delhi establishes DESMI Centre of Excellence: Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi has partnered with Denmark-based firm to start DESMI Centre of Excellence on Waste-to-Wealth at IIT-Delhi. The centre will provide support for implementing the framework of pilot projects, which address waste collection and management with possible energy generation.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. 45th G7 Summit begins in Biarritz, France: The Group of 7 or G7 Summit has begun in Biarritz, France. It is an informal meeting between France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Italy and Canada as well as the European Union. These world powers, which represent 50% of the global economy, also share the values of freedom and democracy, as well as a collective ambition to deal with the world’s major issues. The theme of this year summit is ‘Fighting Inequality’. Although India is not a member of the G7 group, Mr Narendra Modiwill attend the G7 Summit as a special guest as he has been personally invited by French President Emmanuel Macron. Mr Modi will address sessions on the environment, climate, oceansand digital transformation at the G7 Summit.

Gallery of participating leaders:

Member Countries	Represented by/ Title
Canada	Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister)
France	Emmanuel Macron (President)
Germany	Angela Merkel (Chancellor)
Italy	Giuseppe Conte (Prime Minister)
Japan	Shinzo Abe (Prime Minister)
United Kingdom	Boris Johnson (Prime Minister)
United States	Donald Trump (President)
European Union	Donald Tusk (Council President)

Note: The Hotel du Palais in Biarritz, France, was chosen as the host of the G7 summit.

The heads of state of Australia – Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Chile – President Sebastian Pinera, Egypt – President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, India – Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Spain – Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and Rwanda – President Paul Kagame have been invited to the Outreach Session of the summit.

2. India and France partners to build the world’s first space-based ship automatic identification system: India and France have partnered to create the world’s first space-based automatic identification system (AIS) to track merchant ships on a real-time basis. K Sivan, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation and Jean-Yves Le Gall, president of France’s Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales have signed an agreement to start development and production of a constellation of satellites for the ship tracking project, which will potentially revolutionize shipping.

3. 2019 Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defence (CHOD) Conference to be held in Bangkok: The 2019 Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defence (CHOD) Conference would be held in Bangkok, Thailand. The theme of the event is “Collaboration in a free and Open Indo–Pacific.” The conference will provide perspectives on common challenges faced by attending nations and elicit open discussions on the same. India will be represented by Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee who is on 3 days visit to Bangkok from August 26-28, 2019. The Chiefs of Defence of more than 33 countries are scheduled to attend the conference.

OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. Alex Rins wins British Grand Prix:  Spain motorcycle racer, Alex Rins of the Team SUZUKI ECSTAR has won the MotoGP British Grand Prix 2019. He defeated Marc Marquez by 0.013 seconds. While Maverick Vinales of Spain finished with the third position. The race was held at the Silverstone racetrack, in Silverstone, England.

2. Komalika Bari becomes recurve cadet at the World Archery Youth Championships: India's Komalika Bari (17-years) has become recurve cadet world champion at the World Archery Youth Championships in Madrid, Spain. She defeated higher-ranked Sonoda Waka of Japan 7-3 in the final and earn India's second gold on the final day of the Championships. Now Komalika is India's second recurve cadet world champion (under-18) after Deepika Kumari who won the title in 2009. India also won a gold in the compound junior mixed pair event and a bronze in the compound junior men's team event. India concluded their campaign with two gold and one bronze medal in their last event.

3. India win the first Test against West Indies by a margin of 318 runs: India beat West Indies by a massive 318-run margin in the first cricket Test at North Sound in Antigua. With this win, India has taken a 1-0 lead in the 2-match series. Chasing a stiff target of 419 runs, West Indies were all out for just 100 (in 26.5 overs) in their second innings on the fourth day. Earlier, India declared their second innings at 343 for seven, setting the West Indies a 419-run target to win the Test.

BANKING & FINANCE

1. CVC sets up 4-member Advisory Board for Banking Frauds: The Central Vigilance Commission has constituted a 4-member Advisory Board for Banking Frauds. The ABBF will be headed by former Vigilance Commissioner T.M. Bhasin. The panel will function as the 1st level of examination of all large fraud cases. Lenders will refer all large fraud cases above Rs 50 crore to the board and on receipt of its recommendation or advice, the bank concerned would take further action in such matters. The other members of the panel are Madhusudan Prasad, former Urban Development Secretary; D.K. Pathak, former Director General of the Border Security Force; and Suresh N Patel, former MD and CEO of Andhra Bank. The panel was previously called the Advisory Board on Bank, Commercial and Financial Frauds.

Note: Central Vigilance Commissioner: Sharad Kumar.

Daily GK Updates - 25th August, 2019

NATIONAL UPDATES:

1. Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Inaugurates First PPP Model National Food Laboratory of FSSAI in Ghaziabad: The Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan inaugurated the upgraded National Food Laboratory (NFL) of FSSAI in Ghaziabad on the occasion of 13th anniversary of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The NFL, Ghaziabad is the first national laboratory upgraded on Public-Private-Partnership (PPP). The lab has state-of-the-art collaborative training centres, namely, the Food Safety Solution Centre (FSSC) and the Centre for Microbiological Analysis Training (C-MAT). The NFL in Ghaziabad and Kolkata are the two premier referral laboratories under the direct administrative control of the apex food regulator, Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI). The laboratory in Kolkata is also being upgraded.

2. Haryana govt rolls out Mukhya Mantri Parivar Samridhi Yojana: Haryana Government announced the roll-out of ‘Mukhya Mantri Parivar Samridhi Yojna’ which will provide social security to families. Under the scheme, Rs 6000 per year will be given to each eligible family. The eligibility for the scheme is for families having an annual income less than Rs 1,80,000 or a total landholding of fewer than two hectares. Under the scheme, each beneficiary family will be entitled to get Rs 500 per month.

3. Gujarat ranked first in Composite Water Management Index 2.0: NITI Aayog has prepared the second Round of Composite Water Management Index (CWMI 2.0) in which Gujarat is at the top. CWMI 2.0 ranks various states for the reference year 2017-18 as against the base year 2016-17 (for first edition). Gujarat is at the top in the reference year (2017-18). Andhra Pradesh is on 2nd, Madhya Pradesh on 3rd, Goa on 4th, Karnataka on 5th and Tamil Nadu on 6th. In the last ranking also Gujarat was on top. In North Eastern and Himalayan States, Himachal Pradesh has been ranked one. Delhi is at the last spot.

Note: CWMI: Composite Water Management Index was first launched in 2018 by NITI Aayog as a tool to instill the sense of cooperative and competitive federalism among the states.

4. Book Titled “Flawed: The Rise and Fall of India’s Diamond Mogul Nirav Modi” to Be Launched on August 31: The story depicting the details of the fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi in the form of a book titled, “Flawed: The Rise and Fall of India’s Diamond Mogul Nirav Modi” will hit the stands on August 31, 2019. The book has been written by journalist-author Pavan C Lall. 48-year-old Modi is currently lodged in a prison in London and is wanted in India in connection with the nearly USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud.

5. Mihir Dalal Pens Book Titled ‘Big Billion Startup – The Untold Flipkart Story’: The story of how the IIT graduates Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal founded and built the e-commerce start-up Flipkart and turned it into a multi-billion-dollar powerhouse in few years as India’s biggest online market has come out in the form of a book. The book titled ‘Big Billion Startup – The Untold Flipkart Story’ has been penned by journalist Mihir Dalal. The book has been published by Pan Macmillan India and will be released in October 2019. Mihir is a journalist at Livemint and this is his first book based on extraordinary research, extensive interviews and deep access to key characters in the Flipkart story revealing how the Bansals built and sold India’s largest internet company.

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

1. PM Modi launches RuPay card in UAE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the RuPay card here, making the UAE the first country in the Middle East to initiate the Indian indigenous system of electronic payment. RuPay card scheme was launched in 2012 to fulfil the Reserve Bank of India’s vision to have a domestic, open and multilateral system of payments. UAE is third country launched the RuPay card after Singapore and Bhutan.

Note: UAE President: Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan;Capital: Abu Dhabi; Currency: United Arab Emirates dirham

2. Serbia becomes 73rd non-regional member of AIIB, Greece as 74th: Serbia has officially become the 73rd non-regional member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The Resolution of the Board of Governors also confirmed Greece as a 74th member of that international organization. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, based in Beijing, has begun operation in 2016. Aside from Serbia, its new non-regional member, banks members outside of The Asia-Pacific include Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and others,

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OTHER UPDATES:

SPORTS

1. PV Sindhu Beats Nozomi Okuhara to Win BWF World Championships: Ace Indian shuttler P.V. Sindhu became the first Indian to win a Badminton World Championships gold by beating familiar rival Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in a lop-sided final. The Indian won 21-7 21-7 in the summit clash that lasted just 38 minutes. Two years after being robbed off the gold by Okuhara in an epic 110-minute final at Glasgow that went down as one of the greatest battles in badminton history, Sindhu finally exorcised the ghost of that heart-wrenching loss with a completely dominating win over the same opponent. It was Sindhu’s fifth World Championships medal- joint most for a woman singles player with former Olympics and world champion Zhang Ning of China- to go with the two successive silvers and a couple of bronze medals.

Note: BWF World Championships is a badminton tournament which is held at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland.

2. BWF World Championships: Sai Praneeth finishes with bronze: India’s B Sai Praneeth lost the men’s singles semi-final 13-21, 8-21 to World No. 1 Kento Mmomta of Japan at the BWF World Championships 2019 in Basel but finished with his maiden medal at the world meet. With this, Praneeth became the first Indian male shuttler in 36 years to secure a medal in the BWF World Championships. Thus he became the only 2nd Indian men’s singles player to win a medal in BWF World Championships

Note: Prakash Padukone was the first Indian to win a men’s singles World Championships medal- a bronze- in the 1983 edition.

3. Gokulam Kerala Beats Mohun Bagan 2-1 to Win Durand Cup 2019: Gokulam Kerala defeated Mohun Bagan 2–1 to win their maiden Durand Cup finals held at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. The 2019 Durand Cup was the 129th edition of the oldest football tournament in Asia since its foundation in 1888.

BANKING & FINANCE

1. SEBI Eases Norms for FPIs: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has eased the regulatory and compliance framework for foreign portfolio investors (FPI) with an aim to boost investments and expedite the registration process for FPIs. Some major announcements and approvals made by SEBI is listed below: FPIs may be re-categorized into two categories – Category I and II, instead of the present requirement of three categories. The central banks that are not the members of BIS (Bank for International Settlement) shall also be eligible for FPI registration. Documentation requirements for KYC have been simplified. At the time of making the application for trading under regular category of main board, the number of shareholders should be minimum 200. The company should have profitability/ net worth track record of 3 years or have 75% of its capital.

2. Govt to release ₹70,000 crore immediately to state-run banks: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced measures to revive economic growth and markets. She also said that GST regime will be simplified further and the government will release ₹70,000 crore capital upfront to public sector banks to boost credit to different sectors of the economy.

3. DBS named 'World's Best Bank' by Euromoney magazine: In a feat unmatched by other banks globally, DBS has become the first bank to concurrently hold three global best bank awards. This was achieved after DBS was named "World's Best Bank" by leading global financial publication Euromoney in its 2019 Awards for Excellence. It follows the bank's wins of Global Finance's "Best Bank in the World" in August 2018 and The Banker's "Bank of the Year - Global" in November 2018. This is the first time an Asian-headquartered bank has been named "World's Best Bank" by Euromoney since the award was launched in 1993. Past winners included Bank of America, BNP Paribas, Citi, and UBS. DBS was also named Asia's Best Bank and Singapore's Best Bank in this year's Awards for Excellence.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

1. Amazon to acquire 49% stake in Kishore Biyani’s Future Coupons: Kishore Biyani-led Future Group announced that American e-commerce giant Amazon.com is acquiring a 49% stake in a group entity — Future Coupons Ltd. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

2. India Ranks 86th in Henley Passport Index 2019; Japan & Singapore Tops: India has been ranked at 86th place in annual Henley Passport Index 2019, a slip of 5 place from 81 in 2018. Japan and Singapore shares the top spot on the Henley Passport Index, with a visa-free or visa-on-arrival score of 189. India shares its position with two countries namely Mauritania and Sao Tome and Principe at 86th place with a score of 58. This means India will able to access 58 destinations around the world without a prior visa.  Among the 109 countries included in the index, Afghanistan remains at the bottom with weakest passport having Visa-free access to only 25 destinations.

AWARDS AND HONOURS

1. Dr Jitendra Singh Presents 4th Annual ANUBHAV Awards 2019: Dr. Jitendra Singh presented the ANUBHAV Awards 2019 in New Delhi at the Pre-Retirement counseling workshop function organized by the Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. ANUBHAV Awards 2019 is the fourth edition of the annual award scheme launched by Prime Minister in 2015, instituted to encourage the retiree to submit his/her valuable experience/ suggestions through write-ups. Dr. Jitendra Singh is the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region and Minister of State for Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Departments of Atomic Energy and Space.

2. CPWD-DG Prabhakar Singh Selected for ‘Eminent Engineer Award 2019’: Shri Prabhakar Singh, Director General, Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has been chosen for the ‘Eminent Engineer Award for the Year 2019’ by the Institution of Engineers (India) for his distinguished and exemplary Service in the field of Engineering and Technology.  He shall be conferred the Elite and Prestigious Award on the ‘Engineers Day’ on September 15, 2019 in New Delhi. The Institution of Engineers (India) (IEI) is the national organization of engineering professionals in India.

3. Bahrain Confers PM Modi With ‘The King Hamad Order of the Renaissance’: Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred ‘The King Hamad Order of the Renaissance’ by the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for his effort to strengthen the bilateral ties with the Gulf nation. PM Modi is the first-ever Indian Prime Minister to visit Bahrain.

4. Scarlett Johansson named highest-paid actress in 2019 by Forbes: Actress Scarlett Johansson has topped the Forbes Highest-Paid Actresses list 2019 with an earning of $56 million. The list contains top 10 paid actress. Some other names in the list are: (2) Sofia Vergara- Earnings: $44.1 million; (3) Reese Witherspoon- Earnings: $35 million (4) Nicole Kidman- Earnings: $34 million (5) Jennifer Aniston- Earnings: $28 million.