Aspirants Zone: Current Affairs January 2019

Showing posts with label Current Affairs January 2019. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 5, 2019

Weekly CA Quiz: January 2019 4th week with PDF (Updated PDF)

Hello Aspirants.
We have chosen the best 75 questions from the Current Affairs of the Fourth Week of January (24 January - 31 January). Take the quiz and excel in your upcoming exams. Take the quiz to check your knowledge. To start the quiz, click on start quiz button below. To end the quiz, click on Quiz-Summary after the last question and then click on finish quiz. Weekly Current Affairs Quiz January 2019 4th Week

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Thursday, January 31, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 31st January, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 31 January 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

FSSAI bans staple pins in tea bags from June 30

Food regulator FSSAI issued a notification seeking a ban on the use of pins in tea bags by the food business operators (FBOs) by June 30. Last year, it had decided to ban the stapler pins in tea bags from January 2019 as it poses potential hazard to consumers since any loose staple pin consumed inadvertently with tea may cause a serious health hazard.

The food authority has also directed the tea bag manufacturing units to submit their plan to switch to new system by procuring the new machines or modifying the existing machines.

Noida: New campus of National Museum Institute inaugurated

The new Campus of the National Museum Institute was inaugurated by Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar. Four new courses that are Archaeology; Palaeography, Epigraphy and Numismatics; Structural Conservation and Cultural and Heritage Management, are expected to be commenced.

In addition to the regular courses, short-term courses of five-months duration that is Art Appreciation and Bhartiya Kalanidhi (Hindi), which are very popular, and are conducted by the Institute to disseminate the knowledge about the country's tangible and intangible heritage.

Finance Commission forms panel to resolve Punjab's Rs 31,000 crore food account issue

In a major fillip to Punjab's persistent efforts for securing the waiver of Rs 31,000 crore food account, Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission N K Singh formed a committee to find ways of settling the matter.

The committee under the Finance Commission, with the Centre, the State, and the FCI, would explore all possibilities, given its terms of reference and constitutional propriety, to settle the festering problem.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

GST collection crossed Rs 1 lakh cr in January: Government

Revenue collection under Goods and Services Tax (GST) for January crossed Rs 1 lakh crore. Total collection for the month of January last year was Rs 89,825 crore, the Finance Ministry said.

This increase has been achieved despite various tax relief measures implemented by the GST Council to lower the tax burden on the consumers. Final figures and details of collections for the entire month will be released on February 2.

Chanda Kochhar terminated by ICICI Bank, four months after she quit as CEO

Chanda Kochhar, who had resigned as CEO and MD of ICICI Bank nearly four months back, was terminated and all her entitlements were revoked by the bank. The action by the bank came six days after the CBI booked her along with her businessman husband Deepak Kochhar and Videocon MD Dhoot and a few others for criminal conspiracy in an alleged loan fraud case.

Pursuant to the decision of the Board of Directors of ICICI Bank, the Audit Committee of the Bank had appointed former Supreme Court judge, Justice (Retd) BN Srikrishna as the Head of Enquiry (HOE) to undertake a comprehensive enquiry on allegations against Chanda Kochhar.

WhatsApp announces 'Startup India-Grand Challenge'

In an effort to encourage entrepreneurs and small businesses in India, Facebook-owned messaging app WhatsApp announced the "Startup India-WhatsApp Grand Challenge". The top five start-ups will receive a total grant of $250,000.

Ideas and business models capable of making a large-scale socio-economic impact and solve day-to-day problems have been invited to apply for the challenge by March 10.

India unveils human space flight centre in Bengaluru

The state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said it has unveiled a Human Space Flight Centre in Bengaluru. The facility, unveiled by former ISRO chairman K. Kasturirangan and current Chairman K. Sivan, will be headed by S. Unnikrishnan Nair as the Director.

The ISRO aims to send humans to space by December 2021 through its Gaganyaan mission. R. Hutton, who was the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) Director, will be heading the Gaganyaan project.

SPORTS

Srikanth, Sindhu among those approved by SAI for TOPS scheme

The Sports Authority of India (SAI) has approved the names of 23 athletes, including shuttlers PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth, from badminton, cycling, para-athletics and para-shooting fields, to be included in the flagship Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Paralympics and 2024 Olympics.

The Target Olympic Podium Scheme is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to provide assistance to India's top athletes.

Extra info.:
SAI Headquarters: Delhi

APPOINTMENTS

Ajai Kumar appointed interim MD, CEO of Yes Bank

Yes Bank announced the appointment of Ajai Kumar as its interim MD and CEO till Ravneet Singh Gill assumes office. Kumar's appointment comes after the co-founder and former MD and CEO, Rana Kapoor, demitted office recently.

Gill's appointment as the next full-fledged MD and CEO was announced recently and he will assume office on March 1.

Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar takes charge as Vice Chief of Naval Staff

Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar, AVSM, VSM assumed charge as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff. An alumnus of National Defence Academy at Khadakvasla in Pune, he was commissioned into the Executive Branch of the Indian Navy on July 1, 1982.

The Admiral has held various challenging Staff and Command assignments during his distinguished naval career spanning more than three decades.

Missiles specialist Vice-Admiral Ajit Kumar P. is new WNC chief

Vice-Admiral Ajit Kumar P. a missiles specialist, took over as the new Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command (WNC) of the Indian Navy. He succeeded Vice-Admiral Girish Luthra who attained superannuation after an illustrious career spanning nearly four decades with the Indian Navy.

Immediately prior to his new appointment, Ajit Kumar P. was the Vice-Chief of Naval Staff, Naval Headquarters, New Delhi.

Sultan Abdullah sworn in as new Malaysian King

Pahang's Sultan Abdullah Ibni Sultan Ahmad Shah was sworn in as the 16th King of Malaysia after his predecessor, Sultan Muhammad V, abdicated the throne earlier this month.

Abdullah took the charge of the King, also Malaysia's head of state, for the next five years at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur. Sultan of Perak, Nazrin Shah was sworn in as the Vice Minister and will also serve for the next five years.

Extra info.:
Malaysia Capital: Kuala Lumpur
Currency: Malaysian ringgit

Lt Gen Rajeev Chopra takes over as NCC Director General

Lt Gen Rajeev Chopra assumed the charge of Director General of NCC (DGNCC). Commissioned in the Madras Regiment in December 1980, Lt Gen Chopra is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.

Extra info.:
National Cadet Corps (NCC) Headquarters: New Delhi

AWARDS

Piyush Goyal gets Carnot Prize for power reforms, donates the prize money to International Solar Alliance

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has been awarded the Carnot Prize for his contribution towards sustainable energy solutions by the University of Pennsylvania located in ‎Philadelphia, Pennsylvania‎, US. He has donated the prize money to International Solar Alliance.

The Carnot Prize is given to the personalities who have revolutionised the understanding of energy policy.

Health Minister confers 'Award of Appreciation' to Rajiv Nath of AIMED for his contribution to global healthcare

Rajiv Nath was conferred with the prestigious 'Award of Appreciation' by Ashwini Kumar Choubey, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare for his contribution to the Global Public Healthcare sector at The Award of Appreciation Ceremony held at Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi, organized by Diaspora Foundation.

Recently Rajiv Nath has also been appointed as the Member on Board of National Medical Devices Promotion Council by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) established to boost and strengthen the Indian Medical Devices Sector and lead India to an export driven market in the Medical Devices sector.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Leprosy Eradication Day

World Leprosy Day, held on the last Sunday of January every year, seeks to increase public awareness about leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, a highly contagious infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae.

In India, it is celebrated on the 30th January each year to commemorate the death of Mahatma Gandhi, who was assassinated on this day in 1948. This year’s theme for World Leprosy Day is ‘ending discrimination, stigma, and prejudice’.

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Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 30th January, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 30 January 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

PM Modi inaugurates National Salt Satyagraha Memorial at Dandi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation the National Salt Satyagraha Memorial at Dandi in Gujarat on Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary on 30 January. The memorial has statues of Mahatma Gandhi and 80 Satyagrahis who had marched with him during the historic Dandi Salt March. It also has 24-narrative murals depicting various events and stories from the historic 1930 Salt March.

India signs agreement with OECD for participation in PISA 2021

Human Resources Development Ministry signed an agreement with Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for India’s Participation in Programme for International Student Assessment- Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2021.

Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the format for the student assessment will be offline. The student assessment by PISA will ensure learning outcome through education. Students will be selected by PISA through random sampling.

PISA is a triennial international survey which aims to evaluate the education system worldwide by testing the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students. Learnings from participation in PISA will help introduce competency based examination reforms in the school system. The CBSE and NCERT will be part of the process and activities leading to the actual test.

Extra info.:
OECD Headquarters: Paris, France

India improves global corruption index ranking by 3 points to 78 in 2018

India has improved its ranking on a global corruption index in 2018, while its neighbour China lagged far behind, according to the annual index released by an anti-graft watchdog.

India rose by three points to 78 in the list of 180 countries in the world, while China ranked 87 and Pakistan 117 in 2018, the Transparency International said in its Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2018.

The top countries on the list are Denmark and New Zealand, with scores of 88 and 87 respectively. Somalia, Syria and South Sudan are at the bottom of the list, with scores of 10, 13 and 13 respectively.

South India MSME Summit 2019 held in Bengaluru

Leading Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) associations of south India are coming together to organise the South India MSME Summit 2019 to be held at Bengaluru. The objective of the Summit is to discuss key issues with a view of finding solutions to them within a framework which provides the right environment for their growth and development.

The India Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Report 2018 has been released Kochi based Institute of Small Enterprises and Development at the South India MSME Summit 2019 in Bengaluru. The report quotes RBI study which noted the share of credit extended to MSMEs in overall bank credit, declined steadily to around 14 per cent from about 17 per cent and within credit to the industrial sector and the share of medium enterprises has dropped significantly as compared to micro and small enterprises.

First Swadesh Darshan Project inaugurated in Sikkim

K.J. Alphons, Union Minister for Tourism has inaugurated the first project under the Swadesh Darshan Project of the Union Ministry of Tourism at the Zero Point, Gangtok, Sikkim. This project was sanctioned by the Ministry of Tourism in June 2015 for Rs. 98.05 crores.

Under this scheme, the Government is focusing on the development of quality infrastructure in the country with the objective of providing better experience and facilities to the visitors and on fostering economic growth.

FSSAI asks food biz to comply with new packaging norms by July 1

Food businesses need to comply with new packaging regulations that bar use of recycled plastics and newspapers to wrap food articles by July 1. The new regulations prohibit packaging material made of recycled plastics including carry bags for packaging, storing, carrying or dispensing articles of food.

The new norms will replace all provisions with respect to packaging requirements prescribed in the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011.

International conference on 8th century sage held to mark 50 years of India-Bhutan ties

Celebrating 50-years of formalization of diplomatic ties between India and Bhutan, a two-day international conference on 8th century Himalayan sage Guru Padmasambhava was held in New Delhi that saw the participation of distinguished scholars from both countries.

The conference, organised by the Centre for Escalation of Peace (CEP) and titled 'Life and Legacy of Guru Padmasambhava', was held on January 29-30.

Extra info.:
Capital: Thimphu
Currency: Ngultrum
Prime minister: Lotay Tshering
King: Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck

Maharashtra govt launched special scheme to curb infant deaths

The Maharashtra government launched a special scheme to curb infant deaths. Child Development Minister Pankaja Munde distributed baby-care kits to the children born in primary health centres and government hospitals.

The scheme is applicable only for the first child and will benefit around four lakh women across the state, Women. Each kit contains a blanket, a small mattress, a towel, a thermometer, baby oil, shampoo, toys, nail-cutter, gloves, socks, among other things. The cost of the kit is around Rs 2,000.

Free education for government college girls in Rajasthan

Free education will be provided to girls in state-run institutions in Rajasthan from July, Higher Education Minister Bhanwar Singh Bhati said. Also, the female students in colleges will be given sanitary napkins free of cost.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Dubai Airport Retains its Position as World's Busiest in 2018

Dubai International Airport said it has retained its position as the world's busiest airport for the fifth consecutive year in a row in 2018 with Indian travellers emerging as the largest source of traffic for the airport which registered a record footfall of over 89 million.

According to the latest figures, a total of 89,149,387 travellers used the airport in 2018. India remained the biggest source of traffic for the airport, accounting for more than 12.2 million travellers. Most of them coming from the Indian cities of Mumbai, Delhi and Cochin.

Saudis came second over 6.4 million passengers, overtaking travellers from the United Kingdom. About 6.3 million British nationals used the airport. Apart from these countries, 3.5 million flyers from China, 3.2 million from the United States and about 1.5 million from Russia arrived at Dubai airport.

BANKING & FINANCE

RBI to inject Rs 37,500 crore through OMO in February

The Reserve Bank of India said that it will inject Rs 37,500 crore into the system through purchase of government securities in February to increase liquidity. RBI stated that it has decided to conduct purchase of government securities under Open Market Operations (OMOs) for an aggregate amount of Rs 375 billion in the month of February 2019 through three auctions of Rs 125 billion each during the 2nd, 3rd and 4th week.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

FDI grew 18% in FY18 to Rs 28.25 lakh crore: RBI data

Foreign direct investment (FDI) during the previous fiscal grew 18 per cent to Rs 28.25 lakh crore. FDI increased by Rs 4,33,300 crore, including revaluation of past investments, during 2017-18 to reach Rs 28,24,600 crore in March 2018 at market value, according to RBI data on 'Census on Foreign Liabilities and Assets of Indian Direct Investment Companies, 2017-18'.

The census showed that Mauritius continued to be the largest source of FDI in India (19.7 per cent) followed by the US, the UK, Singapore and Japan.

Singapore most liveable for Asian expats: Survey

Singapore has been rated as the most liveable location for Asian expatriates in 2019 for the 14th consecutive year, according to a survey by ECA International. Hong Kong dropped 12 places to become the 41st liveable city for Asian expatriates. Other cities in Asian countries like Malaysia and Thailand have also seen higher ratings largely due to infrastructure improvement.

The other top 20 locations included cities in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland and Norway, with several cities at the same place in the ranking, according to the survey.

SPORTS

South Korean footballer Ki Sung-yueng announces retirement

Midfielder Ki Sung-yueng announced his retirement from the South Korean national team. The midfielder had hinted at retirement after the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia but decided to compete in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, currently being held in the United Arab Emirates.

Despite retiring from international soccer, Ki said he would continue working hard to give his best with English Premier League club Newcastle United.

APPOINTMENTS

Dilip Sadarangani Appointed Part Time Chairman of Federal Bank

Dilip Sadarangani has been appointed as Part Time Chairman of Federal Bank. The Bank obtained approval of Reserve Bank of India in this regard. He has been in the board of Federal Bank since 2013.

He has played key roles in setting up of IT infrastructure in different banks in India, Australia and Kuwait. He was also a Core member of the team which automated the first 50 branches of State Bank of India.

Deepika Padukone appointed new chairperson of MAMI

Actress Deepika Padukone has replaced producer Kiran Rao as the chairperson of the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI), which organises the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival with Star.

Deepika was selected by the board members of MAMI, a non-profit organisation which was founded in 1997.

AWARDS

TN bags FSSAI award for Swasth Bharat Yatra

The Yatra, a cyclothon, which was appreciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Mann Ki Baat address recently, saw the involvement of 10 lakh participants and reached to around 2.5 crore people across various States and UTs.

Tamil Nadu was declared the ‘Best State Overall’ for exemplary participation in the Swasth Bharat Yatra, a 100-day consumer outreach programme of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which was launched to amplify its Eat Right India initiative.

Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra were adjudged the Best States with population above 3 crore.

Punjab, Goa and Delhi were recognised as the Best States having population less than 3 crore. Meghalaya, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttrakhand were given special awards for their participation despite their hilly and difficult terrain.

Extra info.:
FSSAI Headquarters: New Delhi

Padma Awards 2019

Union Ministry of Home Affairs announced the name of 112 recipients of the Padma awards, one of the highest civilian awards of the country on the eve of the country’s 70th Republic Day. This year’s awardees comprise 4 Padma Vibhushan, 14 Padma Bhushan and 94 Padma Shri recipients.
Here is the list of prominent personalities who were named for the conferment of Padma awards.

Click here to view the list

Click here to read Daily Current Affairs

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 29th January, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 29 January 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

GST On Haj Reduced From 18% To 5%

Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that GST on Haj has been reduced from 18 per cent to 5 per cent and this will significantly lower the air fare thus saving Haj pilgrims’ 113 crore rupees this year. He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of a new conference hall and passport section at the Haj House in Mumbai.

He said this for the first time since the independence that 2,340 women from India will go on 2019 Haj without Mehram.

Country's second tulip garden to be built in Uttarakhand

The government of Uttarakhand has obtained the permission to develop the tulip garden over 50 hectares of forest land in Pithoragarh district at a cost of Rs 50 crore. It will be the second Tulip garden in the country after the one located in Srinagar of Jammu and Kashmir.

The Tulip Garden will be developed by ONGC, under its corporate social responsibility programme in over 50 hectares of forest land near Chandak hilltop.

The site was selected under the 13 districts, 13 new destinations’ scheme, to attract more tourists to the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand.

India's 1st Geographical Indication Store opened in Goa

Union Civil Aviation minister Suresh Prabhu inaugurated India's 1st Geographical Indication store at Goa International Airport in Dabolim. The store is located on the first floor on Departure Terminal, and jointly set up by Airports Authority of India and The Cashew Export Promotional Council of India.

The Union Minister informed that currently there are 270 GI registered products in the country and the store will be a boon for the global tourists.

Extra info.:
Airports Authority of India Headquarters: New Delhi

Odisha CM announces Jiban Samparka Project

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced "Jiban Sampark" project in partnership with UNICEF India to generate awareness about the development and welfare initiatives of state government among the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups of the state. He inaugurated the annual tribal fair popularly known as "Adivasi Mela" on Republic Day.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Pakistan appoints first ever female Hindu civil judge

Pakistan has appointed the country's first ever Hindu female civil judge after she passed an examination for induction of judicial officers. Suman Kumari, who hails from Qambar-Shahdadkot in Sindh province, will serve in her native district.

Kumari passed her LL.B. examination from Hyderabad and did her masters in law from Karachi's Szabist University.

UAE, Saudi central banks launch common digital currency called 'Aber'

The central banks of the UAE and Saudi Arabia have launched a common digital currency called "Aber", which will be used in financial settlements between the two countries through Blockchains and Distributed Ledgers technologies.

Through this digital currency, both the United Arab Emirates Central Bank (UAECB) and the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) are studying the impact on the improvement and reduction of remittance costs and the assessments of risks.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

India replaces Japan to become the 2nd top steel producer in the world

India has replaced Japan as world's second largest steel producing country, while China is the largest producer of crude steel accounting for more than 51 per cent of production, according to World Steel Association (worldsteel).

India's crude steel production in 2018 was at 106.5 MT, up by 4.9 per cent from 101.5 MT in 2017. World Steel Association (worldsteel) is one of the industry associations in the world.

SPORTS

Rayudu banned from bowling in international cricket

India's Ambati Rayudu has been suspended from bowling in international cricket with immediate effect after the part-timer's action was reported during the first ODI against Australia earlier this month.

The 33-year-old India player was reported for a suspect action during the first ODI of the three-match series against Australia in Sydney.

AWARDS

ICAR's 'Kisan Gandhi' tableau wins first prize at R-Day

The ICAR tableau in the Republic Day Parade has won the first prize for its Kisan Gandhi theme. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research tableau with the theme "Mishrit Kheti, Khushiyon Ki Kheti" portrayed Gandhi with goats and a cow and Kasturba engaged with charkha and caring animals. The tableau showcased a view from Bapu Kuti at Wardha Ashram. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman gave away the prizes.

Tripura bagged the first prize for the state tableau while tableau from Jammu and Kashmir was adjudged the second and Punjab won the third prize. The theme of Tripura's tableau was 'Empowering Rural Economy the Gandhian Way'.

A total of 22 tableaux were displayed on the 70th Republic Day parade. Of which, 16 were from States and Union Territories, six from various central ministries and departments.

OBITUARIES

Ex-Union Minister George Fernandes passes away at 88

Former Defence Minister George Fernandes, long-time socialist and a trade unionist, who fought the Congress all his life passed away after prolonged illness. He was 88. His term was eventful as it witnessed the Kargil war and Pokhran test.

In 1994, Fernandes formed the Samata Party, which later allied with the Bharatiya Janata Party. He was appointed convenor of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and served as the Defence Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government for two terms, between 1998 and 2004.

Click here to read Daily Current Affairs

Monday, January 28, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 28th January, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 28 January 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

Defence Ministry launches mobile app for Republic Day parade

People can watch the highlights of this year's Republic Day parade at the Rajpath on a mobile application which has been launched by the Defence Ministry.

The 'RDP INDIA 2019' app was launched on the occasion of the 70th Republic day. This new initiative is in sync with the Digital India campaign of the government.

RPF Women Squad 'JOYMATI BAHINI' launched in Guwahati

In Assam, Railway Protection Force of Lumding Division has taken a significant step towards enhancing the security of women in the North East region.
A dedicated RPF Women Squad named as ‘JOYMATI BAHINI’, comprising women sub-inspector and constables of the Railway Protection Force was formally launched today at Kamkhaya Railway Station in Guwahati.

The main aim of the Joymati Bahini is to strengthen women security around Guwahati region within railway premises and trains.

Roshni, An Android App Developed To Help Visually Impaired Identify Notes

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Ropar, has developed an app Roshni that would help the Visually Impaired to recognise currency notes. The app can recognise both old and new notes and gives audio information as to which note you are holding in your hands.

This app was launched in Chandigarh. Roshni is the first Android app, which recognise INR currency notes.

Cable-stayed 'Atal Setu' inaugurated on Mandovi river in Goa

A 5.1-km long cable-stayed "Atal Setu" on the Mandovi river in Goa, a third such bridge to connect the state capital with North Goa, was opened to public by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. The bridge is constructed by the GIDC (Goa Infrastructure Development Corporation) and engineering and construction major Larsen and Toubro.

The link will decongest Panaji to a great extent, as approximately 66,000 vehicles enter the capital city every day.

ISB ranks 24 in FT Global MBA rankings

Post Graduate Programme in Management (PGP) of the Indian School of Business (ISB) has been ranked at 24 worldwide in the Financial Times Global MBA Rankings 2019.

ISB is ranked number one in India and is the only B-school to figure in the top 25.

SPORTS

Naomi Osaka beats Petra Kvitova to win Australian Open for back-to-back slams

Japan's Naomi Osaka beat Czech Petra Kvitova in a thrilling Australian Open final to win back-to-back Grand Slams and become the new world number one.

Osaka, who replaces Simona Halep at the top of the rankings after the Romanian's 48-week stint, becomes the first Asian player to be world number one. She is also the youngest to hold top spot since Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki, then aged 20, took the ranking in 2010.

Djokovic beats Nadal for record-breaking 7th Australian Open title

After winning all his previous six Australian Open finals, Serbia's Novak Djokovic clinched a record-breaking seventh title by trouncing Spain's Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 in Melbourne.

The 2019 Australian Open title is Djokovic's third consecutive Grand Slam success that brought his major trophies' tally to 15, two shy of Nadal and five adrift of Federer's record of 20 trophies.

Kartik Sharma wins New South Wales men's Amateur Golf Championship

India's Kartik Sharma won the New South Wales men's Amateur Golf Championship in Australia. Kartik notched up a magnificent win over Australia's Nathan Barberie in the scheduled 36-hole final to emerge as champion. He had been selected to represent Indian Golf Union for three events in Australia.

APPOINTMENTS

Poonam Khetrapal Singh re-appointed Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia

Poonam Khetrapal Singh has been appointed Regional Director for World Health Organization South-East Asia, for a second five-year term. The WHO Executive Board unanimously endorsed Dr Khetrapal Singh, who was earlier also unanimously nominated by 11 Member countries of the Region for another five years.

AWARDS

SAG Award 2019

'Black Panther', Rami Malek and Glenn Close were some of the biggest winners at the 2019 Screen Actors Guild Awards. From television, 'This is Us' won ensemble award for drama, while 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' won the comedy award.

Rami Malek won for playing the iconic Queen frontman Freddie Mercury in 'Bohemian Rhapsody' while Glenn Close took home the award for best actress for 'The Wife.'

Here is the complete list of winners:

Outstanding performance by a male actor in leading role: Rami Malek, 'Bohemian Rhapsody'

Outstanding performance by a female actor in leading role: Glenn Close, 'The Wife'

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role: Mahershala Ali, 'Green Book'

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role: Emily Blunt, 'A Quiet Place'

Outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture: 'Black Panther'

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a television movie or miniseries: Darren Criss, 'Assassination of Gianni Versace'

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a television movie or miniseries: Patricia Arquette, 'Escape at Dannemora'

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a drama series: Jason Bateman, 'Ozark'

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a drama series: Sandra Oh, 'Killing Eve'

Outstanding performance by a male actor in a comedy series: Tony Shalhoub, 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel'

Outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series: Rachel Brosnahan, 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel'

Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series: 'This Is Us'

Outstanding performance by an ensemble in a comedy series: 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel'

Outstanding action performance by a stunt ensemble in a comedy or drama Series: 'Glow'

D N Chakraborty gets Assam Republic Day journalism award

Assam government has conferred the Republic Day Journalism Award 2019 to veteran journalist and former editor Dhirendra Nath Chakraborty.

Chakraborty, former Editor of Dainik Asom, Dainik Janambhumi and Ajir Batori group of newspaper, has been honoured for his lifelong contribution to journalism in the state.

Tamil translation of French bookwins Romain Rolland Book Prize for literary translation

The Tamil translation of Andrei Makine's "La vie d'un homme inconnu" (The Life of an Unknown Man) was awarded the second Romain Rolland Prize for literary translation in Jaipur at the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival.

Translated by S R Kichenamourty, former head of the French department of Pondicherry University, the book is published by Kalachuvadu, a publisher of Tamil modern classics and contemporary fiction writing.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Holocaust Remembrance Day

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is an international memorial day on 27 January commemorating the tragedy of the Holocaust that occurred during the Second World War.

It was designated by the United Nations General Assembly resolution 60/7 on 1 November 2005 during the 42nd plenary session. The theme of the Holocaust remembrance and education activities this year is “Holocaust Remembrance: Demand and Defend Your Human Rights”.

Data Privacy Day

Data Privacy Day (known in Europe as Data Protection Day) is an international holiday that occurs every 28 January. The purpose of Data Privacy Day is to raise awareness and promote privacy and data protection best practices.

Data Privacy Day's educational initiative originally focused on raising awareness among businesses as well as users about the importance of protecting the privacy of their personal information online, particularly in the context of social networking.

Click here to read Daily Current Affairs

Weekly CA Quiz: January 2019 3rd week with PDF

Hello Aspirants.
We have chosen the best 55 questions from the Current Affairs of the Third Week of January (16 January - 23 January). Take the quiz and excel in your upcoming exams. Take the quiz to check your knowledge. To start the quiz, click on start quiz button below. To end the quiz, click on Quiz-Summary after the last question and then click on finish quiz. Weekly Current Affairs Quiz January 2019 3rd Week

Share your marks in the comment section below.

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Click here to read the January Current Affairs

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Govt announces Padma Awards 2019: Here is the full list

Union Ministry of Home Affairs announced the name of 112 recipients of the Padma awards, one of the highest civilian awards of the country on the eve of the country's 70th Republic Day.

The Padma awards are conferred in three categories, namely, Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri, the second, third and fourth highest civilian awards of the country respectively, only after Bharat Ratna.

This year's awardees comprise four Padma Vibhushan, 14 Padma Bhushan and 94 Padma Shri recipients.

Here is the list of prominent personalities who were named for the conferment of Padma awards.

Padma Vibhushan (4)

1) Teejan Bai, (Art-Vocals-Folk, Chhattisgarh)

2) Ismail Omar Guelleh, (Public Affairs, Djibouti)

3) Anilkumar Manibhai Naik, (Trade and Industry)

4) Balwant Moreshwar Purandare, (Art-Acting-Theatre, Maharashtra )

Padma Bhushan (14)

5) John Chambers (Foreigner), (Trade and Industry, USA)

6) Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, (Public Affairs, Punjab)

7) Pravin Gordhan (Foreigner), (Public Affairs, South Africa)

8) Mahashay Dharam Pal Gulati, (Industry, Delhi)

9) Darshan Lal Jain, (Social Work, Haryana)

10) Ashok Laxmanrao Kukade, (Affordable Healthcare, Maharashtra)

11) Kariya Munda, (Public Affairs, Jharkhand)

12) Budhaditya Mukherjee, (Art-Music-Sitar, West Bengal)

13) Mohanlal Viswanathan Nair, (Art-Acting-Film, Kerala)

14) S Nambi Narayan, (Science, Kerala)

15) Kuldip Nayar (Posthumous), (Journalism, Delhi)

16) Bachendri Pal, (Mountaineering, Uttarakhand)

17) V K Shunglu, (Civil Service, Delhi)

18) Hukumdev Narayan Yadav, (Public Affairs, Bihar)

Padma Shri (94)

19) Rajeshwar Acharya, (Art-Vocal-Hindustani, Uttar Pradesh)

20) Bangaru Adigalar, (Spiritualism, Tamil Nadu)

21) Illias Ali, (Medicine-Surgery, Assam)

22) Manoj Bajpayee, (Art-Acting-Films, Maharashtra)

23) Uddhab Kumar Bharali, (Grassroots Innovation, Assam)

24) Omesh Kumar Bharti, (Medicine-Rabies, Himachal Pradesh)

25) Pritam Bhartwan, (Art-Vocals-Folk, Uttarakhand)

26) Jyoti Bhatt, (Art-Painting, Gujarat)

27) Dilip Chakravarty, (Archaeology, Delhi)

28) Mammen Chandy, (Medicine-Hematology, West Bengal)

29) Swapan Chaudhuri, (Art-Music-Tabla, West Bengal)

30) Kanwal Singh Chauhan, (Agriculture, Haryana)

31) Sunil Chhetri, (Sports-Football, Telangana)

32) Dinyar Contractor, (Art-Acting-Theatre, Maharashtra)

33) Muktaben Pankajkumar Dagli, (Social Work-Divyang, Gujarat)

34) Babulal Dahiya, (Agriculture, Madhya Pradesh)

35) Thanga Darlong, (Art-Music-Flute, Tripura)

36) Prabhu Deva, (Art-Dance, Karnataka)

37) Rajkumari Devi, (Agriculture, Bihar)

38) Bhagirathi Devi, (Public Affairs, Bihar)

39) Baldev Singh Dhillon, (Science and Engineering, Punjab)

40) Harika ,Dronavalli (Sports-Chess, Andhra Pradesh)

41) Godawari Dutta, (Art-Painting, Bihar)

42) Gautam Gambhir, (Sports-Cricket, Delhi)

43) Draupadi Ghimiray, (Social Work-Divyang, Sikkim)

44) Rohini Godbole, (Nuclear-Science, Karnataka)

45) Sandeep Guleria, (Medicine-Surgery, Delhi)

46) Pratap Singh Hardia, (Medicine-Ophthmology, Madhya Pradesh)

47) Bulu Imam Social, (Work-Culture, Jharkhand)

48) Friederike Irina (Foreigner), (Social Work-Animal, Germany)

49) Joravarsinh Jadav, (Art-Dance Folk, Gujarat)

50) S Jaishankar, (Civil Service, Delhi)

51) Narsingh Dev Jamwal, (Literature, Jammu and Kashmir)

52) Fayaz Ahmad Jan, (Art-Craft, Jammu and Kashmir)

53) K G Jayan, (Art-Music-Bhakti, Kerala)

54) Subhash Kak (Foreigner), (Science, USA)

55) Sharath Kamal, (Sports-Table Tennis, Tamil Nadu)

56) Rajani Kant, (Social Work, Uttar Pradesh)

57) Sudam Kate, (Medicine-Sickle Cell, Maharashtra)

58) Waman Kendre, (Art-Acting-Theatre, Maharashtra)

59) Kader Khan (Posthumous-Foreigner), (Art, Canada)

60) Abdul Gafur Khatri, (Art-Painting, Gujarat)

61) Ravindra Kolhe and Smita Kolhe, (Medicine, Maharashtra)

62) Bombayla Devi Laishram, (Sports-Archery, Manipur)

63) Kailash Madbaiya, (Literature,, Madhya Pradesh)

64) Ramesh Babaji Maharaj, (Social Work-Animal Welfare, Uttar Pradesh)

65) Vallabhbhai Vasrambhai Marvaniya, (Agriculture, Gujarat)

66) Gita Mehta (Foreigner), (Literature, USA)

67) Shadab Mohammad, (Medicine-Dentistry, Uttar Pradesh)

68) K K Muhammed, (Archaeology, Kerala)

69) Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, (Medicine, Jharkhand)

70) Daitari Naik, (Social Work, Odisha)

71) Shankar Mahadevan Narayan, (Art-Vocals-Films, Maharashtra)

72) Shantanu Narayen (Foreigner), (Industry, USA)

73) Nartaki Natraj, (Art-Dance, Tamil Nadu)

74) Tsering Norboo, (Medicine-Surgery, Jammu and Kashmir)

75) Shri Anup Ranjan Pandey (Art-Music Chhattisgarh)

76) Jagdish Prasad Parikh, (Agriculture, Rajasthan)

77) Ganpatbhai Patel (Foreigner), (Literature, USA)

78) Bimal Patel, (Architecture, Gujarat)

79) Hukumchand Patidar, (Agriculture, Rajasthan)

80) Harvinder Singh Phoolka, (Public Affairs, Punjab)

81) Madurai Chinna Pillai, (Social Work, Tamil Nadu)

82) Tao Porchon-Lynch (Foreigner), (Yoga, USA)

83) Kamala Pujhari, (Agriculture, Odisha)

84) Bajrang Punia, (Sports-Wrestling, Haryana)

85) Jagat Ram (Medicine, Ophthalmology, Chandigarh)

86) R V Ramani, (Medicine-Ophthalmology, Tamil Nadu)

87) Devarapalli Prakash Rao (Social Work-Affordable Education, Odisha)

88) Anup Sah, (Art-Photography, Uttarakhand)

89) Milena Salvini (Foreigner), (Art-Dance-Kathakali, France)

90) Nagindas Sanghavi, (Journalism, Maharashtra)

91) Sirivennela Seetharama Sastry, (Art-Lyrics, Telangana)

92) Shabbir Sayyad, (Social Work-Animal Welfare, Maharashtra)

93) Mahesh Sharma, (Social Work-Tribal Welfare, Madhya Pradesh)

94) Mohammad Hanif Khan Shastri, (Literature, Delhi)

95) Brijesh Kumar Shukla, (Literature, Uttar Pradesh)

96) Narendra Singh, (Animal Husbandry, Haryana)

97) Prashanti Singh, (Sports-Basketball, Uttar Pradesh)

98) Sultan Singh, (Animal Husbandry, Haryana)

99) Jyoti Kumar Sinha, (Social Work-Affordable, Education, Bihar)

100) Anandan Sivamani, (Art-Music, Tamil Nadu)

101) Sharada Srinivasan, (Archaeology, Karnataka)

102) Devendra Swarup (Posthumous), (Literature, Uttar Pradesh)

103) Ajay Thakur (Sports-Kabaddi Himachal Pradesh)

104) Rajeev Tharanath, (Art-Music-Sarod, Karnataka)

105) Saalumarada Thimmakka, (Social Work-Environment, Karnataka)

106) Jamuna Tudu, (Social Work-Environment, Jharkhand)

107) Bharat Bhushan Tyagi, (Agriculture, Uttar Pradesh)

108) Ramaswami Venkataswami, (Medicine-Surgery, Tamil Nadu)

109) Ram Saran Verma, (Agriculture, Uttar Pradesh)

110) Swami Vishudhananda (Spiritualism, Kerala)

111) Hiralal Yadav (Art-Vocals-Folk, Uttar Pradesh)

112) Venkateswara Rao Yadlapalli (Agriculture, Andhra Pradesh)

Padma Vibhushan is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; Padma Bhushan is for distinguished service of high order and Padma Shri for distinguished service in any field.

21 of the awardees are women and the list also includes 11 persons from the category of Foreigners/NRI/PIO/OCI, three posthumous awardees, and one transgender person. The government received 49,992 nominations for this year's Padma Awards.

Sunday, January 27, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 27th January, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 27 January 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

'Train 18' named Vande Bharat Express: Piyush Goyal

Highlighting the success of Make in India and contribution of Indian workers, Minister of Railways Piyush Goyal, renamed India's first indigenous semi-high speed train 'Train 18' as 'Vande Bharat Express'.

Vande Bharat Express will run from Delhi to Varanasi taking stops at Kanpur and Prayagraj. It has 16 coaches (2 executive chair car and 14 chair car) and will take only eight hours to complete the journey.

TCS 3rd most-valued IT services brand globally

India's Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has been ranked third most-valued IT services brand globally in 2018-19, after Accenture and IBM, according to a report by Brand Finance.

Four Indian IT services companies- TCS, Infosys, HCL and Wipro clinched spots in the top-10 global tally.

Valued at USD 26.3 billion, Accenture took the title of the world's most-valued IT services brand.

BANKING & FINANCE

SBI Card & Etihad Guest tie-up to launch premium card for international travel

SBI Card and Etihad Guest, the loyalty programme of Etihad Airways, have joined hands to launch a travel specific Visa credit card for members and Indian travellers. This is the first international co-brand partnership of SBI Card, the country's second largest credit card issuer.

The card will be available in two variants, Etihad Guest SBI Card and Etihad Guest SBI Premier Card, will bring an unmatched value proposition to Etihad Guest members and international travellers from India.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

IRDAI sets up a panel to identify systemically important insurers

Insurance regulator Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) set up a panel to identity domestically systemically important insurers (SII) and put in place an enhanced regulatory framework for them. SIIs are perceived as insurers that are 'too big to fail'.

The committee headed by Pravin Kutumbe, Member-Finance & Investment, Irdai, has been asked to submit report in six months.

Extra info.:
IRDAI Headquarters: Hyderabad
Chairperson: Subhash Chandra Khuntia

NCDEX, IRMA sign MoU to handhold farmer producer organisations

The National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange Ltd (NCDEX) and Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA), the premier training Institute in agri-business and rural management has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with special emphasis mentoring Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and allied institutions.

The mentoring is expected to occur through training sessions, handholding, and leadership development.

GSKCH India gets CCI approval for merger deal with HUL

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSKCH India) said its merger deal with Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has been approved by the fair trade regulator CCI.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the scheme of amalgamation between the two companies, through an-all equity deal, valuing the total business of the latter at Rs 31,700 crore.

Extra info.:
Competition Commission of India Headquarters: New Delhi

WEF, annual meet to begin in Davos

The World Economic Forum,WEF, annual meet began in Davos. World leaders from across the globe flocked to the ski resort town on the Swiss Alps for five days to discuss what's ailing the world amid fears of the global economy sleepwalking into a crisis.

The theme of the event would be 'Globalization 4.0: Shaping a Global Architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution', which would have several India-focussed sessions.

SPORTS

Indonesia Masters: Saina crowned champion as Marin withdraws after injury

Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal was crowned champion of the Indonesia Masters 2019 after her opponent Carolina Marin pulled out of the summit clash due to an injury.

Saina was the runner-up in the 2018 edition of the Indonesia Masters.

Nepal batsman surpasses Tendulkar's record to be youngest half-centurion

Surpassing master blaster Sachin Tendulkar's record, Nepal teenage batsman Rohit Paudel has become the youngest cricketer to score a half-century in international cricket at the age of 16 years and 146 days.

Earlier, Tendulkar was holding the record of the youngest half-centurion having played an innings of 59 in a Test against Pakistan aged 16 years and 213 days.

Ladakh: ITBP wins National Ice hockey tournament

Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) won the National Ice hockey tournament in Ladakh. The championship was organised by Ice Hockey Association of India. The ITBP defeated the Indian Army to lift the National Ice Hockey Championship.

Extra info.:
Ice Hockey Association of India President: K. L. Kumar
ITBP Headquarters: New Delhi

Veteran Kiwi bowler Ewen Chatfield retires at 68

New Zealand pacer Ewen Chatfield, famously known as the Naenae Express, finally ran "out of steam" as he has announced his retirement from cricket at the age of 68.

Chatfield had started his cricketing career in February 1968 at the Naenae Park and at the same venue, he bid adieu to the cricketing world.

AWARDS

Kerala Sahitya Akademi award goes to V J James's 'Nireeswaran'

V J James's 'Nireeswaran' has won the Kerala Sahitya Akademi award for the best novel of 2017. Veeran Kutty's 'Mindaprani' has been selected as the best poem. The award for the best short story goes to Aymanam John's 'Itharacharacharangalude Charithrapusthakam'.

Lifetime achievement awards have been bestowed on Pazhavila Ramesan, M P Parameswaran, Kunjappa Pattanoor, Dr K G Poulose, K Ajitha and C L Jose.

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Saturday, January 26, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 26th January, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 26 January 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

India poised to become world's 5th largest economy: Modi

India is on the way to becoming the fifth largest economy in the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said recently. He was addressing the India-South Africa Business Forum organised jointly by Indian Industry Chambers CII, FICCI and Assocham in the presence of visiting South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

According to the projections released earlier this week by British consultancy multinational PwC, India is likely to surpass the UK in the 2019 rankings of world's largest economies, knocking the latter from fifth to seventh place in the global table.

Health research money increased by Rs 147 crore in India

Public funding in India in the field of research and development for neglected diseases has increased significantly by Rs 135 crore since 2009, says a new report. The report conducted by G-Finder a project that tracks and reports on global investments into research and development (R&D) for neglected diseases suggested that funding from Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) increased by Rs 147 crore.

Globally, the money invested in research and development has reached USD 3.5 billion, an increase by 7 per cent from the previous year. The largest funder, as per the report is the US government, which through its National Institutes of Health provided 39 per cent of the total.

WHO lists 10 threats to global health in 2019

The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed out 10 global health threats for 2019, adding that millions of lives will be at risk if these threats are not addressed. According to the WHO, the plan focuses on a triple billion target that includes ensuring 1 billion more people benefiting from access to universal health coverage, 1 billion more people being protected from health emergencies and 1 billion more people enjoying better health and well-being.

Air pollution and climate change, Non-communicable diseases, Global influenza pandemic, Fragile and vulnerable settings, Antimicrobial resistance, Ebola and other high-threat pathogens, Weak primary health care, Vaccine hesitancy, Dengue & HIV are the health issues which need urgent attention.

MP announces employment scheme for urban poor youth

On the occasion of Republic Day, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath announced the launch of the 'Yuva Swabhiman Yojana' for youths from the economically weaker sections in urban areas.

Under this scheme, 100 days of employment will be provided to youths from economically weaker sections in urban areas. They will also be given skill training. While those in rural areas get employment under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), the urban poor youth are left out. This scheme will effectively cover them.

'Nari Shakti' announced as Oxford Dictionaries' Hindi Word of the Year

Oxford Dictionaries announced that 'Nari Shakti' as its Hindi Word of the Year for 2018 at the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival. The Hindi Word of the Year is a word or expression that has attracted a great deal of attention and reflects the ethos, mood or preoccupations of the past year.

Derived from Sanskrit, Nari means 'woman' and Shakti means 'power'. Today the term is used to symbolise women taking charge of their own lives.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

China to become world’s biggest retail market in 2019: Research firms eMarket

China is poised to become the world’s top retail market in 2019, displacing the US. China’s retail sales this year will surpass that of the US by more than $100 billion, according to eMarketer’s latest worldwide retail and ecommerce forecast.

This year, China’s total retail sales will grow 7.5% to reach $5.636 trillion. For comparison, US retail sales will grow 3.3% to reach $5.529 trillion. Growth rates are slowing for both countries, but China’s growth rate will exceed that of the US through 2022.

APPOINTMENTS

Parthasarathi Mukherjee to head Lakshmi Vilas Bank for another two years

Private sector Lakshmi Vilas Bank has reappointed Parthasarathi Mukherjee as its managing director when the lender is struggling to raise Rs 2000 crore from investors.

Mukherjee will he at the helm for another two years. Reserve Bank of India has approved his reappointment.

Extra info.:
Lakshmi Vilas Bank Headquarters: Chennai

AWARDS

NRL receives Best Miniratna PSU award

Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) has been awarded the best miniratna PSU in strategic performance (financial category) at the Governance Now Sixth PSU awards. The award, comprising of a trophy, was presented to NRL MD S K Barua by Member of Parliament Manoj Tiwari and veteran actress and social activist Poonam Dhillon at an award function held in New Delhi recently.

Extra info.:
NRL HQ: Assam
Parent organization: Bharat Petroleum

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Thursday, January 24, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 24th January, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 24 January 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

PM Modi Launched Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana under which a group of Indian diaspora will be taken on a government-sponsored tour of religious places in India twice a year.

All people of Indian-origin aged 45 to 65 can apply and a group will be selected out of them with first preference given to people from 'Girmitiya countries' such as Mauritius, Fiji, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica.

Prime Minister Modi, during his visit in New Delhi, also inaugurated Centers of Excellence at Deen Dayal Hastkala Sanku. He also released two books – 'Kashi: The Universe of Crafts and Textiles' and 'Indian Textiles: History, Splendour, Grandeur'.

2nd World Integrated Medicine Forum 2019 starts in Goa

The 2nd World Integrated Medicine Forum 2019 on the Regulation of Homeopathic Medical Products held in Goa. AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik inaugurated the three day forum. 20 countries will participate in the event.

This forum will strengthen regulatory framework worldwide, to assure that the users of Homoeopathy could have wider access to quality-assured homeopathic medicines.

2-Day Global Investors Summit begins in Chennai

The two-day Global Investors Summit, being organised by Tamil Nadu government, is underway in Chennai. It is being participated by about five thousand delegates from industries in India and abroad.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy in his inaugural address said the state government would soon unveil e-vehicle policy to give a boost to electric vehicles manufacturing in the state.

In the inaugural event, the Adani Group Chief Executive Officer Karan Adani committed an investment of 12 thousand crore rupees in its Kattuppalli port expansion project.

IAFTX 2019 to be held in Pune in March

With the aim to synergise humanitarian mine action and joint peace operations, the Indian Africa Field Training Exercise (IAFTX) will be held in Pune from March 18 to 27.

Delegates from Egypt, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, South Africa, Tanzania, Namibia, Mozambique, Uganda, Niger and Zambia are attending the conference.

Microsoft launches e-platform under Project ReWeave to help Handloom weavers

Microsoft India launched a new e-commerce platform ‘re-weave.in’ under project ReWeave to aid handloom weavers. The e-commerce platform would connect artisans to the buyers directly enabling them to expand to newer customers and markets.

Project ReWeave was initiated by Microsoft India (R&D) Pvt. Limited in 2016 as part of its Philanthropies efforts, with the aim to revive the handloom weaving ecosystem in India.

Navy Chief commissions Naval Air Base ‘INS Kohassa’ at Diglipur in Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba will commission the new Naval Air Base ‘INS Kohassa’ at Diglipur in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The airbase will be used to handle operations of helicopters and small aircraft like the Dornier.

Now, the airbase will function as an independent unit. With the inauguration of INS Kohassa, Andaman and Nicobar Command will further strengthen its defence capabilities in the region.

India 4th most attractive investment market for global CEOs: PwC survey

CEOs' confidence in global economic growth has dipped dramatically by a record jump in pessimism but India has emerged as 'the rising star' by surpassing the UK to become fourth most attractive destination, a PwC survey said.

Released on the first day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting, the survey also showed that China's popularity was falling among global CEOs but remained second most attractive after the US. However, both the countries saw their attractiveness dip sharply.

The US topped with 27 per cent, followed by China with 24 per cent and Germany at 13 per cent.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

China to become world's biggest retail market in 2019: Report

China is set to overtake the United States as the world's biggest retail market in 2019. Research firm eMarketer in a report published predicted that China's total retail sales will grow 7.5 percent to reach $5.636 trillion in 2019, while that of the United States will grow 3.3 percent to $5.529 trillion.

By the end of 2019, China will have 55.8 percent of all online retail sales globally, with the figure expected to exceed 63 percent by 2022, according to the report.

It also predicted that the US' share of the global e-commerce market is expected to drop to 15 percent by 2022.

SPORTS

Johan Botha retires from all forms of cricket

South Africa all-rounder Johan Botha announced retirement from all forms of cricket with immediate effect. Botha played a total of 78 one day matches, scoring 609 runs with an average of 19.03 and scalping 72 wickets with an economy rate of 4.57.

APPOINTMENTS

Ravneet Gill to replace Rana Kapoor as YES Bank MD & CEO

YES Bank has appointed Deutsche Bank’s Ravneet Singh Gill as its MD and CEO, who will succeed Rana Kapoor. Gill, who is the CEO of Deutsche Bank’s India operations, will join the private lender on or before March 1, 2019.

AWARDS

BJP MP Anurag Thakur honoured with Sansad Ratna Award

Anurag Thakur, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and party's chief whip in the Lok Sabha, was bestowed with Sansad Ratna Award for distinguished performance as a parliamentarian. He is the first MP from the BJP, besides being the only Member of Parliament from north India, to have been awarded the Jury Committee Special Award.

The Sansad Ratna Awards was set up in 2010 upon the suggestion of former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who himself launched the first edition of awards in May 2010, with the purpose of celebrating the performers of Indian Parliamentarians.

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Daily Current Affairs 23rd January, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 23 January 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

PM Modi Inaugurates Museums On Netaji Bose, Jallianwala Bagh At Red Fort

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Subhas Chandra Bose museum at the iconic Red Fort in Delhi to mark the freedom fighter's 122nd birth anniversary. He also inaugurated the Yaad-e-Jallian Museum dedicated on the Jallianwala Bagh and Indian soldiers in World War I. He also inaugurated a museum on 1857 India's first war of Independence, and the Drishyakala Museum on Indian Art within the Red Fort complex.

The museum on Subhas Chandra Bose and the Indian National Army showcases various artefacts related to freedom fighter and his movement. The artefacts include a wooden chair and sword used by the leader, medals, badges, uniforms and other artefacts related to the Indian National Army.

A documentary on Netaji Bose and the INA will help visitors understand the vision of the freedom fighter. Actor Abhishek Bachchan has lent his voice for the documentary.

The Yaad-e-Jallian Museum provides an authentic account of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre that took place on April 13, 1919. A replica of the memorial erected at the Jallianwala Bagh has also been placed at the museum.

A poem penned by Sarojini Naidu on the plight of Indian soldiers who fought the World War I for the British Empire is part of the artefacts at the museum. The poem, titled ''The Gift'' describes sacrifices made by 1.5 million Indian soldiers in the First World War.

Centre institutes 'Subhas Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar'

The Central government has instituted an annual award titled "Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar", which is to be announced every year on January 23, on the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The award carries a certificate and a cash prize of Rs 51 lakh.

This year, 8th Battalion of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) located at Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh has been selected for the award for its commendable work in disaster management.

Government Constitutes NITI Aayog-led Committee To Monitor Pricing Of Drugs

The government constituted a standing committee headed by NITI Aayog to oversee the drug pricing regime, a move which could clip the powers of drug pricing regulator, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).

The committee will be "a recommending body to NPPA, regarding prices of drugs and health products'', and may examine issues suo-moto or on recommendation of department of pharma, NPPA and department of health.

The committee has been vested with sweeping powers to oversee the pricing regime, at the cost of undermining NPPA, and this may have repercussions on affordability of drugs.

JNPT Becomes Only Indian Port To Be Listed Amongst World’s Top 30 Container Ports

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), India's premier container port, has got listed among the top 30 container ports globally. JNPT notched up five spots to be 28th on the list compared to its previous ranking, according to the latest Lloyds report.

JNPT also launched an App service to facilitate better tracking of consignment and ease the trade process for their EXIM partners. The App allows traders to access all the relevant information about consignment and port related updates regarding traffic and weather.

Indians are biggest international aid supporters: WEF survey

Indians have emerged as the biggest supporters of international aid, with a global public opinion survey putting India on the top when it comes to people expecting their nation to help other countries.

The survey released by the World Economic Forum ahead of its high profile annual meeting in this ski resort town on the Swiss Alps showed that South Asian countries, including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as also Nigeria and Saudi Arabia exhibit widespread support for international aid.

As many as 95 per cent Indians replied in affirmative, which was the highest for any country, followed by 94 per cent in Indonesia and Pakistan each.

India to engage 12 African nations in joint military exercise

India will engage with 12 African nations in a joint military exercise in Pune in March this year. The final planning for the exercise named 'Indian Africa Field Training Exercise (IAFTX)-2019' will be done at a conference in Pune on 23-24 January. The conference will also work out the modalities for the exercise.

The IAFTX-2019 is perceived as a positive step towards growing political and military ties with the member nations of the African continent and is expected to boost the strategic cooperation between the countries.

Coast guards of India, Japan undertake disaster control exercise in Yokohama

Coast Guards of India and Japan kicked off their disaster control, search and rescue exercises off the coast of Yokohama in Japan. Indian Coast Guard Ship ICGS Shaunak is the main Indian ship taking part in the drills. It is a 105-metre class Offshore Patrol Vessel and is one of the largest ships in the Indian Coast Guard.

Both the forces have huge experience in disaster management as Japan regularly faces earthquakes and sea storms while the Indian Coast Guard round the year manages the over 7,000-kilometre coastline of the country.

Arunachal Government Declares Pakke Hornbill Fest As ‘State Festival’

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Pema Khandu declared Pakke Paga Hornbill Festival (PPHF) as the “State Festival” at Seijosa in East Kameng district, Arunachal Pradesh. Pakke Paga Hornbill Festival (PPHF) is only conservation festival of Arunachal Pradesh.

Arunachal Pradesh Forest Department will fund the festival from 2020 and permanent infrastructure will be constructed for the festival ground.

Three day Flamingo festival was celebrated in Pulicat Lake,Andhra Pradesh

The three-day annual Flamingo Festival was held at Pulicat lake and Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary in Sullurpet mandal. Flamingo Festival is held every year to promote tourism in Pulicat and Nellapattu.

Flamingo Festival is being organised for the past 12 years. Migratory birds from Siberia have visit this place during winter season for breeding.

Extra info.:
Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish water lake or lagoon in India after Chilika Lake.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Indian Diplomat launches bilingual anthology in Brazil

A new anthology of poems titled 'New Brazilian Poems', translated and edited by Indian poet-diplomat Abhay Kumar was launched at the National Association of Writers of Brazil. The event was attended by a large number of poets, diplomats and intellectual community of Brazil.

Abhay has been hosting a monthly literary event 'Cha com Letras' since his arrival in Brasilia in January 2016 in which hundreds of Brazilian writers and intellectuals have participated.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

India Ranks 80th On Global Talent Competitiveness Ranking: Survey

India has moved up one position to rank 80th on the Global Talent Competitive Index, but remains a laggard among the BRICS nations. Switzerland continues to top the list, released on the first day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos by INSEAD business school in partnership with Tata Communications and Adecco Group.

With an overall position of 45th and despite a fall of two places, China is the best performer among BRICS countries, while India remains the laggard of this grouping, the report said.

Switzerland is followed by Singapore, the US, Norway and Denmark in the top five on the list.

TCS named fastest growing brand of the decade in IT services

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) announced that it has been accredited as the fastest growing brand in the IT services sector over the past decade. The company's brand value increased by 447 per cent from 2.34 billion dollars in 2010 to 12.8 billion dollars in 2019 according to Brand Finance, the world's leading brand valuation firm.

The report released at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, said TCS continues to be among the top three global IT services brands.

India ranks at 54th position among most innovative countries

India figures at 54th position among the world's most innovative countries, according to Bloomberg 2019 Innovative Index. It is for the first time that India has made it to the rankings. The development comes as world leaders gather at the ongoing annual World Economic Forum in Davos.

South Korea has retained the top spot with a score of 87.38, while Germany scored 87.30 for improvements in research and education.

Among the new entrants annual Bloomberg Innovation Index are some of the world's largest emerging economies: India, Mexico, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia.

India among the most trusted nations globally:2019 Edelman Trust Barometer report

India is among the most trusted nations globally when it comes to government, business, NGOs and media but the country's brands are among the least-trusted, according to a report. The 2019 Edelman Trust Barometer report released, ahead of the the World Economic Forum (WEF) meet in Davos, noted that the Global Trust Index witnessed a marginal increase of 3 points to 52.

China topped the Trust Index among both the informed public and the general population segments, with scores of 79 and 88 respectively. India was at the second place in the informed public category and third place in the general population category.

In terms of trust in companies headquartered in each market, the most trusted are those from Switzerland, Germany and Canada.

India's GDP Likely To Grow 7.4% This Fiscal, At 7.6% In 2019-20: UN Report

The Indian economy is expected to grow at 7.4 per cent in the current fiscal and its GDP growth will rise to 7.6 per cent in 2019-20, before tapering down to 7.4 per cent in 2020-21, according to a UN report.

The report United Nations' World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) 2019 said that India's growth continues to be underpinned by robust private consumption, a more expansionary fiscal stance and benefits from earlier reforms.

SPORTS

Mohammed Shami Becomes Fastest Indian Bowler To Reach 100 ODI Wickets

Pacer Mohammed Shami became the fastest Indian to claim 100 wickets in One-day Internationals, reaching the mark in the opening match against New Zealand in Napier. This was his 56th game in the 50-over format.

Before Shami, Irfan Pathan reached the 100-wicket mark in 59 ODIs, while Zaheer Khan (65 matches), Ajit Agarkar (67) and Javagal Srinath (68) are the other Indian bowlers to complete a century of wickets in the quickest time.

Khelo India Youth Games: Hosts Maharashtra finish top with 228 medals

Hosts Maharashtra walked away with the Overall Trophy at the Khelo India Youth Games, as they amassed a mammoth 85 gold, 62 silver and 81 bronze for a total of 228 medals. Their sportspersons and officials received the trophy from Union Minister Prakash Javadekar and Maharashtra Sports Minister Vinod Tawde at the closing ceremony in Pune.

Maharashtra finished ahead of Khelo India School Games 2018 winners Haryana, who were second with 62 gold, 56 silver and 60 bronze for a total of 178 medals. Delhi stood third with 48 gold, 37 silver and 51 bronze, a tally of 136 medals.

AWARDS

Noted Gujarati Poet Sitanshu Yashashchandra Awarded Saraswati Samman 2017

Noted Gujarati poet Sitanshu Yashashchandra has been awarded Saraswati Samman,2017, for his poetry collection in Gujarati named “Vakhar”. This is the 27th edition of the prestigious award instituted by K.K.Birla foundation given every year to an outstanding work of an Indian citizen published during the last 10 years in any of the languages mentioned in Schedule 8 of the constitution.

OBITUARIES

Former Indian Hockey Player Raghbir Bhola Passes Away

Former India hockey player Raghbir Singh Bhola, a two-time Olympic medallist, has passed away aged 92. Bhola represented India in the 1956 Melbourne and 1960 Rome Olympics, winning a gold and silver medals respectively for the country.

Tony Mendez, the real CIA spy behind Argo passes away

Ex-CIA agent Tony Mendez, who inspired the Oscar-winning film Argo, has passed away at the age of 78. He had been suffering from Parkinson's Disease. At the CIA, Mendez specialised in disguises, forgery and rescues.

He is best known for smuggling six American diplomats out of Iran during the 1979-81 hostage crisis by posing as a film producer.