06 April 2018 - Daily Current Affairs

Sports

Weightlifter Sanjita Chanu wins India’s 2nd Gold Medal

Weightlifter Khumukcham Sanjita Chanu (53kg event) has delivered India its second gold medal of the Commonwealth Games 2018 with a total lift of 192kg.
The defending champion, Loa Dika Toua (Papua New Guinea) claimed silver medal with a total lift of 182Kg.
The bronze medal went to Rachel Leblanc-Bazinet (Canada), who finished with a combined effort of 181kg.

Deepak Lather wins weightlifting bronze medal in Men’s 69 kg

India’s Deepak Lather (18-year) lifted a total weight of 295 kg (136 kg in Snatch and 159 kg in Clean and Jerk) to earn a bronze medal at Commonwealth Games 2018.
The Gareth Evans (31-year) posted a total of 299kg to win the Gold medal at the Gold Coast Games.
Sri Lanka's Indica Dissanayake remain at the second position for a silver.

Note: Earlier, Mirabai Chanu (48kg) won gold medals in the women’s competition and P Gururaja claimed a silver in the men’s 56kg category.

India wins South East Asian women handball Championship

India defeated Bangladesh by 27-10 to win the fifth South East Asian Women Handball Championship at K.D. Singh Babu Stadium in Lucknow.
Nepal finished as runner-up in the five-country tournament.
Bangladesh settled for the third spot and a bronze medal.

Important Dates

6th April: United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Sport for Development and Peace

The United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Sport for Development and Peace (IDSDP) is observed across the world on 6th April every year to recognize the power of sport in promoting peace and erasing cultural barriers worldwide.
The day has been celebrated each year since 2014.
The date commemorates the inauguration of the first Olympic games of the modern era, in Athens (Greece) in 1896.

Banking & Finance

RBI to set up Data Sciences Lab

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to set up ‘Data Sciences Lab’ to improve its forecasting, surveillance and early warning detection abilities.
The lab will comprise experts and budding analysts, who are trained in Computer Science, Data Analytics, Statistics, Economics, Econometrics, and Finance.
RBI not only benefits from data collected through regulatory returns and surveys but also from large volumes of structured and unstructured real-time information.
The unit is likely to become operational by December this year.

Note: Data science is an interdisciplinary field of computer science and statistics that uses scientific methods, processes, algorithms, and systems to extract knowledge or insights from data in various forms (structured or unstructured).

RBI asks banks to stop services to those dealing in virtual currencies

The Reserve Bank of India directed all regulated entities including banks not to provide services to businesses dealing in virtual currencies like bitcoins.
According to RBI, Virtual currencies (VCs) variously referred to as cryptocurrencies and crypto assets, raise concerns of consumer protection, market integrity and money laundering.
The RBI has directed all payment system operators to store all data within India.
RBI has been decided that all payment system operators will ensure that data related to payment systems operated by them are stored only inside the country within a period of 6 months.

ICICI bank launches social media-based remittance service for NRIs

ICICI Bank has announced the launch of a service 'Social Pay' that enables Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to send money to a beneficiary in India using social media platforms like WhatsApp and e-mail.
The service 'Social Pay' is available on Money2India (M2I), the bank's app for remittances.
To transfer money, users need to generate a secure link from the M2I app and share it with the beneficiary on their social media profile or email for adding his/her bank details.
This new facility will enable NRIs to send money conveniently to their friends and family.

Science & Defence

Indian & Korean coast guards hold joint exercise off Chennai coast

Indo-Korean joint anti-piracy, search and rescue exercise 'SAHYOG- HYEOBLYEOG 2018' has been conducted at the Chennai coast.
Ships of the Indian Coast Guard and the Korean vessel undertook tactical maneuvers and drills to counter piracy and carry out maritime law enforcement tasks off Chennai coast.
The Korean Coast Guard ship 'BADARO' took part in the exercise.

Note: The mission of the joint exercise is to develop working level co-operation and enhance interoperability in the fields of maritime search and rescue, anti-piracy operations.

National Affairs

Nepal's PM KP Sharma Oli arrives in New Delhi today

Today, Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli arrived in New Delhi on a three-day visit to India.
Mr. Oli will hold delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Nepalese premier will discuss various issues like agriculture, energy, connectivity, trade, investment and reconstruction during the visit.
Mr. Oli will visit the GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology in Pantnagar, Uttarakhand.
Oli will also be conferred with an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science at the university.

Tobacco products, cigarette packs to show helpline number from Sept

All tobacco products and cigarette packs will have a national toll-free number (1XXX-XX-2356) printed on them to assist users to quit an addiction (from September 2018).
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has notified new sets of specified health warnings for all tobacco product packs by making an amendment in the Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Packaging and Labeling) Rules, 2008.
The toll-free number will help in creating awareness among tobacco users and give them access to counseling services to effect behavior change.

Note:

Tobacco is a product prepared from the leaves of the tobacco plant by curing them.
The plant is part of the genus Nicotiana and of the Solanaceae (nightshade) family.
Tobacco use is a risk factor for many diseases, especially those affecting the heart, liver, and lungs, as well as many cancers.

Piyush Goyal Launches UTTAM APP for Coal Quality Monitoring

The Union Minister for Railways and Coal Shri Piyush Goyal has launched ‘UTTAM App’ (Unlocking Transparency by Third Party Assessment of Mined Coal) for Coal Quality Monitoring.
UTTAM app has been developed by the Ministry of Coal and Coal India Limited (CIL), aims to provide an App for all citizens and coal consumers to monitor the process of Third Party Sampling of coal across CIL subsidiaries.
UTTAM App ensures accountability, transparency, effectiveness, and efficiency in coal ecosystem.