13 July 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

1. Reebok signs Katrina Kaif as its new brand ambassador

Fitness brand Reebok has announced Bollywood actor Katrina Kaif as its new brand ambassador in India.
This association would further Reebok’s commitment to be the best fitness brand in India.
Katrina, who trains hard towards a fitter and better self each day, embodies the brand's ethos and is an inspiration for today’s generation.

Note:

Reebok is an English footwear and apparel company, subsidiary of German sports giant Adidas (since 2005).
Reebok produces and distributes fitness, running and CrossFit sportswear including clothing and footwear.

Banking and Finance

2. Samsung joins hands with Paisabazaar.com to offer financial products

South Korean tech giant Samsung announced its partnership with Paisabazaar.com, an online marketplace for financial products in India.
Now, Paisabazaar.com will support Samsung Pay to provide users with a one-stop solution to their financial requirements.
Users can apply for credit cards and personal loans from the platform.

International Affairs

3. India lifted 271 million people out of poverty in 10 years: UN

According to MPI 2019 released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, India lifted 271 million people out of poverty between 2006 and 2016.
While in Bangladesh the number dropped by 19 million between 2004 and 2014,
In 101 countries (31 low income, 68 middle income and 2 high income), Around 1.3 billion people are “multidimensionally poor”, including poor health, poor quality of work and the threat of violence.
The report underscored that the traditional concept of poverty is outdated, demonstrating more clearly than ever that labelling countries - or even households - as rich and poor is an oversimplification.

Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI):

The Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) was developed in 2010 by the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and the United Nations Development Programme.
It uses different factors to determine poverty beyond income-based lists.
It replaced the previous Human Poverty Index.
The global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) is an international measure of acute poverty covering over 100 developing countries.

Honour & Awards

4. Taylor Swift emerges as a highest-paid celebrity on Forbes Celebrity 100 list

Singer Taylor Swift has topped the Forbes' Celebrity 100 list and emerged as the highest-paid celebrity with her 2019 estimated earnings to be over USD 185 million.
This is the second time after 2016 that Swift has surpassed all the celebrities which makes her first music artist to outstrip others twice on the list, reported Variety.
Swift's 2018 'Reputation' tour became the highest-grossing tour in the US history collecting over USD 266.1 million.
Other celebrities on the list include beauty mogul, Kylie Jenner leading the list at No. 2 with estimated earnings of USD 170 million and Kanye West who stood at No.3 with earning over USD 150 million.

Obituaries

5. Former Bengal leg-spin great Soumendranath Kundu passes away

Former Bengal and Railway leg-spinner Soumendranath Kundu (77-years) passed away in Kolkata.
Kundu was bestowed with the Lifetime Achievement award by the Cricket Association of Bengal in 2013-14.
Kundu took 127 wickets in 30 First-Class matches between 1958-59 and 1968-69. He also took 10 wickets in a match thrice.

National Affairs

6. Army International Scout Masters Competition

The fifth edition of International Army Scout Masters Competition is being held at Jaisalmer Military Station under the aegis of Southern Command of Indian Army.
The competition is a part of International Army Games and consists of five stages of competitions which will be conducted over a period of nine days from 06 August 2019 to 14 August 2019 at Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
It is the first time that India has got an opportunity to host and participate in this prestigious event.
Elite teams from eight participating countries including India will undergo a gruelling experience
The other seven countries are Armenia, Belarus, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe.

Source: AIR News

7. India to host 14th Conference of Parties

According to Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar, India is set to host the 14th Conference of the Parties (COP). (from 02 to 13 September)
The global conference will be hosted at India Expo Mart Limited in Greater Noida.
As many as 197 countries are expected to participate in the conference.
The 14th session of COP will stress on three crucial issues - desertification, land degradation and drought,"

Source: DD News

8. The union Government issues fresh bid document for strategic disinvestment in Pawan Hans

The Union Government issued a fresh bid document for strategic disinvestment in Pawan Hans (fleet of 43 helicopters).
According to Preliminary Information Memorandum (PIM), union Government has in-principle decided to disinvestment its entire equity shareholding of 51% in Pawan Hans Ltd (PHL) by way of strategic disinvestment to investors along with transfer of management control.
ONGC has also decided, that it shall sell its entire shareholding of 49 per cent in PHL, at the same derived price per share and on the same terms and conditions.
The government holds 51% stake in Pawan Hans, the remaining 49% stake is with Oil and Natural gas Corporation (ONGC).
The PIM document stated that in the case of the consortium also, the combined net worth of all the members of the consortium should be 350 crore rupees.
The last date for submission of Expression of Interest (EoI) is 22nd August and intimation to the short-listed bidder is 12th September.

Know About Pawan Hans:

Pawan Hans Limited (Mini Ratna -I category PSU) is a helicopter service based in New Delhi, India.
The operations are based at the Juhu Aerodrome in Vile Parle (West), Mumbai.
On the 12th of January 2017, the Government of India approved the privatization of Pawan Hans.

Source: AIR News

9. Vihaan Networks signs a pact with Vietnam to develop digital villages

Telecom equipment and solutions provider Vihaan Networks Ltd (VNL) has inked a pact with Vietnam to offer solutions for advancing rural connectivity by developing digital villages in Vietnam.
Embassy of Vietnam has identified 150 remote villages, spread over six provinces to roll out mobile and broadband services in the first phase of its Digital Village programme, in partnership with VN.

10. ICSI launches UDIN to improve corporate governance

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) has rolled out an initiative in the form of a Unique Document Identification Number (UDIN) in to pursue a heightened sense of self-governance and strengthen the practising side of company secretaries.
UDIN will provide ease of maintaining a register of attestation and certification services.
The initiative will also enable stakeholders and regulators to verify genuinely of documents signed or certified by company secretaries in practice.

11. Indian delegation attends Global Conference on Media Freedom in London

The UK government has committed 18 million pounds towards improving media freedom across the world and announced the creation of a new Global Media Defence Fund.
UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt made the announcement at the first Global Conference for Media Freedom in London.
The Conference the first of its kind, was also attended by Prasar Bharati Chairman A Surya Prakash, Member of Parliament Swapan Das Gupta and Kanchan Gupta, Member, Press Council.

12. Delhi Police reunited 333 children with their families this year under ‘Operation Milap’

Under Operation Milap this year, The Delhi Police’s crime branch has reunited 333 children with their families after they separated from their parents.
Under this project, the Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of the Delhi Police develops information, rescues the trafficked or kidnapped person and arrests the kidnapper.
The ‘Operation Milap’ is carried out by the crime branch’s ‘Anti Human Trafficking Unit’ (AHTU).

Note:

The children were reunited as part of the crime branch’s ‘Operation Milap’ (an initiative that began in 2014) has helped over 4,300 children so far.

Source: The Hindustan Times

13. Gujarat to develop Centres of Excellence for skill development in the aviation Industry

According to Captain Ajay Chauhan (Director of Civil Aviation- Government of Gujarat), Gujarat Government will develop Centers of Excellence for skill development in the Aviation industry.
The Gujarat government is focusing on identifying land which can be used for the future growth of airports.
The state government is tying up with Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Cadet Corps (NCC) to bring up new courses and new aviation institutes, where youth can get training.
The state government is also focusing on Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO).
Such facility is already available in Ahmedabad and similar centres will be set up in Rajkot and Ankleshwar.

Note:

The one-day power-packed conclave held in Ahmedabad.
It was jointly organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in association with Gujarat State Aviation Infrastructure Company Limited, Dholera Industrial City Development Limited and Airports Authority of India.

Source: AIR News

14. Rajghat thermal plant to make way for solar park

The Delhi government has announced that the Rajghat thermal power plant will be officially shut and turned into a solar park.
A 5,000 KW of solar power will be produced at the 45-acre plant site.
Rajghat thermal power plant (coal-based plant), whose current units were commissioned in 1989, has been lying in a shutdown mode from 2014.

Books & Author

15. Devika Sethi pens books titled ‘War over Words: Censorship in India, 1930-1960’

The book named “War over Words: Censorship in India, 1930-1960” has been authored by Devika Sethi.
This book recovers narrates and interrogates the history of censorship of publications in India over three crucial decades – encompassing the Gandhian anti-colonial movement, the Second World War, Partition, and the early years of Independent India.
Devika Sethi teaches modern Indian history at IIT-Mandi, Himachal Pradesh.
The book has been published by Cambridge University Press.

Source: Indian Express

Sports

16. Over 2000 sporting talents identified for support under Khelo India Scheme

According to Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju, a Total number of two thousand 437 sporting talents have been identified for support under the Khelo India Scheme.
Under the scheme, the government provides financial assistance of about five lakh rupees per annum for a period of eight years.

Note:

The Khelo India programme has been introduced to revive the sports culture in India at the grass-root level by building a strong framework for all sports played in our country and establish India as a great sporting nation.
Khelo India Scheme is the national level multidisciplinary grassroots games in India held for two categories, namely under-17 years school students and under-21 college students.