31 August 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

31 August 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

1. Lionel Aingimea becomes the new President of Nauru

• Former human rights lawyer Lionel Aingimea won the Presidential election of the pacific nation Nauru by defeating his rival David Adeang by 12-6 votes.
• Mr. Aingimea is succeeding the outgoing President ‘Baron Waqa’.

Know about Lionel Aingimea:

• Aingimea studied law in Australia and subsequently worked for the Regional Rights Resource Team NGO, and as a public defender in the Marshall Islands.
• He later worked as a lecturer in law at the University of the South Pacific.

Note:

• The President of Nauru is elected by Parliament from among its members.
• Nauru's unicameral Parliament has 19 members, with an electoral term of 3 years.
• Political parties only play a minor role in Nauru politics, and there have often been periods of instability in the Presidential office.

International Affairs

2. India, Nepal organize training programme on EXIM Bank's guidelines

• The Embassy of India in Nepal and National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) of Nepal organized a two-day training programme in Kathmandu on the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of India’s Line of Credit guidelines and procedures.
• Senior experts from the EXIM Bank of India conducted the training programme which was attended by 27 officials from Government of Nepal.
• The first day of the training covered a general introduction to the EXIM Bank of India’s Line of Credit (LOC) modality including project identification, pre-qualification and tendering process, evaluation of tender documents, empanelment process, project implementation and monitoring.
• The second-day training included a session by Nepal Government officials on Import/Export and domestic tax for Indian contractors involved in LoC projects in Nepal.
• A total of 28 Indian contractors attended this training session.
• The two sides also agreed to collaborate on future capacity building efforts of the Government of Nepal officials who would be working on the Government of India’s Line of Credit supported projects.

Note:

• The training programme was organized as part of a bilateral understanding reached between the Government of Nepal and Government of India during the 7th Line of Credit (LOC) Review Meeting held in June 2019 in India.

Source: AIR News

3. India to host COP14 of UN Convention in September this year

• India will host the Conference Of Parties (COP 14) of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification from 2nd to 13th September 2019.
• The event will be held at the India Mart and Expo, in the Greater Noida area of New Delhi.
• The event will see the participation of over 3000 representatives from over 200 countries which will include Ministers from around 100 countries.
• The Conference Of Parties will focus on desertification and degradation of land.

National Affairs

4. Final NRC of Assam released

• The much-awaited d Final National Register of Citizens (NRC) has been released in Assam.
• Names of 3.11 crore applicants have been included in final NRC, while 19.07 lakh have been excluded.
• The status of both inclusion and exclusion can be checked online in the NRC website www.nrcassam.nic.in
• The hard copies of the Supplementary List of Inclusions are available for public viewing at the NRC Seva Kendras (NSK), offices of the deputy commissioner and offices of the Circle Officer during office hours.
• The process of NRC Update was started in Assam as per the order of the Supreme Court in 2013.
• Any person who is not satisfied with the outcome of the claims and objections can file an appeal before the Foreigners Tribunals.

5. Union HRD Minister launches Integrated Online junction for School Education ‘Shagun’

• Union Human Resource Development Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ has launched one of world’s largest Integrated Online Junction for School Education ‘Shagun’ in New Delhi.
• The app will provide all the details about the education system in the country as well as detailed information about schools with a feedback procedure structured for the parents.
• The portal seeks to connect approximately 92 lakh teachers and 26 crores, students.
• Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ also announced the setting up of the Integrated National School Education Treasury (INSET) which envisages a fully integrated, instantly accessible and seamless information network for all parameters relating to the students, teachers, and schools in the country.

6. Air India bans single-use plastic in flights from 2^nd October

• According to Chairman and Managing Director of Air India Ashwani Lohani, Air India will completely ban the use of plastic in Alliance Air and Air India Express from 2nd October.
• Plastic Tea cups will be replaced with sturdy paper cups and plastic tumblers will be replaced with paper tumblers.
• The move follows a clarion call by Prime Minister Narendra to ban single-use plastic during his Independence Day address from the ramparts of Red Fort.

Note:

• Air India is the flag carrier airline of India, headquartered at New Delhi.

7. Maharashtra: Lifeline Express inaugurated at CSMT, Mumbai

• The Lifeline Express (known as ‘Hospital on Wheels’) has been inaugurated at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus by the Central Railway (CR) for its latest project.
• Now, The Lifeline Express train (world first hospital on wheels) will move to Sahibganj in Jharkhand from Mumbai for its next project.
• On 16^th July 1991, The Indian Railways in partnership with Impact India Foundation, had launched the Lifeline Express from CSMT to provide free of cost medical care to the poor living in remote corners of the country.
• The seven coaches of the Lifeline Express have advanced operation theatres, a pathology lab, a mammography unit, a gynaecology examination room, a dental unit, a pharmacy, consultation cubicles and X-Ray unit, among others.

Note:

• The Lifeline Express has travelled across 19 states, covering 201 rural locations in 138 districts providing medical treatment to 12.32 lakh patients, including 1.46 lakh cases of surgery and nearly 2,00,000 medical professionals from around the world have rendered their services to the train.

8. Meghalaya CM launches ‘walk to work’ campaign in the state

• Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma took the lead to launch the campaign of Fit India Movement which has been launched in the country by the Prime Minister.
• The Chief Minister took a two-kilometre walk from his residential quarters to his office chamber at Main Secretariat, Shillong launching the #WalktoWorkMeghalaya which is a part of the ‘Fit India Campaign’.
• The idea of 'walk to work' will have multiple benefits, cuts the cost of fuel including reduction of CO2 emission, reduce congestion in the city and more importantly for health and fitness.

Honour & Awards

9. Indian app Maitri, win tech prize in the US

• Maitri application won a bronze medal at global tech competition in the US.
• Maitri application connects children at orphanages with senior citizens in old-age homes.
• The app, called Maitri, is aimed at bringing together individuals suffering from loneliness and depression and those lacking the nurturing love of elderly role models.
• The app also allows users to volunteer and donate to old-age homes and orphanages through it.

Science & Defence

10. Russian humanoid robot Fedor arrives at International Space Station

• An unmanned spacecraft carrying Russia’s first humanoid robot Fedor be sent into orbit successfully docked at the International Space Station.
• Fedor can be operated manually by ISS astronauts wearing robotic exoskeleton suits.
• Fedor stands 180 cm tall and weighs 160 kg.
• The name Fedor was an acronym standing for Final Experimental Demonstration Object Research.
• The robot will enable Russian astronauts to perform risky space experiments from a remote location.

Banking & Finance

11. Canara Bank launches OTP facility for ATM cash withdrawals over Rs 10,000

• Public sector lender Canara Bank has launched India’s first OTP facility for ATM withdrawals.
• According to Canara Bank, the OTP facility will get activated on ATM cash withdrawals of RS. 10,000 in a day.
• This additional factor of authentication protects from unauthorized ATM cash withdrawals for cardholders.

Sports

12. 25th Senior Women’s National Football Championship to be held in Arunachal Pradesh

• The 25th Senior Women’s National Football Championship will be held in Arunachal Pradesh (first time) from 10th to 24th September 2019.
• The tournament will be held in the oldest town of the state Pasighat in East Siang District.
• This will be the first major Women’s National Championship to be hosted by the state in the history of Arunachal Pradesh Football Association (APFA) since its inception in 1992.
• A total of 30 teams from across the country, representing various States, Union Territories and Indian Railways will participate in the tournament.
• The teams have been divided into eight groups A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H. Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu &Kashmir and Telangana is in group H.
• The inaugural match will be played between Railways and Mizoram.

Note:

• India Women's Football Championship is the women's football tournament which is contested by states and government institutions in India.
• It is organized by the All India Football Federation and it has been contested since the 1991–92 season and crowns the national football champion each year.

Source: AIR News

13. Vismaya wins gold at Josef Seckar memorial athletic meet

• Indian sprinter VK Vismaya (22-years) clinch the gold medal in the 400m run at the International Athletic Meeting – Josef Seckar Memorial (MJS) in Brno, Czech Republic.
• VK Vismaya produced her personal best timing of 52.12s to clinch the gold medal.
• Compatriots Poovamma Machettira (53.47s) and Subha Venkatesan (53.67s) finished second and third respectively.

Source: The Times of India