10 October 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

10 October 2019 - Daily Current Affairs

1. Pioneers of lithium-ion battery win 2019 Nobel Chemistry prize

• The 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded jointly to John B. Goodenough (the University of Texas in the US), M. Stanley Whittingham (teaches at the Binghamton University in the US) and Akira Yoshino (professor at the Meijo University in Japan) "for the development of lithium-ion batteries".
• Lithium-ion batteries have revolutionised our lives since they first entered the market in 1991.
• The batteries power everyday products such as smartphones, laptops and even electric vehicles.
• The Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded 110 times to 180 individuals between 1901 and 2018.
• Mr Goodenough is the oldest ever winner of a Nobel prize at the age of 97-years.
• Malala Yousafzai (17-years) is the youngest ever winner of a Nobel prize (Nobel Peace Prize 2014).

Note:

• The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is one of the five Nobel Prizes (Physics, Peace, Physiology or Medicine, and Literature) established by the will of Swedish Alfred Nobel.
• The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences award's (official name is The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences) in Memory of Alfred Nobel (established in 1968).
• The Prize in Economics is not one of the Nobel Prizes (technically), which were endowed by Alfred Nobel in his will.

Source: AIR News

2. Ramesh Pandey to be given Asia Environmental Enforcement Award by UNEP

• Senior Indian Forest Service officer Ramesh Pandey (1996-batch) has been selected for the prestigious Asia Environmental Enforcement Award by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
• Mr Panday posted as Chief Conservator Forests in Lucknow & Secretary (UP State Bio-diversity Board) is known for his investigation and intelligence gathering on poachers.
• Mr. Ramesh Pandey will receive the award on 13^th November at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok.
• The purpose of the Asia Environmental Enforcement Awards is to publicly recognise outstanding achievements by public organisations and individuals in Asia to combat transboundary environmental crime.

Source: Indian Express

3. Prez Kovind presents colours to Army Aviation Corps in Nashik

• President Ram Nath Kovind presented the prestigious President’s colours to the Army Aviation Corps during a grand ceremonial parade held at the Combat Army Aviation Training School, Nashik, Maharashtra.
• The presentation of colour is an acknowledgement of the meritorious service rendered by the Army Aviation Corps over the years by the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
• It is a visible symbol of excellence and is earned through dedication and worthy contribution both during war and peace.
• The Army Aviation Corps has been conferred with Maha Vir Chakra (2), Vir Chakra (16), Shaurya Chakra (13), Sena Medals (115) and 45 Mention in Despatches.

Note:

• The Army Aviation Corps is a component of the Indian Army formed on 1st November 1986.
• The aviation arm is headed by a Director-General of the rank of Lt General at the Army HQ, New Delhi.

Important Days

4. 10th October: World Mental Health Day

• The World Mental Health Day is observed every year on 10th October to raise awareness about mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health.
• The theme for this year World Mental Health Day is ‘Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention.’
• This year, the initiative is being supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Association for Suicide Prevention and United for Global Mental Health.

Note:

• India makes up for 17% of the world’s population and records a high number of suicidal deaths (around 2.2 lakh people every year).

• Three to ten people in every 1000 person have severe mental morbidity in India.

Source: Hindustan Times

5. Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2019: October

• October is observed as Brest Cancer Awareness Month worldwide.
• The Breast Cancer Awareness Month (marked in countries across the world every October) helps to increase attention and support for awareness.
• This month creates awareness about the importance of early detection and treatment of breast cancer.
• According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women worldwide, both in developed and developing countries.

Note:

• Breast cancer is cancer that forms in the cells of the breasts.
• After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States.

Source: Business Wire

6. World Space Week: 4th-10th October

• World Space Week (WSW) is observed every year from 4th to 10th October in various parts of the world.
• World Space Week is officially defined as "an international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition".
• The 2019 theme is “The Moon: Gateway to the Stars.”

Note:

• On 1999, The United Nations General Assembly declared that World Space Week (WSW) will be held each year from October 4-10.
• The dates were in recognition of the 4^th October 1957 launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1.

Source: The United Nations

International Affairs

7. V Prez Naidu to embark on 5-day visit to Comoros & Sierra Leone

• Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu embarked on a five-day visit to African countries Comoros and Sierra Leone.
• It will be the first high-level visit from India to the two African countries.
• Today, Mr. Naidu will reach in Moroni (the capital of Comoros) and hold a detailed bilateral meeting with country's President Azali Assoumani on the next day.
• The three-day visit will witness the Vice President interacting with the Indian community and calling on Abdou Ousseni (President of the Assembly of Comoros).
• On the second leg of his visit, Mr. Naidu will arrive in Free Town, Sierra Leone on Saturday.

Comoros: Moroni (Capital)

• Currency: Comorian franc

Sierra Leone: Freetown (Capital)

• Currency: Sierra Leonean leone

Banking & Finance

8. Reliance MF renamed as ‘Nippon India Mutual Fund’

• Reliance Mutual Fund has been renamed as “Nippon India Mutual Fund“.
• The organization was renamed following the purchase of 75% stake in Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management by Nippon Life Insurance.
• Now, Nippon India Mutual Fund has become the largest foreign-owned Asset Management Company in India.
• In Reliance Mutual Fund, both Reliance Capital and Nippon Life (Japan’s largest life insurance company) held 42.88% stake each, while the rest was with public shareholders.

National Affairs

9. Pradhan Mantri Innovation Learning Programme ‘DHRUV’ kick start in Bengaluru

• Union Minister of HRD Ramesh Pokhriyal has inaugurated the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Programme (PMILP) ‘DHRUV’ (named after a pole star ‘DHRUV TARA’) from ISRO Headquarters at Bengaluru.
• The objective of the program is to allow talented students to realize their full potential and contribute to society.
• It will conclude on 24th of this month at IIT (Indian Institutes of Technology), Delhi.
• Sixty brightest and talented students from Science, Mathematics and Performing Arts (Class 9 to Class 12) have been chosen for the programme.
• It aims to further sharpen innovative imagination, skills and knowledge of the students who are expected to contribute to bringing solutions to socio-economic, political and environmental issues in the country.

Source: AIR News

10. ‘Garbage Cafe' in Chhattisgarh's Ambikapur to provide a free meal in exchange for plastic waste

• Chhattisgarh Health Minister T. S. Singh Deo has inaugurated the first-of-its-kind 'Garbage Cafe' in Ambikapur city of Chhattisgarh.
• In this unique ‘Cafée, poor people and rag pickers will get free food in exchange for one kilogram of plastic, while breakfast will be provided if half a kilogram of plastic is brought to the cafe.
• The café is being run by the Ambikapur municipal corporation.
• According to the Mayor of Ambikapur Ajay Tirkey, the collected garbage will be sold at Solid-Liquid Resources Management Centre.
• The collected plastic waste would further be turned into granules and will then be used in the construction of roads in the city.
• The Ambikapur (Chhattisgarh’s first dustbin-free city) has been hailed as the second cleanest city in the country in Swachhata rankings.

Source: AIR News

11. Union Govt. will open 40,000 wellness centres under Ayushman Bharat Scheme

• According to Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash, Union Cabinet has doubled honorarium for ten lakh ASHA workers from the existing 1000 rupees to 2000 rupees per month.
• The government will open 40,000 wellness centres across the country this year under Ayushman Bharat Scheme.
• The union government also announced 5% Dearness Allowance (DA) for Central Government employees (50 lakhs) and pensioners (65 lakhs), paid from July this year.
• The Cabinet has also approved relaxation of the mandatory requirement of Aadhaar-seeded data as a pre-condition for release of funds to the beneficiaries under the PM-Kisan scheme till 30th November this year.
• The scheme provides income support of 6,000 rupees per year to landholding families, subject to certain exclusions.

Note:

• Ayushman Bharat Yojana is a centrally sponsored scheme (launched in 2018), under the Ayushman Bharat Mission of MoHFW in India.
• It is an umbrella of two major health initiatives namely, Health and Wellness centres and National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS).
• Chief Executive Officer (CEO): Indu Bhushan.

12. Telangana Police ‘Hawk-Eye’ integrated with cab apps

• The Telangana Police have made it compulsory to link its “Hawk-Eye” app containing an “emergency button” to every company or individual offering Internet-based cab service.
• When a commuter in distress presses the button, the message will be transmitted to Telangana police’s Hawk-Eye app through a back-end operational workflow that will pass on location and other details of the cab to the police.
• The late-hour working conditions in the IT and other service industries necessitated such an app-based facility to ensure the security of women.
• The emergency button will be integrated in such a way as to alert police patrol system.

Note:

• The process of integrating police patrols with passenger cabs has been achieved for Ola, Tora and Move-in Sync and 112 (Shout App developed by the Ministry of Home Affairs).

Source: The Tribune

13. Govt sets up a high-level panel to check money laundering activities

• The Union government set up a high-level inter-ministerial committee chaired by the revenue secretary, Ajay Bhushan Pandey for better coordination among various departments and law enforcement agencies to prevent money laundering activities.
• The 19-member Inter-Ministerial Coordination Committee (IMCC) has five secretaries, including from ministries of finance and external affairs, and chiefs of various regulatory authorities.
• The committee would also work on the development and implementing policies on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism.

Source: Business Standard

Sports

14. Mithali Raj becomes 1st female player to complete 20 yrs in international cricket

• India women's cricket captain Mithali Raj (36-years) became the first female player to last more than 20 years in international cricket.
• She achieved the feat while leading India to an emphatic eight-wicket win over South Africa Women in the first ODI at Vadodara.
• Mithali (ODI debut against Ireland on June 26, 1999) completed 20 years and 106 days in the 50-over format.
• The right-handed batswoman has played 204 ODIs till now, the most by a female.
• Mithali who retired from T20 cricket last month has also played 10 Tests and 89 T20 Internationals for India.
• On 1 February 2019, during India's series against New Zealand Women, Raj became the first woman to play in 200 ODI matches.

Longest One-Day International careers: (Men/Women)

S. No.	Players Names	One-Day International Careers
1.	S. Tendulkar (Dec 1989 - Mar 2012)	22y 91d
2.	S. Jayasuriya (Dec 1989 - Jun 2011)	21y 184d
3.	Javed Miandad (Jun 1975 - Mar 1996)	20y 272d -
4.	Mithali Raj (Jun 1999 - Present)	20y 105d*