DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS : August 29, 2019

Dear Bankersdaily Aspirants,

Daily Current Affairs (August 29 , 2019) like many other sections is inevitable and this also helps to score in the Banking awareness, Static GK and Financial Awareness sections. Remember, Banking Awareness and Static Awareness Questions are asked from the General Awareness section. This will also help you to ride your preparations for the forthcoming exams.

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NATIONAL NEWS

President Ramnath Kovind will give away the national sports awards in New Delhi

The President of India takes this day to hand out the prestigious awards like the Arjuna Award, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and the Dronacharya Award to the various sportsmen who have done the country proud in that year.

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award: Along with world no.1 wrestler Bajrang Punia, Para-athlete Deepa Malik is also being awarded this prestigious honour.
This is the first time that a female Para-athlete is being awarded the highest sporting honour.
19 players have been selected for the prestigious Arjuna Award that only comes second to Khel Ratna in terms of the honour.
Tajinder Pal Singh Toor – Athletics
Mohammed Anas Yahiya – Athletics
S. Bhaskaran – Body- Building
Sonia Lather – Boxing
Ravindra Jadeja – Cricket
Chinglensensna Singh Kanghujam – Hockey
Ajay Thakur – Kabbadi
Gaurav Sing – Motorsports (This is the first time that a sports personality from motorsports is being awarded Arjuna award)
Pramod Bhagat – Para-badminton
Anjum Moudgil – Shooting
Harmeet Rajul Desai – Table Tennis
Pooja Dhanda – Wrestling
Fouaad Mirza – Equestrian
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu – Football
Poonam Yadav – Cricket
Swapna Burman – Athletics
Sunder Singh Gurjar – Para sports – Athletics
Sai Praneeth – Badminton
Simran Singh Shergill – Polo
Apart from these awards, the Dronacharya Award is given to the teacher or coaches of the players. There are two categories-
Regular category – Vimal Kumar(Badminton), Sandeep Gupta (Table Tennis) and Mohinder Singh Dhillon( Athletics)
Life-time category – Mezban Patel(Hockey), Rambir Singh Khokar (Kabaddi) and Sanjay Bharadwaj (Cricket
Dhyan Chand award is synonymous to the ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award in sports and is the highest on the list.
This year, the award will be given to Manuel Fredrick (Hockey), Arup Basak (Table Tennis), Manoj Kumar (Wrestling), Nitten Kirrtane (Tennis) and C. Lalremsanga (Archery).
IPS Officer Aparna Kumar will be honoured with the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award 2018 in the ‘Land adventure’ category.

PM Modi launched nation-wide Fit India Movement

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘Fit India’ Movement on sports day, saying the initiative is the need of the hour and will take the country towards a healthier future.
At a colourful ceremony, which included a presentation of India’s indigenous martial art forms, dances and sports, Modi expressed technology has contributed to a sedentary lifestyle.
The campaign is aimed at encouraging people to inculcate physical activity and sports in their day to day life.
The launch was also attended by Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju and this year’s National Sports Awards winners among others.
The Prime Minister also congratulated the winners of the national sports awards and lauded India’s sporting achievements.
In his ‘Mann ki Baat’ programme, the Prime Minister had announced the launch of ‘Fit India’ movement to take the country forward on the path of fitness and wellness.

Lieutenant Governor launches ‘QR Code Scheme’ on Himmat Plus app for women safety and security

Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal launched a ‘QR Code Scheme’ on the Himmat Plus app which can be used by cab or auto-rickshaw passengers to verify the identity of the driver and raise an alarm, if needed.
Around 3,000 taxis and auto-rickshaws plying outside airports, railway stations and metro stations in the city have been registered under this scheme of the Delhi Police Transport Range and can be verified by scanning the QR code of the card pasted on the back of the headrest of the driver’s seat.
A user can scan the QR code using the Himmat Plus app. On pressing the ‘Report Journey’ button, the app sends the location with driver’s unique ID to the Himmat dashboard working at Himmat stations of the Police Head Quarters (PHQ).

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Johnson & Johnson to pay $572m for fuelling Oklahoma opioid crisis, judge rules

The pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson ran a “false and dangerous” sales campaign that caused addiction and death as it drove America’s opioid epidemic, an Oklahoma court has ruled in the first judgement of its kind against the drug industry.
In a damning 42-page decision, Judge Thad Balkman ruled that the company bore a wide responsibility for helping to create the worst drug epidemic in US history.

Balkman ordered the company to pay $572m in compensation initially with additional payments to be negotiated to cover treatment, overdose prevention and other costs of abating the epidemic in Oklahoma in the coming years.

DEFENCE NEWS

Wing Commander S Dhami Becomes First Female Officer To Be Appointed As Flight Commander

Indian Air Force’s Wing Commander Shaliza Dhami has created history after she becomes the first female officer in the country to become the flight commander of a flying unit.
Dhami has been appointed as the Flight Commander of a Chetak helicopter unit at Hindon airbase. Flight Commander is the second in command of the unit.
She is a permanent commission officer of the flying branch in the Air Force and has been flying choppers.
The Wing Commander, who has clocked over 2300 hours of flying, was also the IAF’s first female Qualified Flying instructor for Chetak and Cheetah helicopters.
The Ludhiyana native who has served in the IAF for 15 years was also the first woman officer to be granted permanent commission for a long tenure.
This year also saw another momentous achievement after Flight Lieutenant Bhawana Kanth become the first woman to qualify for combat missions on a fighter jet.

Astra Rafael Communication System, Joint Venture with Israel-Based Firm, Opens Facility in Hyderabad

Astra Rafael Communication System (ARC), a joint venture between Astra Microwave Products Ltd and Israel-based Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd, inaugurated its state-of-the-art facility in Hyderabad.
Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy, who formally inaugurated the facility, on behalf of the Centre.
The joint venture (JV), set up on a 51:49 per cent basis with all regulatory approvals, is in line with the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
And would invest in high-end technology and advanced production techniques to design, develop and make state-of-the-art tactical communication systems for the Indian armed forces.
Managing director Astra Microwave Products Ltd – S Gurunatha Reddy

RANKING & INDEX

Gujarat retains first position in Composite Water Management Index

Gujarat has retained its first position in the Composite Water Management Index (CWMI) 2.0 announced by the NITI Aayog.
This is the 3rd consecutive year that the state has retained its position in water management sector.
The report was released by Union Jal Shakti Minister Mr. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog Dr. Rajiv Kumar in New Delhi.
NITI Aayog has conceptualized and launched the Composite Water Management Index as a tool to in still the sense of cooperative and competitive federalism among the states.
It has been done through a first of its kind water data collection exercise in partnership with Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ministry of Rural Development and all the States and Union Territories.
The index provides useful information for the States and also for the concerned Central Ministries or Departments enabling them to formulate and implement suitable strategies for better management of water resources.

BANKING & FINANCE

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

Public sector lender Canara Bank has launched the first OTP facility for ATM withdrawals.
In order to offer a more secured and safe system, Canara bank will activate OTP facility for cash withdrawals of Rs 10,000 or more in a day.
This move is in line with banks trying to take security measures to safeguard customers who use debit cards to withdraw cash at ATMs.
This is the India’s First OTP facility for ATM withdrawals in Canara bank ATMs now more secure for our card holders.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Paytm appoints Amit Nayyar as president of financial services business

Noida-based digital payments company Paytm has appointed ex-Goldman Sachs executive Amit Nayyar as a president of the company, in a bid to strengthen its leadership team.
This comes after chief financial officer Madhur Deora was also elevated to president last week.
Nayyar will be responsible for all the financial services business (FSB) like lending, insurance, wealth management, stock broking at the company.
Nayyar, who graduated in business administration from the India Institute of Management in Bangalore, has worked at ICICI Securities, Bank of America and Goldman Sachs. He was managing director at Mumbai-based investment bank Arpwood Capital before joining Paytm.
Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder and CEO of Paytm

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Legend Eric Cantona to be honoured with UEFA President’s Award

Former Manchester United and France legend Eric Cantona is to receive the UEFA President’s Award at the Champions League draw in Monaco.
The 53-year-old, who won five English championships with Leeds and Manchester United in the 1990s and two French titles with Marseille, joins an illustrious list of previous recipients which includes Johann Cruyff, Alfredo Di Stefano and Eusebio.
Cantona is the third Manchester United player to receive the award after Bobby Charlton in 2008 and David Beckham last year.
Since retiring Cantona has turned to acting, best known for his role in Ken Loach’s quirky 2009 comedy drama looking for Eric which was nominated for a Palme d’Or.

Indian documentary ‘I’m Jeeja’ wins top award at We Care Film Festival

Indian documentary film “I’m Jeeja” beat several international films to bag the top award in the ‘Under 30 minute’ category at the 14th edition of the ‘We Care Film Festival on Disability Issues’.
The festival, touted to be one-of-its-kind international travelling film festival on disabilities, on Monday awarded a total of 10 films from nine countries.
The movies focussed on stereotypes about disability and the disabled.
The awards were given in categories based on the duration of the films — under five minutes, 30 minutes, and 90 minutes.
“I’m Jeeja” – directed by Swati Chakraborty.
Another Indian film that received that made the cut was Vicky Khandpur’s “Post Dark”. It received a jury mention in ‘Under 5 minutes’ category.
The festival is co-founded by UNESCO, United Nations Information Centre for India and Bhutan, and a New Delhi-based NGO, Brotherhood.

SPORTS NEWS

West Indies fast bowler Cecil Wright retires at 85

At an age where players retire from Test cricket in their 20s and early 30s, West Indies’ Cecil Wright has finally announced his retirement from all forms of cricket at the ripe old age of 85.
Wright, who made his first-class debut for Jamaica, played his first match against a Barbados side which had Windies legends Wes Hall and Sir Garfield Sobers among their ranks.
While his name will never be taken alongside the legendary players like Viv Richards and Joel Garner but in longevity, it is the other way round.
The 85-year-old also claims to have played over two million games taking over 7,000 wickets in professional cricket.

App launched to help Paralympians to look up accessible places in Tokyo

A mobile app was launched to help Para-athletes to look up accessible places in Tokyo during their visit to the city for the 2020 Paralympics Games.
The application — IndTokyo — which was launched by Arhan Bagati, Awareness and Impact Ambassador of Paralympic Committee of India, at the ‘Countdown to Tokyo 2020’ event here, has features like information on Para-athletes and accessible places in Tokyo among others.
The 2020 Tokyo Paralympics is scheduled to begin from August 25 and will go on till September 6.
Over 4,000 athletes from across the world are scheduled to participate in the event.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Sports Day: August 29th

The National Sports Day in India (also called Rashtriya Khel Divas) is celebrated on 29th August every year with a lot of enthusiasm and sportsmanship.
The Sports Day of India (Rashtriya Khel Divas) marks the birth anniversary of the legendary hockey player Major Dhyan Chand, who was born on August 29 in the year 1905.
India celebrates the National Sports Day by organising various events and by bestowing National Sports Awards to sports personalities.
The Day will witness the launch of the ‘Fit India Movement’ by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

International Day against Nuclear Tests: August 29th

The International Day against Nuclear Tests is observed on August 29.
It was established on December 2, 2009 at the 64th session of the United Nations General Assembly by the resolution 64/35, which was adopted unanimously.
The resolution in particular calls for increasing awareness “about the effects of nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions and the need for their cessation as one of the means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world”.
The resolution was initiated by Kazakhstan together with several sponsors and cosponsors to commemorate the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site on August 29, 1991.

OBITUARIES

Kirti Chakra awardee naval war hero Noel Kelman dies at 92

Naval war hero and Kirti Chakra awardee, Commander Noel Kelman, passed away at the age of 92 in Porvorim following a brief illness.
Commander Kelman was awarded the Kirti Chakra for valour during the liberation of Goa in 1961.

He was involved in an operation to flush out the Portuguese from the Anjadip Island.

Kelman had also been awarded the King’s commendation in the Second World War for his role in sinking a Japanese submarine.
He was a founder member of the Goa Branch of the All India Anglo Indian Association.