DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS: JANUARY 9, 2019

Dear Aspirants,

Daily Current Affairs (January 9, 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.

NATIONAL

Central approved formation of Centre for Classical Language in Tirur, Kerala :

• The Union Government issued its nod for setting up the Centre for Classical Language at the Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University in Tirur, Kerala.
• As per the notification, the state government will enter into an MOU with the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development.
• The centre is aimed at study and research and other aspects of Malayalam language and its development.

STATIC:KERALA

Capital: Thiruvananthapuram.

Chief Minister: Pinarayi Vijayan.

Governor: Palanisamy Sathasivam.

BANKING & ECONOMY

RBI set up 5-member panel under Nandan Nilekani to boost digital payments:

• The Reserve Bank of India constituted a 5-member high-level committee under Aadhaar architect Nandan Nilekani to suggest measures to strengthen the safety and security of digital payments in the country.
• With the suggested measures, the committee shall submit its report within a period of 90 days from the date of its first meeting.
• The decision aims to encourage digitisation of payments and enhance financial inclusion through digitisation.

STATIC:RBI

Headquarters: Mumbai.

Governor: Mr. Shaktikanta Das.

Jana Small Finance Bank Launches Current Account with Unique Auto-Sweep Facility :

• The private sector Jana Small Finance Bank has launched a new Current Account with Auto-Sweep facility that will enable bank’s existing and potential new customers to auto sweep-in and sweep-out the idle funds in the current account to Sweep Fixed Deposit and earn high interest.
• The new facility will enable current account holders to earn higher interest on the idle funds while providing the flexibility of using the funds when the need in business arises.
• The customers will be able to earn interest of 8.5 percent for a tenor of 365 days on sweep deposit.

STATIC:JANA SMALL FINANCE BANK

MD & CEO: Ajay Kanwal

Headquarters: Bengaluru

NHAI to collaborate with Oil Marketing Companies for issuance of FASTags through petroleum retail outlets:

• Indian Highways Management Company Ltd. (IHMCL), a company promoted by NHAI, has signed MOUs with state-run Oil Marketing Companies (IOCL, BPC, and HPC). It will ensure availability of FASTags at petroleum outlets across India.
• Indian highways management company ltd. (IHMCL) had launched the national electronic toll collection program (NETC) under the brand name “FASTag” in April 2016.
• FASTag can be recharged by using UPI (unified payment interface) platform. In the first phase, the tags will be available across 50 Fuel Station in Delhi NCR, which will subsequently be expanded to outlets across India.

APPOINTMENTS

Vikram Misri takes charge as India’s new envoy to China :

• India’s new ambassador to China, Vikram Misri, took charge of the post by replacing Gautam Bambawale.
• He reported to Hong Lei, Deputy Director General of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing.
• Prior to this appointment, Misri served as Indian envoy in Myanmar.

STATIC:CHINA

Capital: Beijing.

Currency: Renminbi.

Pranav R Mehta, became the first Indian to Head Global Solar Council, USA :

• The chairman of National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI), Shri Pranav R Mehta, has taken over as the president of Global Solar Council (GSC) from January 1, 2019.
• He is dubbed as the Solar Man of India.He has been conferred with the ‘Visionary Disruptor Award’ by Solar Future, which he will be receiving on 15th January, 2019 at the sidelines of World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.

India-born Gita Gopinath joins IMF as first woman chief economist :

• Mysore-born Gita Gopinath joined International Monetary Fund (IMF) as its 11th chief economist, thus becoming the first woman to occupy the top IMF post.
• She succeeded Maurice (Maury) Obstfeld who retired on December 31, 2018.

STATIC:IMF

Headquarters: Washington D.C, USA.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

NASA probe discovers new planet beyond solar system :HD 21749b

• NASA’s transiting exoplanet survey satellite (TESS) has discovered a planet named HD21749b orbiting around the star HD 21749, which lies about 53 light years from earth in the faint constellation reticulum.
• TESS does this work by carving the sky up into overlapping sectors, studying each one for 27 days at a time.

SPORTS

Second Khelo India Youth Games 2019 begins in Pune, Maharashtra:

• Maharashtra is going to host the second edition of the Khelo India Youth Games 2019 which includes completions in 18 different disciplines at Balewadi Sports Complex in Pune,with “improved” sports infrastructure, including an upgraded shooting range.
• Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) is a part Khelo India which is the revamped national programme for development of sports in India.

NOTE

* Khelo India Youth Games 2018 was held at Delhi.

Sydney and Brisbane chosen to host $15 million 24 team ATP Cup in 2020:

• Australian cities Sydney and Brisbane have been announced as the first two host locations for the newest team event in men’s tennis from January 2020.
• A total $15 million prize fund will be on offer for 100 participating players.
• The new ATP event also has major implications for the other men’s and mixed events in Australia and further afield, including the Qatar Open.