Daily Current Affairs: May 13, 2021

Daily Current Affairs (May 13, 2021) 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

Union Cabinet approves MoU between ICAI and Qatar Financial Centre Authority

• The Union Government has approved the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and the Qatar Financial Centre Authority (QFCA).
• The MoU will endeavour to increase opportunities for members of ICAI to provide professional services and entrepreneurship in the state of Qatar in the areas of assurance and auditing, advisory, taxation, financial services and allied areas.

Chief Justice of India NV Ramana launches a mobile app ‘Indicative Notes’ for journalists to cover proceedings of the apex court

• Chief Justice of India NV Ramana has launched an official mobile application called ‘Indicative Notes’ for Journalists to cover proceedings of the apex court.
• This new feature is aimed at providing concise summaries of landmark judgments in an easy-to-understand format.

Union Cabinet approves Rs. 18,100 crore PLI scheme for battery storage

• The Union Cabinet approved the proposal of the Department of Heavy Industry for implementation of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme ‘National Programme on Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage’ for achieving the manufacturing capacity of 50 GWh of ACC and 5 GWh of “Niche” ACC with an outlay of Rs. 18,100 crores.

Indian Naval Ship Tarkash brings medical oxygen to Mumbai from Qatar under operation ‘Samudra Setu II’

• Indian Naval Ship Tarkash brought two containers with 20 MT liquid medical oxygen each and 230 oxygen cylinders from Qatar to Mumbai under operation ‘Samudra Setu II’.
• The French Mission facilitated the Oxygen containers as part of the “Oxygen Solidarity Bridge” and Oxygen cylinders were gifted by the Indian diaspora in Qatar.

Qatar

• Capital: Doha
• Currency: Qatari Riyal

International News

4^th India-Swiss Financial Dialogue virtually held in New Delhi

• The 4^th India-Swiss Financial Dialogue was held virtually in New Delhi. Secretary Economic Affairs Ajay Seth led the Indian delegation. Daniela Stoffel led the delegation from the Swiss side.

Switzerland:

• Capital: Bern
• Currency: Swiss Franc
• President: Simonetta Sommaruga

India will be the world’s fastest-growing major economy in 2022: UN report

• United Nations (UN) stated that India will be the world’s fastest–growing major economy in 2022. According to the World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP), United Nations projected that the Indian economy would grow at 10.1  per cent in the calendar year 2022 (CY22).
• The United Nations has raised India’s growth forecast to 7.5 per cent for the calendar year 2021 (CY21).

Banking and Economy

Jana Small Finance Bank launches ‘I choose my number’ feature

• Jana Small Finance Bank had launched the “I choose my number” feature for all its customers across India. This new feature gives the bank’s existing and new customers the option to select their favorite numbers as the last 10 digits of their savings or current account

Jana Small Finance Bank

• Headquarters: Bengaluru, Karnataka
• MD and CEO:  Ajay Kanwal
• Slogan: “Paise ki Kadar”

Acquisitions and Mergers

Geojit inks pact with Punjab National Bank to offer three-in-one account

• Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Geojit Financial Services joined hands to tap retail customers, who are aiming to save more and betting big on capital markets amid pay cuts and falling income levels.
• Both the entities signed an agreement to offer a “three-in-one account”, which will combine savings and Demat accounts of the bank with the non-bank’s trading account.
• The 3-in-1 account makes it easier for PNB customers to transfer funds in real-time via the payment gateway facility from their savings accounts to meet their investment needs.

Geojit Financial Services

• Headquarters: Kochi, Kerala
• MD and CEO: CJ George

Punjab National Bank (PNB)

• Headquarters: New Delhi
• CEO: SS Mallikarjuna Rao
• Tagline: “The Name You Can Bank Upon”

PayPal introduces digital foreign inward remittance advice

• PayPal has introduced an automated process to obtain the monthly Foreign Inward Remittance Advice (FIRA). At a zero-cost, PayPal merchants will now be able to download their monthly digital FIRA issued by the bank by logging into their PayPal account.
• The initiatives are aimed to empower Indian MSME exporters to grow their business internationally.

Google Pay launches international money transfers with Wise and Western Union

• Alphabet Inc’s Google has launched international money transfer partnerships with remittances firms Wise and Western Union Co for users of its US payments app.
• Google Pay users in the United States can now transfer money to app customers in India and Singapore, with plans to expand to the 80 countries available via Wise, and 200 via Western Union by the end of the year. 

Science and Technology

NASA partners with Axiom for first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station

• NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and private space infrastructure company, Axiom Space have signed an order for the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS) to take place no sooner than January 2022.
• The spaceflight designated as Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) will launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
• The Ax-1 private astronauts include Larry Connor, Mark Pathy, Eytan Stibbe and Michael López-Alegria (Mission Commander).

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)

• Headquarters: Washington DC, United States
• Administrator: Jim Bridenstine

IIT Ropar develops portable tech-traditional eco-friendly mobile cremation system

• Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar has developed a prototype of a moveable electric cremation system, which claims to be using first of its kind technology that involves smokeless cremation despite using wood.
• It is eco-friendly because of the technology that uses a combustion air system. It is based on wick-stove technology in which the wick when lighted glows yellow.

Appointments

McDonald’s India (North & East) appoints Rajeev Ranjan and Rajeev Goel as its COO and CFO

• Connaught Plaza Restaurants Pvt Limited (CPRL), the master franchisee for McDonald’s India (North & East), has announced the appointment of Rajeev Ranjan as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Rajeev Goel as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the company.

Godrej Consumer Products appoints HUL’S Sudhir Sitapati as Managing Director and CEO

• Godrej Consumer Products has appointed Sudhir Sitapati as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company for five years with effect from 18 October 2021.
• He was appointed to the HUL management committee as an executive director in 2016.

Suzuki Motorcycle India appoints Satoshi Uchida as Company Head

• Suzuki Motorcycle India Private Limited (SMIPL) has appointed Satoshi Uchida as its new Company Head as part of a global revamp by the parent Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC). He has succeeded Koichiro Hirao.

Awards and Recognitions

Nutrition scientist Dr. Shakuntala Thilsted awarded the 2021 World Food Prize

• Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, a global nutrition expert of Indian descent has won the prestigious 2021 World Food Prize for her groundbreaking research in developing holistic, nutrition-sensitive approaches to aquaculture and food systems.
• She becomes the first woman of Asian heritage to receive this award.

Obituary

Former National TT champion Venugopal Chandrasekhar passed away at 63

• Veteran table tennis player and coach Venugopal Chandrasekhar passed away at the age of 63. He was a three-time national champion. He was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 1982.

Sports News

New Zealand wicketkeeper BJ Watling to retire after World Test Championship Final

• New Zealand wicketkeeper-batsman BJ Watling has announced he would be retiring from international cricket after the three Tests, including the World Test Championship Final against India to be held in England.
• He has played 73 Tests, 28 ODIs and 5 T20Is.

May 13 CA One-liner: