Daily Current Affairs 13 September for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.
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NATIONAL NEWS
‘Bharat:’ Mother of Democracy’ portal unveiled during G20 exhibition
The “Bharat: The Mother of Democracy” portal, launched on the evening of the G20 summit by the Ministry of Culture, offers a comprehensive exploration of India’s 7,000-year democratic history.
- The website www.motherofdemocracyg20.com has been curated by the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. The portal offers the viewers content that delves into India’s democratic legacy spanning an astonishing 7,000 years starting from 6000 BCE to 1952 onwards. A comprehensive digital resource, the website promises to provide global leaders with a deep understanding of India’s remarkable democratic heritage.
- The visitor to the site starts the historical journey with the Sindhu-Saraswati civilization and it progresses all the way to the year 2019. To make the content available to a larger audience, the information is available in 16 languages, including German, French, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, Italian, Turkish, Russian, English, and Hindi.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Switzerland retains title of world’s best country; India ranks 30th
Switzerland has once again claimed the title of the world’s best country, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Countries rankings. This marks Switzerland’s second consecutive year at the pinnacle and its sixth time overall as the No. 1 nation on the list.
- The rankings, released recently, reaffirm Switzerland’s supremacy, closely followed by Canada at No. 2, Sweden at No. 3, Australia at No. 4, and the United States at No. 5. The United States has slipped one spot compared to its 2022 ranking.
- In the 2023 rankings, European countries dominate the top tier, securing 16 of the top 25 spots. Notable shifts include Germany, which has fallen five spots since 2022, and Australia and New Zealand, both climbing three places year over year. The Middle East is represented by the United Arab Emirates, while Asia boasts Japan, Singapore, China.
- India’s global ranking experienced a positive shift in 2023, ascending from the 31st position it held in the 2022 rankings to secure the 30th rank. The overall score was 40.8, indicative of this upward trajectory
BANKING & FINANCE
NPCI launches India’s First Contactless Payment Wearable Ring “OTG Ring” in collaboration with LivQuik
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has unveiled the “OTG Ring” which is the first contactless payment wearable ring made in India, in collaboration with Indian startup LivQuik.
- “OTG Ring” can be enabled for National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) customers and used for various open-loop transit programs.
- The Made in India product will allow users to make payments to any Near Field Communication (NFC)-based device and aims to replace plastic cards for various open-loop transit programs.
Cashfree Payments partners with NPCI to launch customer onboarding feature
Fintech company Cashfree Payments has launched ‘AutoPay on QR’ in collaboration with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
- The feature helps in the customer onboarding process through a two-step workflow of scanning the QR code and approving an e-mandate via UPI apps within 30 seconds.
- The company said that ‘AutoPay on QR’ eliminates the necessity to download an app or register on the website and directly activates a unique subscription for each customer.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
ITI develops self-branded Laptop & Micro PC ‘SMAASH’
Public sector telecommunications company ITI Limited said that it has developed its own branded laptop and micro PC with international standards and launched them in the market.
- The products have been branded as ‘SMAASH’, said the Bengaluru-based central PSU, which functions under the Ministry of Communication. ITI said in a press release that the products have already been distributed in the market, and that the company has won many tenders competing against MNC brands like Acer, HP, Dell and Lenovo.
- The two flagship products laptop and micro PC have been designed in association with Intel Corporation with which an MOU had been signed for design and manufacturing.
India’s August retail inflation eases to 6.83%, but still above RBI band
India’s retail inflation rate fell below the 7 per cent mark in August and industrial production accelerated to a five-month high in July, providing some relief to the government on the macroeconomic front ahead of the festival season.
- Data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO) showed that the consumer price index (CPI)-based retail inflation eased to 6.83 per cent in August, from a 15 month high of 7.44 per cent in July, on account of moderation in the rate of price increase for vegetables, clothing & footwear, housing and services.
- Separately, factory output growth measured in terms of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) accelerated to 5.7 per cent in July, from 3.7 per cent in June, driven by robust growth in mining (10.7 per cent), power (8 per cent), and manufacturing (4.6 per cent) sectors.
SPORTS
Former No. 1 tennis player Simona Halep gets 4-year ban in doping case
The International Tennis Integrity Agency has barred two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep from professional tennis for four years for drug offences.
- According to the ITIA, the 31-year-old Romanian was charged with two doping offences: failing a drug test during the 2022 U.S. Open and abnormalities in her Athlete Biological Passport.
- Halep has been suspended indefinitely since October 2022. The four-year prohibition will be in effect until October 6, 2026.
Kiran George clinches Indonesian Masters title
Rising Indian shuttler Kiran George claimed his second BWF World Tour Super 100 title, lifting the Indonesia Masters trophy with a hard-fought straight game win over Japan’s Koo Takahashi in men’s singles final.
- The 23-year-old from Kochi, who had won his maiden title at the Odisha Open last year, beat world No. 82 Takahashi 21-19, 22-20 in a 56-minute battle.
Maharashtra beat Karnataka to win 5th National Wheelchair Rugby Championship
Maharashtra beat Karnataka with the final score of 31-10 in the finals at the recently concluded 5th National Wheelchair Rugby Championship 2023 held at Balewadi, Pune.
- The championship was conducted by The Indian Rugby Football Union (Rugby India), the sole governing body for the sport of rugby in India, in association with the Wheelchair Rugby Federation of India and Mitsubishi Corporation.
- The championship received an overwhelming participation of over 120 athletes from across the country.
Subroto Cup adds Bengaluru as host city
Subroto Cup, the oldest national school football tournament in India, will be held for the first time outside the National Capital Region (NCR), in Bengaluru alongside Delhi and Gurugram with an aim to spread the reach of the iconic tournament throughout the country.
- The 62nd edition of the tourney starts September 19 and will run till October 23. While the U-14 Sub-Junior Boys competition will be hosted in Bengaluru, the U-17 Junior Boys and Girls tournaments will be held in Delhi/NCR.