Daily Current Affairs 29th August, 2020

Daily Current Affairs 29 August 2020 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

India co-sponsors UN security council resolution on women peacekeepers

India has co-sponsored a security council resolution which was put forth by Indonesia. This resolution calls for full, effective and meaningful participation of women personnel in peacekeeping operations.

• The mission said India has set for itself during its tenure in the Security Council beginning 2021 that India will continue to push for greater involvement of women in all areas.

Social Justice Ministry to launch mental health rehabilitation helpline ‘Kiran’

Citing the prevalence of mental health issues and the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 crisis, the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry has said it launched a toll-free helpline to enable access to mental health resources.

• The “Kiran” mental health rehabilitation helpline number, 1800-599-0019, will provide callers “support for early screening, first-aid, psychological support, distress management, mental well-being, preventing deviant behaviours, psychological crisis management etc
• The helpline will offer services in 13 languages

Narendra Singh Tomar launches Integration of “ICAR-IIHR Seed Portal with YONO Krishi Web Application of State Bank of India”

Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare launched the integration of ICAR-IIHR Seed Portal with the YONO Krishi Web Application of State Bank of India at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi.

• Emphasizing on the horticulture production’s contribution of more than 32% of the agriculture production, and there is need to further increase this.
• For achieving this, technologies for digitizing agriculture has important role to play in boosting production and productivity, availability of quality inputs and increasing the farmers income.

Ravi Shankar Prasad launches “Chunauti”- next generation start-up challenge contest

Minister for Electronics and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad launched next-generation startup contest “Chunauti” which aims to encourage startups and software products with special focus on Tier-II towns.

• With an outlay of about Rs 95 crore over a three-year period, the programme aims to identify around 300 startups working in identified areas and provide them seed fund of up to Rs 25 lakh and other facilities.
• The startups selected through Chunauti will be provided various support from the Government through Software Technology Parks of India centres across India. They will get incubation facilities, mentorship, security testing facilities, access to venture capitalist funding, industry connect as well as advisories in legal, Human Resource (HR), IPR and Patent matters.

CM Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurates Kerala’s first marine ambulance in Kochi

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated Pratheeksha, the first marine ambulance acquired by the state fisheries department, through video conference in Kochi.

• The floating out ceremony of two other ambulances Prathyasa and Karunya will he held on the occasion.
• The marine ambulance, having a length of 23m and a width of 5.5m, can move at a speed of 14 knots per hour and are being acquired to rescue fishermen in distress at sea.
• The boats have facility to provide medical assistance to 10 people at a time. This will help provide first aid to rescued fishermen and shift them to shore as soon as possible.

Doda DDC launches ‘Iraada’ campaign to cover left-out beneficiaries under social welfare schemes

In Jammu and Kashmir, Doda District Deputy Commissioner Dr. D. Doifode launched ‘Iraada’ campaign with a view to cover the eligible left-out beneficiaries under various social welfare schemes.

• The DDC made special appeal to the PRIs and Civil Society members to facilitate Administration in the identification of eligible left-out beneficiaries who have not been enrolled yet to get the financial assistance benefits under various schemes, which includes old age pension, widow and handicap scheme.
• The people are requested to call on 9596989834, 9906109868, 9797505101 numbers to submit the full details so that their names shall be verified and accordingly submitted for further course of action.

IIT Hyderabad launches ‘world’s most affordable’ respirator mask

In a bid to help people protect themselves against COVID-19, the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, has launched a novel respirator mask in the country.

• The protective gear is said to be far better than standard N95 respirators in terms of protection and, the best part is, it will cost you just Rs. 13 per day.
• Officially dubbed US9, the new silicon-based respirator mask has been developed and commercialized by USafe Healthcare, the latest entrepreneurial entity from the Center for Healthcare Entrepreneurship at IIT-H.

NCPUL organises World Urdu Conference

Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ virtually addressed the inaugural session of the two days World Urdu Conference organised by National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language ( NCPUL ) in New Delhi.

• The Government of India will honor Urdu writers and literators with awards and honours in the name of important personalities of Urdu in order to encourage Urdu writers for literary and creative services.

Aircraft Carrier INS Viraat, India’s longest serving warship, to be dismantled In Gujarat

INS Viraat, the aircraft carrier that served the Indian Navy for 30 years before being decommissioned three years ago, is likely to be towed from Mumbai to Alang in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district next month to be dismantled and sold as scrap.

• The longest serving warship, inducted into the Indian Navy in 1987, was bought by Shree Ram Group for Rs 38.54 crore at an auction conducted by the Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited last month.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Maldives launches India backed infrastructure projects

A ground-breaking ceremony for development of the Hulhumalé Central Park and renovation of the Arrival Jetty in Maldives financed by India was held marking yet another milestone in Delhi’s growing partnership with Male.

• The project is being executed by the HDC through an approximate 10 million Maldivian Rupee grant assistance from India. It is included under the 18 grant projects being funded by India in the Maldives under a total grant assistance of USD 6.9 million (MVR 106 million) extended in 2019.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

India Placed 72nd on global list with average monthly wage of Rs 32,800: Report

With an average monthly wage of Rs 32,800 (USD 437), India has been ranked a lowly 72nd among 106 countries in terms of the average wage per month, while Switzerland topped the chart, according to a global ranking of average wages prepared by Picodi.com, an international e-commerce platform which provides discount coupons.

• Switzerland, where the average wage converted into rupees amounts to Rs 4,49,000 (USD 5,989), topped the ranking, while in Cuba the average wage is the lowest at Rs 2,700 (USD 36), report said.

SPORTS

Japan’s first Olympic badminton gold medallist Ayaka Takahashi retires

Japan’s Olympic badminton champion Ayaka Takahashi will not defend her doubles crown with Misaki Matsutomo at next year’s Tokyo Games after announcing she will retire at the end of the month.

• Takahashi and Matsutomo defeated Denmark’s Christinna Pedersen and Kamilla Rytter Juhl in the Rio Olympics in 2016 to claim the women’s doubles gold medal and secure their nation’s first ever badminton title.

Sri Lanka’s Tharanga Paranavitana announces retirement from international cricket

Sri Lanka cricketer Tharanga Paranavitana has decided to retire from international cricket. He has officially informed his intention to Sri Lanka Cricket.

• Tharanga Paranavitana, who made his debut in the 2009 ill-fated Test series against Pakistan.
• The left-hander played 32 Tests for Sri Lanka and he averaged 32 with two centuries both against India. Paranavitana last played a Test for Sri Lanka in 2012 against New Zealand.

Dwayne Bravo becomes first bowler to take 500 wickets in T20s

West Indies all rounder Dwayne Bravo became the first bowler to take 500 wickets in T20 cricket in his 459th match.

• The pacer achieved the feat in the ongoing Caribbean Premier League (CPL) match between Trinbago Knight Riders and St Lucia Zouks.
• While representing Trinbago Knight Riders, Bravo scalped the wicket of Rahkeem Cornwall (18) to register his 500th wicket in the shortest format of the game.

APPOINTMENTS/RESIGNS

TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer resigns

TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer resigned amid US pressure for its Chinese owner to sell the popular video app, which the White House says is a security risk.

• His resignation follows President Donald Trump’s order to ban TikTok unless its parent company, ByteDance, sells its US operations to an American company within 90 days.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe resigns for health reasons

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, 66, resigned citing health concerns. Abe recently became Japan’s longest-serving leader, breaking the record of spending the maximum number of days in office that was previously set by his great-uncle, Eisaku Sato, who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1964 to 1972.

AWARDS

Eklavya Model Residential School Teacher selected for National Award to Teachers 2020

For the first time, a teacher of Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) established under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been selected for the National Award to Teachers (NAT).

• Sudha Painuli, a vice-principal of EMRS-Kalsi, Dehradun, Uttarakhand was selected for the award. She made it to the list of 47 outstanding teachers selected after a three-stage rigorous online transparent process
• Her achievement is a testament of Government’s efforts to provide quality education to tribal students.

OBITUARIES

Former Supreme Court judge A.R. Lakshmanan passes away

Justice A R Lakshmanan, former Judge of the Supreme Court, who banned smoking in public places and issued a telephonic order to permit a student to write a university exam, has died following a heart attack. He was 78.

• He was the former chairman of the Law Commission of India.
• He had been a member, representing Tamil Nadu, in the Supreme Court appointed empowered committee on Mullaperiyar dam.

Congress MP Harikrishnan Vasanthakumar passes away due to COVID-19

Congress MP H. Vasantha Kumar representing Kanyakumari Lok Sabha Constituency passed away in Chennai, due to COVID-19. He was 70.

• Vasanthakumar began his career as a salesman in early 1970. In 1978, he founded one of the state’s biggest retail chains – Vasanth & Co.
• Kumar was first elected to Tamil Nadu Assembly in 2006 when he won from the Nanguneri constituency defeating AIADMK’s SP Sooriyakumar. In 2016, he contested again from the same constituency and emerged victoriously.
• He resigned MLA post after he successfully contested In 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Kumar contested from Kanyakumari, he was pitted against sitting Minister for the state of Finance, Pon Radhakrishnan.

Veteran Athletics coach Purshottam Rai passes away

Veteran athletics coach Purshottam Rai passed away due to a cardiac arrest in Bengaluru. He was to be conferred the prestigious Dronacharya Award in the lifetime category. He was 79.

• Purushottam Rai coached coached the Indian team for the 1987 World Athletics Championship, 1988 Asian Track and Field Championships and 1999 SAF Games. He was also involved in coaching roles at Services, Department of Youth Empowerment & Sports (DYES), and Sports Authority of India (SAI).
• Mr. Rai was a dedicated coach between 1980-90. He trained many national and international athletes at Sri Kanteerava Stadium.

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