DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 1 JUNE 2020

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 1 JUNE 2020

1. FREE ONLINE SKILL TRAINING THROUGH NCS PORTAL

·        The Union Ministry of Labour and Employment in partnership with TCS iON offers free online career skills training through the National Career Service(NCS) project to enhance the corporate etiquette, interpersonal skills, presentation skills and other softs skills of the job-seekers.

·        NCS in partnership with HireMee, online assessment and hiring service provider, offers creation of video profiles for job-seekers.

 

2. UN EXTENDS ARMS EMBARGO ON SOUTH SUDAN

·        The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has extended the individual sanctions, travel ban and an arms embargo in South Sudan until May 2021.

·        An arms embargo is a restriction or a set of sanctions that applies solely to weaponry.

·        This extension has been drafted by the United States (US), which received 12 votes in favour while Russia, China and South Africa abstained it.

·        The resolution will encourage developments in South Sudan’s peace process as the nation is emerging from a brutal six-year civil war that left 380,000 dead and millions displaced.

 

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DAILY Current Affairs 31 MAY 2020

DAILY Current Affairs 31 MAY 2020

1.  MISSILE PARK ‘AGNEEPRASTHA’

·        The foundation stone for a Missile Park named ‘Agneeprastha’ was laid by Commodore Rajesh Debnath & a 2 MegaWatt(MW) solar photovoltaic plant was commissioned by Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command(ENC) at INS Kalinga, Visakhapatnam.

·        Agneeprastha aims to capture glimpses of Missile History of INS Kalinga since its inception in 1981. 

 

2.  ONE SUN ONE WORLD ONE GRID

·        The Union Ministry of New and Renewable energy (MNRE) proposed the ‘One Sun One World One Grid’ (OSOWOG) to interconnect renewable energy by sharing solar resources with more than 140 countries of West Asia and South East Asia.

·        The grid will be interconnected with African power pools.

·        The proposal was mooted on the lines of PM Modi’s announcement on cross-border solar connectivity in October 2019.

·        For the implementation of proposed OSOWOG, the MNRE has invited proposals from consulting firms for making a long-term OSOWOG road map and identify two or three cross-border projects that can be initiated within one or two years.

·        India has already initiated the International Solar Alliance (ISA) which aims to deploy over 1,000 GW of solar generation capacity globally and mobilise investment of over $1 trillion towards by 2030. 

 

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DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 29 MAY 2020

DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS 29 MAY 2020

1. UNICEF REPORT ON COVID-19 IMPACT

·        According to the report “Children in monetary poor households and COVID-19: Technical Note” released jointly by the UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) & Save the Children, a United Kingdom (UK) based non-profit organisation which works for child rights, the economic crisis caused by the coronavirus  (COVID-19) epidemic may increase the number of children living in poor households in low- and middle-income countries by 86 million (or an increase of 15%) to reach 672 million by the end of 2020.

2. TECH FIRM VAKRANGEE JOINS HANDS WITH LIC

·        Vakrangee Limited (VL), a technology company based in Mumbai (Maharashtra), has entered into the Corporate Agency (Registration Code CA0249) partnership with Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) to distribute latter’s micro insurance products in unserved and underserved areas through its Nextgen Vakrangee Kendra network spread across India.

 

3. 25 TONNES OF PESTICIDES TO IRAN

·        HIL, (India) Limited (Formerly- Hindustan Insecticides Limited) a Public sector undertakings(PSU) under Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers is in process to produce & supply 25 tonnes of MT  Malathion Technical  to Iran  for the Locust Control Program under government arrangements.

·        It has signed an agreement with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for the supply of Malathion Technical to Rajasthan and Gujarat for the Locust Control Programme

 

4. NEW PRESIDENT OF NDB

·        The New Development Bank of the BRICS countries has designated Brazil’s Marcos Prado Troyjo as its President.

·        He will succeed eminent Indian banker K.V. Kamath who took over as the first president of the bank in 2015.

·        The decision regarding appointment was taken during the special virtual meeting of the Board of Governors.

·        The Board also appointed Anil Kishora of the State Bank of India (SBI), as the vice president of the NDB.

·        Recently, the bank has granted USD one billion loan to India under emergency assistance programme to fight COVID-19 in the country.

 

5. NARINDER BATRA AS MEMBER OF OLYMPIC CHANNEL COMMISSION

·        Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Dr Narinder Dhruv Batra, 63 years old, was appointed as a member of the Olympic Channel Commission.

·        Batra also heads the International Hockey Federation (FIH).

·        The Olympic Channel Commission advises the IOC (International Olympic Committee) session, the IOC Executive Board, the IOC President & provides guidance throughout the launch and operation of the Olympic Channel.

 

6. IAF OPERATIONALISED ITS 2ND SQUADRON OF LCA TEJAS MK-1

·        The Indian Air Force(IAF) operationalised its 2nd squadron(Sqn) No. 18 ‘Flying Bullet’ equipped with Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas (Mk-1)Final Operational Clearance(FOC) at its Sulur Air Force Station in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. It was operationalised by Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Rakesh Kumar Singh(R.K.S.) Bhadauria.

·        Tejas is an indigenous fourth generation tailless compound delta-wing aircraft.

·        It is equipped with a fly-by-wire flight control system, integrated digital avionics and multimode radar and its structure is made out of composite material.

·        It is the lightest and smallest in its group of fourth-generation supersonic combat aircraft.

 

7. ISRO RECEIVES PATENT FOR HIGHLAND SOIL SIMULANT

·        Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has received a patent for its method of manufacturing highland lunar soil simulant or moon soil which was prepared to create an artificial moon surface as a part of 2019’s Moon landing mission Chandrayaan-2 so that the Vikram lander and Pragyaan rover could be tested.

·        This soil simulant represents the regolith (loose unconsolidated rock and dust that sits atop a layer of bedrock) of lunar highland region.

·        It is made in bulk from anorthosite rocks, a sample similar to regolith identified and picked out from Sittampundi Anorthosite Complex, almost 67 km from Salem, in Tamil Nadu.

 

8. LADAKH SOLAR LIFT IRRIGATION PLANT

·        Ladakh’s Director of Animal, Sheep Husbandry and Fisheries Mohammad Raza inaugurated the 1st Solar Lift Irrigation Plant of Kargil with five kilowatt(KW) Solar Plant and 3 Horsepower(HP) Submersible Pump(installed by Kargil Renewable Energy Agency- KREDA)  at Yak Breeding Farm, Bodh Kharboo.

·        The pump discharges 45,000 liters of water per day, a major achievement in the industry.

 

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DAILY Current Affairs 28 MAY 2020

DAILY GK C.A 28 MAY

1. FISH PRODUCTION TARGET SET TO 220 LMT BY FY24-25

·        Union Minister for Fisheries Giriraj Singh detailed the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) during a press conference in New Delhi.

·        PMMSY was announced as a part of the Rs 20 Lakh crore Centre’s economic stimulus package in response to COVID-19. It will be implemented for a period of 5 years i.e. from FY 2020-21 to FY 2024-25 .

·        Importantly, the scheme is providing insurance coverage for fishing vessels, which is being introduced for the first time.

·         As a part of PMMSY, there will be Swath Sagar plan, which is envisaged with modernizing of the fisheries sector.

·        Also, Government will register “Sagar Mitra” and encourage formation of Fish Farmers Producer Organizations (FFPOs) to help achieve the PMMSY goals

 

2. “VAN DHAN SCHEME: LEARNINGS FOR POST COVID-19” 

·        Government of Rajasthan in association with The Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India(TRIFED), organized a webinar  under Know Your Scheme-Lecture Series on “Van Dhan Yojana : Learning For Post Covid-19” to help the tribal people.

·        TRIFED has launched a #GoTribal campaign have opened more than 120 permanent outlets across the country (including airports), ecommerce platforms, exhibitions, and organized  grand ‘Aadi Mahotsavs.

·        TRIFED in association with  the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)  initiated Van Dhan Samajik Doori Jagrookta Abhiyaan, under which tribes are being provided with crucial information regarding COVID-19.

 

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DAILY GK 24-25 MAY 2020

DAILY GK 24-25 MAY 2020

1. IDB VIRTUAL CELEBRATION ON MAY 22, 2020

·        Prakash Javadekar launched the following five key initiatives towards conservation of biodiversity during the virtual celebration of “International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB)” on the theme “Our solutions are in nature”.

·        The virtual event also saw the launch of the Campaign on Illegal Trafficking of Endangered Species: ‘Not all Animals Migrate by Choice’ by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB).

·        It was conducted by World Wide Fund (WWF) India, in partnership with MoEFCC (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change), NBA, UNEP and UNDP on May 22 and 23, as part of the International Day for Biological Diversity.

2. MARUTI SUZUKI LAUNCH ‘BUY NOW PAY LATER’ OFFER

·        Maruti Suzuki India Limited, an automobile manufacturer in India, has joined hands with the Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Limited (CIFCL) to launch ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ financing scheme to make the purchase of its cars even more convenient.

·        Under the scheme, customers have the option to avail a 60-day surcharge on their EMI (equated monthly instalments). However, this offer is available on select Maruti Suzuki models and is applicable on loan payments due on or before 30 June 2020.

3. KHUDOL INITIATIVE OF MANIPUR

·        United Nations (UN) has listed Khudol (gift),a crowdfunded initiative of Imphal (Manipur) based NGO Ya_All, among the top 10 global initiatives for an inclusive fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

·        NGO Ya_All’s this initiate aims to provide food, health and hygiene of the LGBTQI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community, people living with HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus), daily-wage earners, children and adolescents.

·        Through the network of 100 volunteers, the organization has provided over 1,000 health kits, 6,500 sanitary pads and 1,500 condoms to 2,000 families and individuals.

4. WORLD’S HIGHEST PAID FEMALE ATHLETE

·        Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka, 22 years old, became the highest paid female athlete in the world, topping American great Serena Williams. Osaka has been ranked No.1 by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).

·        Osaka earned $37.4 million in the last 12 months from prize money and endorsements, $1.4 million more than Williams, setting an all-time earnings record for a female athlete in a single year.

5. WORLD BANK NEW VICE PRESIDENT

·        World Bank named Carmen Reinhart as its new Vice President (VP) and chief economist, tapping an expert on financial crises who also serves on the advisory board of the New York Federal Reserve.

·        Reinhart’s appointment is effective on June 15, 2020.

·        She served as a professor at Harvard University, United States (US), has published a book entitled “This Time is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly,” together with economist Kenneth Rogoff of Harvard University in 2009.

·        Also Abhas Jha, Indian economist was appointed to a key position on Climate change and disaster management in South Asia by the World Bank.

6. RITES SIGNED PACT TO ACQUIRE 24% STAKE IN IRSDC

·        Infrastructure consultancy and engineering company RITES (Rail India Technical and Economic Service) has signed an agreement for acquiring 24% stake in Indian Railway Stations Development Corporation (IRSDC) for Rs 48 crore.

·        IRSDC, a joint venture of Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA) and IRCON International is tasked with redeveloping railway stations across the country.

7. WORLD TURTLE DAY- MAY 23

·        The ATR’s theme for World Turtle day 2020 is “Adopt, Don’t Shop” 

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