Current Affairs Daily Digest – April 14 2019
1. Cologne Boxing World Cup: Meena Kumari Maisnam clinches 54kg gold medal; Sakshi, Pwilao Basumatary bag silver
Meena Kumari Maisnam continued her fine run to win gold medal in the 54 kg at the Boxing World Cup in Cologne on Saturday. Sakshi (57 kg) and Pwilao Basumatary (64 kg) lost their final bouts and had to settle for the silver while Pinki Rani (51kg) and Parveen (60kg) won bronze as India finished with five medals.
Meena, the 2014 Asian Championships bronze medallist with three National Championships titles to her credit, edged Thailand’s Machai Bunyanut on points in the summit clash. She had earlier won the gold at the prestigious Strandja Cup.
Gaurav Solanki (52 kg) and Mohammed Hussamuddin (56 kg) were the only Indians to stand on the top podium in the last edition.
2. PAISALO signs up with SBI to disburse 2 lakh MSME loans in FY20
PAISALO Digital, a leading non-deposit-taking NBFC registered with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), signed a co-origination MSME loan agreement with State Bank of India (SBI). The goal of this partnership is empowering the agriculture and MSME segment.
a platform will be introduced where the MSME loan ticket is designed at Rs 10,000 to Rs 2 lakh. The company expects to disburse 200,000 MSME loan applications in FY20.
3. India, ASEAN vow to boost ties in maritime sector, strengthen connectivity
India and ASEAN have resolved to strengthen ties by deepening cooperation in the maritime sector and boosting connectivity. The meeting was co-chaired by Vijay Thakur Singh, SOM Leader and Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, and Busaya Mathelin, SOM Leader and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand.
The two sides also vowed to step up cooperation in renewable energy and hold an ASEAN-India Conference on Renewable Energy in 2019. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) would be the co-partners for this project.
The ASEAN-India partnership is being implemented through the “Plan of Action (2016-20) to implement the ASEAN-India Partnership for peace, progress and shared prosperity”.
4. CMFRI signs agreement with ISRO to save coastal wetlands
In an attempt to build resilience against impact of climate change, the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) have joined hands to map, validate and protect smaller wetlands in coastal regions. The programme is aimed at restoring them through coastal livelihood programmes.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the CMFRI and the Space Applications Centre of ISRO to develop a mobile app and a centralised web portal that will have a comprehensive database of wetlands that are smaller than 2.25 hectares in the country. Such smaller wetlands cover an area of more than five lakh hectares across the country. Kerala is having as 2,592 small wetlands.
5. Scientist Dr A K Singh conferred with Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr A K Singh was conferred with Lifetime Achievement Award during 4th APJ Abdul Kalam Innovation Conclave at Chandigarh University, Mohali .
Dr A K Singh, director at Life Sciences, DRDO, was honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award for his rich contribution in the field of life sciences, aerospace and aeronautics. The DST scientist has more than 18 patents and has contributed in more than 57 research publications at an international and national level.
The conclave was organised by the university to mark World Creativity and Innovation Day.
6. Hamilton wins record-extending 6th Chinese GP
Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton secured a record-extending sixth Chinese Grand Prix (GP) victory, snatching the world championship lead from his Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas.
Five-time world champion Hamilton, of the United Kingdom, clinched his 75th career victory and second of the season in the 1,000th Formula One race after overtaking pole-sitter Bottas of Finland.
7. Airtel, FLO launch app for women’s safety
Bharti Airtel in collaboration with FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) launched a mobile app, My Circle, to help women in case they face any problem or a panic situation.
The application is carrier agnostic which would work on phones with any telecom service network, both Airtel and non-Airtel, Bharti Airtel said in a statement.
“My Circle app enables women to send SOS alerts to any five of their family or friends in 13 languages including English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Punjabi, Bangla, Urdu, Assamese, Oriya, and Gujarati,” .
8. Nation pays tributes to Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar on his 128th birth anniversary
President Ram Nath Kovind led the nation in paying homage to the architect of the Indian Constitution Dr BR Ambedkar on his 128th birth anniversary. Mr Kovind paid floral tributes at the statue of Dr Ambedkar at the Parliament House Lawns in New Delhi this morning.
9. Govt retains interest rate for General Provident Fund at 8%
The government has retained the interest rate for General Provident Fund (GPF), Contributory Provident Fund and other related schemes at 8 per cent for the first quarter of current financial year.
The interest rate on these funds was at 8 per cent in January-March quarter of 2018-19 and government kept it unchanged for April to June for 2019-20.
10. Paris Marathon: Ethiopian runners Gelete Burka and Abrha Milaw win 2019 race
Ethiopian athletes Gelete Burka (women’s race) and Abrha Milaw (men’s race) won the 43rd edition of the Paris Marathon . They led a record 60,000 participants to the finish line through the French capital.
Milaw won the men’s race with a time of 2 hours :07 minutes and :50 seconds.
Burka was the fastest woman with 2 hours :22 minutes and :48 seconds. Kenyan Paul Lonyangata, a two-time Paris Marathon winner, was the third-fastest man today.
In the wheelchair race, Julien Casoli won for a third time. The fastest disabled racer put up a time of 1 hour:36 minutes and :57 seconds. The Paris marathon is one of the world’s most popular running events.
11. IndusInd Bank launches a campaign to celebrate turning ‘#Just25’
IndusInd Bank announced the launch of a multimedia campaign to commemorate the completion of the Bank’s journey of 25 years. Christened ‘#Just25′, the all new campaign takes inspiration from the 25 year olds of today.
Individuals who are innovators, who have made a difference, levelled the playing field or beaten the odds to take on the world. The campaign reflects IndusInd Bank’s ethos of being an innovator, an achiever with one cohesive goal of becoming India’s most Convenient Bank.
12. BK Nayak appointed as Chair of Health and Safety Committee of FIH
Bibhu Kalyan Nayak, who hails from Bhubaneswar, was recently appointed Chair of International Hockey Federation (FIH) Health and Safety Committee. He is the first Indian to have been nominated to this prestigious post and will serve a two-year term, lasting till the first executive board meeting after Congress 2020.
He had served as the Medical Officer for the 2018 Men’s World Cup. He was commissioned in the Army Medical Corps of Indian Army in 1995 and has worked in the Army Sports Institute, Pune, for six years and with elite athletes of the country.
13. Siachen Day celebrated at world’s highest battlefield
Siachen Warriors Brigade of Fire & Fury Corps on 13th April celebrated the 35th Siachen Day with traditional solemnity and reverence.
To this day, the Siachen Warriors continue to guard the “Frozen Frontier” with tenacity and resolve against all odds. Siachen Day, every year, honours all the Siachen Warriors who served their motherland while successfully thwarting evil designs of the enemy, over the years.
14. Hong Kong’s stock market overtakes Japan to be world’s third largest
According to data compiled by Bloomberg, Hong Kong’s equity market has overtaken Japan to become the world’s third largest stock market, in the world, behind only to the U.S. and mainland China.
15. Jamia Millia Islamia appoints Najma Akhtar as first-ever woman vice-chancellor
Jamia Millia Islamia has appointed Najma Akhtar as its vice-chancellor, the first woman to hold the post in the university’s nearly 100-year-long existence. She replaces Talat Ahmad, who resigned from the post last year before completion of his tenure. Akhtar’s appointment as Jamia Millia Islamia’s vice-chancellor was approved by President Ram Nath Kovind, the university said Thursday.
Former union minister Najma Heptulla is the current chancellor of the university.
16. Murali Kartik named as the new brand ambassador of Fantasy 11
Funtasy11, a fantasy sports platform, has roped in former Indian cricketer Murali Kartik as its brand ambassador. Fantasy Gaming Space is rapidly growing and is expected to reach 100 million users by 2020.
Karthik was the ‘Official Fan Management Partner’ for the recently conducted Premier Badminton league.
