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General Awareness

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Daily G.K. - Top Stories

23 Aug 2020

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

South Korea and China Hold Highest-level Talks

  • South Korea held talks with China`s top diplomat over trade, denuclearisation and the coronavirus response, in the first visit by a high-level Beijing official since the COVID-19 pandemic erupted late 2019.
  • Yang Jiechi, a member of the Communist Party Politburo, met with South Korea`s new national security adviser, Suh Hoon, in the southern port city of Busan.
  • The two sides discussed topics such as accelerating free-trade agreement negotiations, expanding cultural exchanges as well as the election of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General.
  • The talks come after the COVID-19 pandemic had undercut bilateral exchanges and stalled denuclearisation negotiations involving North Korea.
  • The two countries resumed exchanges last month when Seoul sent a high-level diplomat for a bilateral economic meeting.

To Avoid FATF Blacklist, Pakistan Sanctions 88 Banned Outfits

  • As per reports, seeking to wriggle out of the FATF's grey list, Pakistan has imposed tough financial sanctions on 88 banned terror groups and their leaders, including Hafiz Saeed, Masood Azhar and Dawood Ibrahim, by ordering the seizure of their properties and freezing of bank accounts.
  • The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) put Pakistan on the grey list in June 2018 and asked Islamabad to implement a plan of action by the end of 2019, but the deadline was extended later due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The government issued two notifications on August 18 announcing sanctions on key figures of terror outfits such as 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Saeed, Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Azhar, and underworld don Ibrahim.
  • Ibrahim, who heads a vast and multifaceted illegal business, has emerged India's most-wanted terrorist after the 1993 Mumbai bombings.
  • In the midst of US-led peace process in Afghanistan, Pakistan has sanctioned Taliban too, including its chief peace negotiator, Abdul Ghani Baradar, and several members of the Haqqani family.

TikTok Launches Legal Action against Trump over Ban

  • Chinese video app TikTok is taking legal action to challenge a ban imposed by US President Donald Trump.
  • Mr. Trump's executive order prohibits transactions with TikTok's owner ByteDance from mid-September.
  • Officials in Washington are concerned that the company could pass data on American users to the Chinese government, something ByteDance has denied doing.
  • The short video-sharing app has 80 million active US users.
  • TikTok says it has tried to engage with the Mr. Trump's administration for nearly a year but has encountered a lack of due process and an administration that pays "no attention to facts".
  • "To ensure that the rule of law is not discarded and that our company and users are treated fairly, we have no choice but to challenge the executive order through the judicial system," a company spokesperson said.
  • A group of Chinese-Americans filed a separate lawsuit against the president's similar ban on the social media app WeChat, which is owned by the Chinese firm, Tencent.
View Month Wise

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

ICICI Lombard and Bharti AXA to Merge General Insurance Businesses

  • ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. and Bharti AXA General Insurance Co. Ltd, announced that they will combine their insurance businesses through a share swap deal, which once consummated will create the country's third largest general insurance entity.
  • Following board meetings, a scheme of arrangement with Bharti AXA General Insurance Company was approved. Under the scheme of arrangement, ICICI Lombard would be acquiring Bharti AXA General Insurance.
  • Based on the share exchange ratio recommended by independent valuers, shareholders of Bharti AXA will receive two shares of ICICI Lombard for every 115 shares of Bharti AXA.
  • At present, promoter ICICI Bank Ltd holds is 51.89% stake in ICICI Lombard, while the rest is with the public. After the proposed deal, promoter stake will come down to 48.11%.
  • At present, Bharti Enterprises owns 51% in Bharti AXA General, while its France-based JV partner AXA has 49%.
  • ICICI Lombard is a listed insurance firm, and Bharti and AXA will be public shareholders in the combined entity after the deal.

GMM Pfaudler to Acquire Stake in Global Business of Pfaudler Group

  • GMM Pfaudler Limited announced that it has signed definitive agreements to acquire a majority stake in the global business of its parent, the Pfaudler Group from the private equity firm Deutsche Beteiligungs AG Fund VI.
  • As per the agreements, GMM (directly and through its subsidiary Mavag AG) and the Patel family will acquire, a 54% and 26% equity stake, respectively in the Pfaudler Group. DBAG will continue to retain the balance 20% stake. The consideration for the 54% stake acquired by GMM, which is expected to be around USD 27.4 million, will be funded by the Company through a mix of internal accruals and debt.
  • Pursuant to the acquisition, GMM shall become the ultimate holding company with the entire business of Pfaudler being consolidated into the Company. The Company will have a consolidated revenue of Rs. 20 billion and EBITDA of approximately Rs. 2.5 billion.

NTPC Gets Nod to Set Up Renewable Energy Business Arm

  • Power giant NTPC received the approval of Niti Aayog and Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) to set up a wholly-owned company for its renewable energy business.
  • Now, NTPC will move to form a subsidiary firm for renewable energy business, as it has requisite approvals for the purpose.
  • The wholly-owned subsidiary will be incorporated under the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013.
  • NTPC is planning to have 10GW of solar energy by 2022, which entails an investment of around Rs. 50,000 crore.
View Month Wise

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

ISRO's Chandrayaan 2 Identifies Craters that May have Water

  • Space agencies and private companies all over the world have their eyes set on the Moon as the next hub of human habitation. This includes the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It has found areas water could be right below the lunar surface, landing sites for future missions and what's hidden on the far side of the Moon over last one year.
  • The orbiter was successfully injected into orbit on August 20. The eight the eight instruments onboard have been scouting the lunar surface for information and clues that could set the stage for further moon exploration.
  • Even though the space agency did not share how much data was sent back to Earth, nearly half of it was from the Solar X-ray Monitor (XSM) and Chandrayaan-2 Large Area Soft X-ray Spectrometer (CLASS).
  • According to ISRO, the orbiter has enough fuel to continue its orbit around the Moon for another seven years. The data that it has collected so far will be made public by year-end.
View Month Wise

SPORTS

Sevilla Wins Sixth Europa League Title

  • Sevilla clinched a sixth Europa League title with a roller-coaster 3-2 win over Inter Milan after an overhead kick by defender Diego Carlos deflected by the Italian side`s top scorer Romelu Lukaku settled a thrilling contest.
  • In the first European final ever staged behind closed doors, it was an astonishing anti-climax for Lukaku after he had earlier set the longest scoring run by a player in UEFA Cup/Europa League history by netting in the 11th successive game.
View Month Wise

NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti to Launch Political Party for Fighting Assam Polls

  • The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) announced that it will launch a political party to fight the Assam elections in 2021, and its jailed leader Akhil Gogoi will be the CM candidate.
  • The KMSS leadership said that the proposed party's name will be announced by Gogoi once he is released from jail.
  • The new outfit will be a non-compromising political force and it will not be named after KMSS' earlier venture Gana Mukti Sangram-Asom, but a new name will be given.
View Month Wise

PERSONS IN NEWS

Govt. Appoints Ashwani Bhatia as SBI MD

  • The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi appointed Ashwani Bhatia, Deputy Managing Director (DMD), State Bank of India (SBI) as the Managing Director (MD) of SBI, effective from his date of assumption up to the date of his superannuation (May 31, 2022) or until further orders, whichever is earlier. He succeeded PK Gupta, who superannuated on March 31, 2020.
  • Ashwani Bhatia is currently serving as MD and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at SBI Mutual Fund.
  • Banks Board Bureau (BBB) headed by B. P. Sharma, former Department of Personnel and Training Secretary, recommended Ashwani Bhatia for the position.
  • Ashwani Bhatia is the 4th MD of SBI. At present there are 3 other MDs at the bank namely, Arijit Basu, Dinesh Khara and C. S. Setti.
View Month Wise

DAYS AND EVENTS

European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism

  • The European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism, known as Black Ribbon Day in some countries, is an international day of remembrance for victims of totalitarian regimes, specifically Stalinism, Communism, Nazism and Fascism. It is observed on 23rd August and symbolises the rejection of "extremism, intolerance and oppression".
  • It was designated by the European Parliament in 2008/2009 as "a Europe-wide Day of Remembrance for the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes, to be commemorated with dignity and impartiality", and has been observed annually by the bodies of the European Union since 2009.
  • 23 August was chosen to coincide with the date of the signing of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, a 1939 non-aggression pact between the USSR and Nazi Germany which contained a protocol dividing Romania, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Finland into designated German and Soviet spheres of influence. The treaty was described by the European Parliament's president Jerzy Buzek in 2010 as "the collusion of the two worst forms of totalitarianism in the history of humanity." The remembrance day originated in protests held in western cities against Soviet crimes and occupation in the 1980s, initiated by Canadian refugees from countries occupied by the Soviet Union. The protests culminated in The Baltic Way, a major demonstration during the Revolutions of 1989 that contributed to the liberation of the Baltic states.
  • August 23 is also officially recognised by Canada and the United States, where it is known as Black Ribbon Day.

International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition

  • The United Nations' (UN) International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is annually observed on August 23 to remind people of the tragedy of the transatlantic slave trade. It gives people a chance to think about the historic causes, the methods, and the consequences of slave trade.
  • Each year the UN invites people all over the world, including educators, students, and artists, to organize events that center on the theme of this day. Theatre companies, cultural organizations, musicians, and artists take part on this day by expressing their resistance against slavery through performances that involve music, dance, and drama.
  • Educators promote the day by informing people about the historical events associated with slave trade, the consequences of slave trade, and to promote tolerance and human rights. Many organizations, including youth associations, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations, actively take part in the event to educate society about the negative consequences of slave trade.
  • In late August 1791, an uprising began in Santo Domingo (today Haiti and the Dominican Republic) that would have a major effect on abolishing the transatlantic slave trade. The slave rebellion in the area weakened the Caribbean colonial system, sparking an uprising that led to abolishing slavery and giving the island its independence. It marked the beginning of the destruction of the slavery system, the slave trade and colonialism.
  • International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition was first celebrated in many countries, in particular in Haiti, on August 23, 1998, and in Senegal on August 23, 1999.

Odisha and Chhattisgarh Celebrates '2020 Nuakhai Juhar' Agricultural Festival

  • Nukhai Juhar, an ancient festival which is also known as Nuakhai Parab or Nuakhai Bhetghat is celebrated on the fifth day of lunar fortnight of Bhadrabaa, to welcome the new crop of the season in Odisha, Chhattisgarh and other neighbouring states. Nuakhai is a combination of two words, Nua which means new and Khai which means eat.
  • The 2020 Nuakhai Juhar was celebrated on 23rd August.
  • The farmers offer the first produce of the season to the presiding deity, Goddess Samaleswari of Sambalpur, Odisha.
  • The people worship food grains and prepare special meals with khiri, pitha and kakra.
  • Cultural programmes like folk songs and dances will be organised to showcase the local culture and traditions of the state.
  • Shyam Sundar Dhar Folklore researcher, mentioned that Nuakhai Juhar is extended for elders to bless the younger members of the family and for the people to wish the seniors of the locality.
View Month Wise

GENDER/ HEALTH/ EDUCATION

Top 6 Research Scholarships for Indian Students

  • Research scholarship is a broad category of scholarships and fellowships that are given to students for the purpose of research at graduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and postdoctoral levels. Research plays a crucial role in a variety of fields including science, technology, engineering, medicine, etc.
  • There are various research institutions that offer scholarships for students to carry out research in specific fields. Furthermore, institutions such as IITs, IISc, IISERs, NITs, ICAR also offer fellowships and grants to support the research study of scholars in various fields. Here is the list of top six research scholarships for Indian students that one must keep track of –
  • Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund Scholarships, Institute Post-Doctoral Fellowship, SERB National Post-Doctoral Fellowship (N-PDF), Teachers Associateship for Research Excellence (TARE), ICMR Centenary-Post Doctoral Research Fellowship Scheme, and Prime Minister Research Fellowship (PMRF).
View Month Wise

ART AND CULTURE

Vandals Smash Statue of Mary Magdalene in French Chapel

  • A statue of Mary Magdalene housed in the chapel of Saint Pilon in the Var, in southeast France, has been destroyed by vandals apparently unhappy with her lack of clothing. The perpetrators left a note at the scene saying they "did not accept that a great saint like Mary Magdalene (should) be represented in such a way".
  • The sculpture, by an unknown artist, depicts a naked Mary Magdalene being carried by two angels, although long hair covers most of her body. The plaster statue was installed five years ago when the chapel was restored, but it was soon due to be replaced by a permanent marble version.

Elite Art Spaces Democratised as Galleries, Museums Go Online

  • As art shows move from gallery walls to laptop screens and exhibitions take the shape of webinars, the famously closed art circle seems to have been breached with art finally becoming more accessible.
  • What were once closed door soirees — confined mostly to those with money to invest or the clout to be part of the exclusive guest list of the who's who of society — are now global online events attended by thousands of art enthusiasts.
  • The pandemic has compelled stakeholders to think of ways other than private openings to reach out to their patrons, and the internet has been a kind friend.
  • Though the art market has been hit with incomes shrinking and buying receding in the list of priorities, the access to online art has expanded the audience many folds, say industry insiders.
  • According to India Art Fair director Jagdip Jagpal, the new mode of interaction with art has opened up engagement opportunities for not just existing patrons and connoisseurs, but also for those who might be potential art enthusiasts.
View Month Wise

TOURISM AND HOTEL INDUSTRY AWARENESS

Among Top Tourism Markets, India at Bottom of Recovery Chart

  • Still in the grip of the coronavirus, the hospitality industry in India, a key contributor to the tourism sector, is among the slowest to recorver in the world. Data mined by RateGain, a travel and hospitality technology provider that provides technological support to hotels, online travel agencies, airlines and car rental firms among others has shown that among the top 16 tourism markets in the world, India is at the third last place in hotel bookings recovery that ended in the first week of August 2020 in comparism to the same period in 2019.
  • The RateGain data referes to booking and pricing patterns obtained from nearly 3,000 hotels iin India and 2.5 lakh hotels across the globe.Among the hotels in India to which RateGain offers technological support and whose booking patterns the company had tracked include the Hyatt Group and the Taj Group of hotels, Marriott, Lemon Tree and Royal Orchid.
  • The company said that the challenging trend is expected to continue with the pandemic affecting key tourist hubs like Goa, Rajasthan, the north-east and Karnataka.

Yatra.com Partners with Amazon Business to Cater Hospitality Partners

  • Online travel firm Yatra.com collaborated with Amazon Business to provide its hospitality partners with a wide range of products catering to their needs.
  • Hospitality partners can leverage the Amazon Business marketplace as a one-stop destination to access a wide range of products across categories to cater to their various needs and procure products in a safe and efficient manner.
  • They will get access to deals from over 3.5 lakh sellers across the country.
  • The partnership will help our sellers reach lakhs of hotels across the country as they kick-start operations again.
  • Yatra provides bookings for more than 108,000 hotels in India and over 1,500,000 hotels around the world.
View Month Wise
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