Current affair of 5th September 2019

Rashid Khan becomes younger ever captain in Test cricket history

Afghan Cricketer Rashid Khan has become the youngest ever captain in 142 y

Key highlights:

1. Rashid achieved this stage at the age of 20 years and 350 days. He smashed the previous record of 20 years and 358 days set by Zimbabwe's Tatenda Taibu against Sri Lanka in 2004.
2. The third person in the list is Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi. He was 21 years and 77 days old when he led India against the West Indies in Bridgetown in 1962.
3. Youngest to captain in each of the international cricket formats:
4. In ODIs: 19years and 165days - Rashid Khan for Afghanistan in Mar 2018
5. In T20Is: 20years and 224days - Tshepo Phaswana for Botswana in May 2019

President Ram Nath Kovind to conferred National Award 2018 to teachers

President Ram Nath Kovind presented the National Teachers Awards 2018 on the event of Teachers Day 2019 in New Delhi. The award recognizes the unique and special contribution of some of the finest teachers in the country.

Key highlights:

1. It also honours those teachers who played a vital role in not only improving the quality of school education but also enriching the lives of their students.
2. The year 2018 was the 61st year of the National Teachers Award. The awardees were selected by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD).
3. 46 teachers were chosen from across the country to be felicitated in the national capital as India geared to celebrate Teachers' Day. The National Teachers award carries a silver medal, certificate and cash prize of Rs.50,000.

IDBI Bank to divest stake in insurance joint venture

The Union cabinet approved infusing ₹9,300 crore into IDBI Bank, the lender announced plans to sell its stake in its insurance joint venture IDBI Federal Life Insurance company.

Key highlights:

1. JP Morgan India Pvt. Ltd has been mandated for advising and managing a strategic review process for IDBI Federal Life Insurance Co. Ltd which may result in, inter alia, potential divestment of all or part of the stake held by IDBI Bank in IDBI Federal Life Insurance Company.
2. JP Morgan will invite expressions of interest by way of submission of comprehensive, non-binding proposal from potential investors for evaluating the potential transaction.
3. IDBI Bank owns 48% of the insurance company, Federal Bank and Ageas Insurance International NV own 26% each.
4. IDBI Bank’s exit from the insurance joint venture became necessary after state-owned Life Insurance Corp. of India (LIC) took a 51% stake in it in January and the bank started using its network to sell LIC products.

India and Russia target USD 30 billion in trade

India and Russia have decided to step up industrial collaboration and make new technologies and investment partnerships, particularly in high tech areas. The collaboration aims to expand bilateral trade to $30 billion by 2025. The decision was taken during the PM's 3-day visit to Russia.

Key highlights:

1. Modi is visiting Russia on the invitation from  President Putin. He attended the 20th India and Russia Annual Summit which was held in Vladivostok.
2. Modi also participated in the 5th Eastern Economic Forum as the Chief Guest. The leaders communicated the satisfaction with the stable mutual growth of trade turnover.
3. India-Russia bilateral merchandise was about $8.2 billion during 2018-19. The two sides have agreed on the supply of coking coal from the Russian Far East to India.
4. They also sign the  Roadmap cooperation in Hydrocarbons for 2019-24. It is expected to touch height in the next five years. Other bilateral talks include the exchange of oil, gas, farming improvements, industrial projects, etc.

Wipro bags USD 300 million contracts from ICICI Bank

Wipro has won a 7-year contract worth $300 million from ICICI Bank. The project is to provide a range of services. The transactions are expected to end by September 30. For this project, Wipro is to hire 3,800 employees of Vara Infotech.

Key highlights:

1. In 2018-2019, Vara Infotech's revenue from these services stood at Rs.221.5 crore.
2. Vara Infotech is currently providing these services to ICICI. It provides facilities and assets for Rs.321 crore.
3. Banking is the biggest portfolio for Wipro and account records for around 31% of the total revenues. In the quarter end of June 30, 2019, the organization's development faced a decline of 1.3% due to macro monetary difficulties looked by banking, financial service, and money related administrations and protection of the BFSI part.
4. The $300 million project is a lift that Wipro needs to save the sector remains globally.
5. Apart from this, the merger of different banks which was announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will give raise to the digital transformation of IT majors in India.

French footballer Eric Cantona felicitated with UEFA President Award 2019

Manchester United and France legend Eric Cantona honored with Union of European Football Association President Award 2019 at the Champions League draw in Monaco. He won around 5 English championships with Leeds and Manchester United in the 1990s.

Key highlights:

1. He became the third Manchester United player to receive the award after Bobby Charlton (2008) and David Beckham (2018)
2. He was best known for his role in Ken Loach’s quirky 2009 comedy drama Looking for Eric. He nominated for a Palme d’Or.
3. He played 45 times for France between 1983 and 1998.
4. The previous recipients of the award include Johann Cruyff, Alfredo Di Stefano, and Eusebio.

Shri Jaideep Sarkar accredited as the next High Commissioner of India to the Kingdom of Lesotho

The Ministry of External Affairs appointed Shri Jaideep Sarkar as the next High Commissioner of India to the Kingdom of Lesotho

Key highlights:

1. He succeeds Ms. Ruchi Ghanashyam.
2. He is 1987 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS)Officer
3. He served as the High Commissioner of India to the Republic of South Africa.
4. He worked in Indian Missions in Tokyo, Seoul, and Bangladesh as well.

Delhi ranks 118th and Mumbai at 119th spot in EIUs Global Liveability Index 2019

Global Liveability Index prepared by the Economist Intelligence Unit(EIU) ranked Delhi in the 118th spot from 6 places from 112th spot. It is the biggest decline in Asia. Mumbai dropped by two places to rank at 119th spot this year.

Key highlights:

• The list was topped by Vienna, It is the second consecutive time whereas Damascus the capital of Syria was ranked last at 140th position. Russia’s St. Petersburg topped the list among BRICS nations at 71st spot.

International Day of Charity is observed on 5 September

The International Day of Charity is observed on 5 September across the world. The day is observed to commemorate the death anniversary of Mother Teresa. The day aims to make people understand the importance of charity.

Key highlights:

1. The day was created by the Hungarian Civil society initiative in 2011. In 2012, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) officially declared 5 September as the International Day of Charity.
2. Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu, Mother Teresa, was born on 26 August 1910 in Skopje, North Macedonia. In 1950, she founded the Missionaries of Charity in India. It helps the poor on the streets of Kolkata.
3. The foundation manages homes for people who are dying of leprosy, TB and HIV/AIDS. Through the charity, Mother Teresa spent around 45 years in serving the poor, sick, orphaned and dying on the streets of Kolkata.

September is celebrated as Poshan Maah across India

The country celebrates September month as the Rashtriya Poshan Maah across the country under POSHAN Abhiyaan programme. It aims to address malnutritional challenges. Poshan Maah was launched in States like Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Rajasthan on 4th September.

Key highlights:

1. Rashtriya Poshan Maah is being celebrated with the aim to create a Jan Andolan to imbibe behavioral changes into the daily lives of the masses, with the slogan Poshan Tyohar Se Vyavahar.
2. The Ministry of Women and Child Development acts as the nodal Department for Poshan Maah. The activities in the function focus on antenatal care, anaemia, growth monitoring, girls’ education, diet, right age of marriage, hygiene and sanitation, eat healthily.
3. The themes are showcased in the form of food melas, recipe demonstration, radio & TV talk shows, rallies, school-level campaigns, anemia test camps, and seminars all across the country.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan felicitates P. V. Sindhu suggests voice to national missions

Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and Steel Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and shuttler player Ms. P. V. Sindhu congratulated her for winning gold at BWF World Championship.

Key highlights:

1. Shri Pradhan presented her and her father a commemorative coin issued by Government of India Mint on the occasion of Nabakalebar festival and a traditional Odia shawl.
2. He suggested her to raise her voice to national missions and campaigns like Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Jal Shakti Abhiyan putting an end to single-use plastic envisioned by Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
3. Talking to media persons after meeting the Minister, Ms. P. V. Sindhu expressed her happiness and thanked Shri Dharmendra Pradhan for felicitating her. She also thanked Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited for supporting Ms. P. V. Sindhu is a brand ambassador of RINL.

Ashok Leyland heavy duty trucks are the 1st to get BS VI certification

Ashok Leyland, the commercial vehicle behemoth, announced that the company has upgraded the entire range of heavy-duty trucks as per the BS-VI emission norms.

Key highlights:

1. The norms will be effective from 1 April 2020. By this, the company has become the first to meet with the BS-VI emission standard. The heavy-duty trucks weigh around 16.2 tonne and above.
2. The move comes after the Ashok Leyland company was directed by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) that the heavy-duty trucks should meet with the BS-VI standard.
3. The Supreme Court has decided that no BS-IV vehicle will be sold the nation over with impact from April 1, 2020. The real difference between the current BS-IV and pending BS-VI standards is the presence of sulphur in the fuel.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate Garvi Gujarat Bhawan

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Garvi Gujarat. It is the second state Bhawan of the Gujarat government in the national capital.

Key highlights:

1. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and former chief minister Anandiben Patel is currently Uttar Pradesh governor. It is built over more than 7,000 sq meters of the area at Akbar Road.
2. It is the first eco-friendly state Bhawan in the national capital. It cost Rs 131 crore and was completed three months ahead of the deadline.
3. The Bhavan Described as a mix of traditional and modern architecture with a rich reflection of the western state's culture.

AUS gets 1st DGCA certification under small category drone

The Bengaluru’s Aarav Unmanned Systems (AUS) is the first company to get the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) under a small company drone category. Insight, AUS's flagship enterprise-grade multi-copter drone is to be certified for the No-Permission No-Takeoff (NPNT) manufacturing compliance requirement. In the recent release the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) for drone operations in India, the DGCA has laid down its requirement.

Key highlights:

1. The Insight drone weighs between 2-25 kg. It falls under the small category. Whereas micro category drones weigh between 250 gms to 2 kg.
2. The small category drones can stay longer and carry heavier, more advanced sensors and need to meet additional compliances as per the CAR.
3. So far, 3 Indian startups have obtained certification from DGCA under the micro category. AUS is the first company to get the certification under the small category.
4. Drones: Drone is a flying robot which is remote-controlled. It is allowed to work in India by DGCA in October 2017.

List of agreements exchanged during the visit of Prime Minister to Vladivostok

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin had a two-day meeting in Russia. PM Narendra Modi in Russia as the chief guest of the 5th Eastern Economic Forum. He will also take part in the 20th India-Russia Annual Summit and hold bilateral talks with President Vladimir Putin.

Key highlights:

1. There are various agreements and MoU which is signed by Shri Narendra Modi . Here there are some of the list of MOU and agreement which was listed below
2. Joint Statement Reaching New Heights of Cooperation through Trust and Partnership
3. Joint Strategy for the Enhancement of India- Russia Trade and Investments.
4. Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and Government of the Russian Federation and on the cooperation in the production of spare parts for Russian/Soviet military equipment.
5. Agreement between the Government of the Republic of India and the Government of the Russian Federation on Cooperation in Audiovisual Co-production.

Teachers Day is celebrated in India on 5 Sept

Teacher's Day is celebrated in India on 5 September each year. The Day commemorates the 131st birth anniversary of Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. The day is being observed since 1962. It was the year when he has assumed the post of the President of India.

Key highlights:

1. The Teachers' Day is celebrated to know the contribution of all the teachers for their hard work and endless contribution in shaping a student’s educational life.
2. The day is dedicated to all the teachers, mentors and gurus who guide the students to become better human beings.
3. Dr.Radhakrishnan was born on 5 September 1888. He studied and worked as a professor in many education institutions, as he spent his life as an academic, including Calcutta University, Mysore University, Oxford University, University of Chicago, and Madras Presidency College

CBDT enters into 26 APAs during the current Financial Year

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) entered into 26 Advance Pricing Agreements (APAs) in the first 5 months of the current financial year. The signing of these APAs entered into by the CBDT as of now stand at 297 includes 32 Bilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (BAPAs).

Key highlights:

1. 1 is a BAPA entered into with the United Kingdom and the remaining 25 are Unilateral Advance Pricing Agreements (UAPAs).
2. The BAPAs and UAPAs entered around various sectors and sub-sectors of the economy like Information Technology, Banking, Semiconductor, Power, Pharmaceutical, Hydrocarbon, Publishing, Automobile.
3. The Indian APA program nationally and internationally for being able to address complex transfer pricing issues.

Union Minister of Consumer Affairs Food and PD Shri Ram Vilas Paswan announces blanket ban on single use plastic products

Union Minister of Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan announced a blanket ban on all types of single-use plastic products in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and all its PSUs including Food Corporation of India (FCI).

Key highlights:

1. The decision was taken in a high-level meeting with Secretaries of both the Departments Consumer Affairs and Food, CMD FCI, DG Bureau of India Standards, MD of CWC, Director Legal Metrology along with other senior officials.
2. The single use plastic products completely banned in Ministry and its PSUs from 15th September. Union Minister Shri Ram Vilas Paswan the officials to make alternate arrangements to ensure that the ban is effective.

Vaishno Devi Shrine adjudged as Best Swachh Iconic Place in India

Vaishno Devi Shrine in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir won the Best Swachh Iconic Place in the country.

Key highlights:

1. President Ram Nath Kovind will confer the award during the Swachh Mahotsav to be organised by the ministry.
2. The union ministry of Jal Shakti, department of drinking water and sanitation, released its rankings of Swachh Iconic Places.
3. The Shrine which is visited by thousands of devotees been adjudged on the basis of the overall improvement in sanitation brought about by the board due to several initiatives taken in the last few years to ensure cleanliness.
4. The initiatives like installing water kiosks, equid dung management centre, kill waste machines, collection, transportation and disposal of waste along with regular mopping up of waste though a workforce of 1300 sanitation workers among others have enabled the shrine to achieve the top rank.