Today Current Affairs -31st May 2020

National News

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Ravi Shankar Prasad launches India’s National AI Portal www.ai.gov.in

• The Union Minister for Electronics and IT, Law and Justice and Communications Ravi Shankar Prasad launched India’s national Artificial Intelligence Portal called www.ai.gov.in, on 30 May 2020, to mark the the first anniversary of the second tenure of the government
• The portal has been jointly developed by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and IT Industry.
• It will be jointly run by National e-Governance Division of Ministry of Electronics and IT and NASSCOM from the IT industry.
• The AI portal shall work as a one stop digital platform for all AI related developments in India like sharing of resources such as articles, startups, investment funds in AI, resources, companies and educational institutions related to AI in India, among other things.
• The minister also launched a National Program for the youth, “Responsible AI for Youth”, to give the young students of our country a platform and empower them with appropriate new age tech mind-set, relevant AI skill-sets and access to required AI tool-sets to make them digitally ready for the future..

Madhya Pradesh Government Launches ‘Rozgar Setu’ scheme to provide employment to Migrant Labourers

• Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has launched a scheme ‘Rozgar Setu’ for skilled workers who have returned from other states.
• As per the state government, Madhya Pradesh is the first to devise such a work plan, to provide work to the maximum number of returned skilled workers.
• The State government will act as a setu [bridge] between workers and employers so that both are benefited.
• The scheme will provide a platform to the workers and connect them with those needing them, thus fulfilling the manpower requirement of industries as well as provide employment to workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
• The government will survey the skilled workers who were employed at industries elsewhere, but have now returned, based upon which they will be provided employment in industries, construction works and other activities according to their skills.

Uttarakhand Government Launches Mukhyamantri Swarozgar Yojana for Migrant Workers

• In an effort to retain the migrants who have returned to the state during the lockdown, the state government of Uttarakhand has launched a scheme called Mukhya Mantri Swarojgar Yojana, to provide self-employment opportunities to youth and encourage skilled and unskilled artisans, handicrafts and unemployed youths to start their own business.
• The scheme envisages to provide loans to these migrant workers so as to help them start their own ventures.
• Under the scheme, state government will provide loans for projects worth ₹25 lakh in the manufacturing sector and ₹10 lakh in the service sector.
• Loans will be provided by nationalised banks, scheduled commercial banks and co-operative banks.

Phase I of Biannual Army Commanders’ Conference Held in New Delhi

• The Army Commanders’ Conference, an apex level biannual event is being organised in two phases.
• The first phase of the Conference was conducted at South Block, New Delhi from 27 to 29 May 2020.
• Over three days, the Indian Army’s apex leadership deliberated upon various aspects related to existing and developing security challenges.
• Human resource management issues, studies pertaining to ammunition management, merger of co-located training establishments and merger of Military Training Directorate with HQ Army Training Command were also discussed.
• The second phase of the conference is scheduled from 24 to 27 June 2020.
• The Hon’ble Raksha Mantri and CDS are also likely to address the conference during this phase.

International News

US joins G7 Group’s Partnership on Artificial Intelligence to counter China

• United States has finally joined the rest of the G7 countries in the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (AI), in an effort to contain China‘s influence on AI.
• The Trump administration had been the only nation among leaders of the Group of Seven which was not the part of the Global Partnership on AI, set up by France and Canada in 2019.
• However, looking at how Chinese technology companies are attempting to shape international standards on facial recognition and surveillance at the United Nations, the US decided to join the international panel for setting ethical guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence.
• The Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence aims to guide the responsible adoption of AI based on shared principles of “human rights, inclusion, diversity, innovation and economic growth”, among the member nations.
• G7 Members: France, Canada, Italy, Germany, Japan, UK and US

Appointment

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Power Finance Corporation board Appoints R S Dhillon as CMD

• State-run Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has appointed Ravinder Singh Dhillon as the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of the company.
• He will succeed incumbent CMD Rajeev Sharma, who is attaining superannuation on May 31, 2020.
• Dhillon’s appointment will be with effect from 01 June 2020, till the date of his superannuation (May 31, 2023) or until further orders.

Sports

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WADA Imposes 4-Year Ban on Long-Distance Runner Kiranjeet Kaur For Doping Violation

• The World Athletics’ anti-doping body has handed a four-year ban to long-distance runner Kiranjeet Kaur, for testing positive for a banned substance.
• The World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) accredited laboratory tested her samples, taken in December 2019.
• Her ban period is effective from 15 December 2019.
• The 32-year-old Kaur won the Tata Steel Kolkata 25K among the Indians in December 2019. This award will also be taken away from her.

Important Days

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World No-Tobacco Day:  31 May

• World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) is observed every year on 31 May, globally to inform the public on the dangers of using tobacco  and to discourage the use of tobacco in any form.
• Theme of the 2020 WNTD is ‘Tobacco and related industry tactics to attract younger generations’.
• The Day was created by the member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1987.

Obituary

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Veteran Astrologer Bejan Daruwalla passes away at 89

• The world-renowned astrologer, Bejan Daruwalla, has passed away suffering from pneumonia. He was 89.
• Daruwalla was a great Ganesha devotee.
• He combined the principles of various techniques like Vedic astrology, Numerology, Palmistry, I-Ching, Tarot, Kabalah and even Western astrology for his predictions.

Veteran lyricist Yogesh Gaur Passes Away at 77

• Veteran Bollywood lyricist Yogesh Gaur, best-known as Yogesh in the film industry, has passed away. He was 77.
• Yogesh has given Bollywood several hit songs in the 60s and 70s.
• Some of his best known songs are Zindagi Kaise Yeh Paheli and Kahin Door Jab Din Dhal Jaaye for Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna’s 1971 film Anand.

Hindu ruler Hari Singh tried to negotiate with India & Pak to have an independent status for his state. Since majority population of the state was Muslim, the Pakistan thought Kashmir ‘belonged‘ to them.

India Pakistan Relations

On 15th August Harisingh offered standstill agreement with both countries which allowed the free movement of people & goods. Pakistan signed the agreement but India didn’t. Pakistan became impatient & started violating standstill agreement.  24th October Hari Singh demanded military assistance from India. Mountbatten pointed out that under international law India can send its troops only after state signs a formal instrument of accession – on 26^th Oct Maharaja signed instrument of accession – ratified in 1954.
On 27th Oct. morning nearly 100 planes airlifted men and weapons to Srinagar. Pakistan army left the main valley region but continue to occupy a large chunk of territory of Gilgit, Baltistan region – Pak occupied Kashmir.
At the same time India lodged complaint against Pakistan for their illegal actions in UN. Instead of getting justice at UN, Western powers backed Pakistan. India also accepted UN resolution on ceasefire in spite of its advantageous position and agreed for plebiscite in Kashmir, which laid down two conditions for holding plebiscite –

• Pak should withdraw its forces from the state of J&K
• The authority of the Srinagar administration should be restored over the whole state

• Above mentioned first conditions was never fulfilled, so there was no plebiscite there.
• Meanwhile J&K participated in India’s general elections and then the talk of plebiscite remained irrelevant.

Kashmir conflict didn’t prevent cooperation between governments of India & Pak. Both the governments worked together to restore the abducted women to their original families, a long term dispute of river water sharing was resolved – with world Bank’s mediation and India-Pakistan Indus Water Treaty was signed by Nehru and General Ayub Khan in 1960.

India Pakistan Wars

1965 India Pakistan War 

• Pakistan launched armed attacks in the Rann of Kutch area of Gujarat, later it launched bigger offensive in J & K in 1965.
• Pakistan thought that this time the local population would support the cause of Pakistan, but nothing of this sort happened.
• Meanwhile, in order to ease the pressure from Kashmir front, Shastri ordered Indian troops to launch counter offensive on the Punjab border.
• War was won by India, and the hostilities came to an end with UN intervention.

Due to the mediation of Soviet Union, Both the countries signed the Tashkent Agreement [Shastri from India & General Ayub Khan from Pak] in January 1966. Although India won the war, this war added India the economic difficulties.

1971 India Pakistan War 

The internal crisis of Pakistan after the verdict of their general elections turned violent. Ruling party of Zulfikar Bhutto emerged as winner in West Pakistan while in Eastern Part Rahman’s Awani League won with great margins. However, strong and powerful western establishment ignored the democratic verdict and didn’t accept the League’s demand for federation. Instead of responding to their demands and verdict positively, Pak army arrested Rahman and unleashed brutal terror activities and suppressed their voices.

• To end this menace permanently, people of Eastern Pak started liberation struggle of Bangladesh from Pak.
• Due to the huge influence of refugees from Eastern Pak, India deliberated much and later extended its support to people’s cause materially and morally, which was frowned by Western Pak as Indian conspiracy to break of Pakistan.
• The support to Western Pak came from the USA & China to quash the people’s movement.
• To ensure its safety from the attacks of American and Chinese backed Pak, India signed 20 year Treaty of Peace and Friendship with the Soviet Union.
• Even after much diplomatic deliberations no concrete results could be achieved, and full scale war broke out in 1971 on both the western and Eastern front.
• With the support of local population in the form of “Mukti Bahini” Indian army made rapid progress and compelled the Pakistani troops to surrender in 10 days only.

With emergence of Bangladesh as an independent country, India declared a unilateral ceasefire. Later Shimla Agreement of 1972 between Indira Gandhi & Zulfikar Bhutto brought back the peace between two nations.

Kargil War 

After the debacle of 1971 war, Pak army never tried to fight with Indian army directly & started the proxy war by sending the terrorists trained by their secret agencies to create havoc and panic in J & K and India.

• In 1999, so called Mujahideens occupied several points on the Indian side of LOC in the Mashkoh, Dras, Kaksar, Batalik.
• Suspecting Pak’s hand behind such activities, Indian forces immediately started retaliating to such proxy war which is known as “Kargil conflict”.
• This conflict got worldwide attention because of the nuclear capabilities attained by these countries in 1998, which could be used by either side, however nuclear weapons were not used in war, and Indian troops regained their points.

There was huge controversy surrounding this Kargil conflict, that, the then PM of Pak was kept in the dark of such move. Later, the then Pak army Chief General Parvez Musharraf took over as its President.
International Court of Justice stayed the execution of Kulbhushan Jadhav, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court on the charge of spying. The Court said that India should have been granted consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav as per the Vienna Convention.
India accused Pakistan of violating the Vienna Convention and conducting a “farcical trial” for convicting Jadhav without a “shred of evidence.

Daily Current Affairs 30 May 2020: We have collected the latest current affairs for 30 May 2020 that are important for all competitive exams like Bank, SSC, IBPS, SBI exams. The GK current affairs will help you score more in these competitive exams. Improve your general knowledge with our daily online current affairs.

Today Current Affairs - 30th May 2020

National News

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Foundation Stone for Missile Park ‘Agneeprastha’ Laid at INS Kalinga, Visakhapatnam

• The foundation stone for setting up a Missile Park named ‘Agneeprastha’ was laid at INS Kalinga, Naval base in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, by Commodore Rajesh Debnath, Commanding Officer Eastern Naval Command (ENC), on 28 May 2020.
• Once completed, the Missile Park will be dedicated to all the officers, sailors and support staff of the INS Kalinga, who have served in this premier naval base of the ENC since its establishment in 1981..
• ‘AGNEEPRASTHA’ will have glimpses of Missile History of INS Kalinga since 1981 till date.
• A 2 megawatt solar photovoltaic plant was also commissioned at INS Kalinga by Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain.
• It is the largest plant in the Eastern Naval Command, and has an estimated life of 25 years.
• INS Kalinga is an Indian Navy establishment reporting to the Eastern Naval Command. It is responsible for preparing, storing and delivering advanced missiles to ships of the Eastern Fleet.

FM Sitharaman formally launches scheme for instant allotment of online PAN

• In order to ease the process of allotment of PAN number, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, on 28 May 2020, officially launched the facility for instant online PAN allotment on furnishing Aadhaar details.
• Under this system, Permanent Account Number (PAN) shall be instantly allotted online on the basis of Aadhaar without filling up the detailed application form.
• The ‘beta version’ for instant allotment of PAN on trial basis was started on February 12, 2020 on the e-filing website of the Income-Tax Department.
• Only those applicants who have a valid Aadhaar number and a mobile number registered with Aadhaar can use this facility.
• The electronic PAN (e-PAN) will be issued to applicants free-of-cost.

Appointments

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IOC appoints Narinder Batra as member of Olympic Channel Commission

• The incumbent President of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Narinder Batra has been appointed as a member of the Olympic Channel Commission, by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
• Mr. Batra also heads the International Hockey Federation (FIH) and is also a member of the International Olympic Committee.
• The Olympic Channel Commission advises the IOC Session, the IOC Executive Board and the IOC president and provides guidance throughout the launch and operation of the Olympic Channel.

Sandip Pradhan’s Tenure as DG of Sports Authority of India Extended by 2 Years

• The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has extended the tenure of Sandip Pradhan as Director General (DG) of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) by two years.
• The extended tenure will come into effect from 6 June 2020.

Thierry Delaporte appointed as new CEO and MD of Wipro Limited

• IT major firm Wipro Limited has appointed Thierry Delaporte as it’s new Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director. He will take charge with effect from July 6, 2020.
• Before this appointment, Thierry Delaporte was the Chief Operating Officer of Capgemini Group and a member of its Group Executive Board.
• Mr. Delaporte will succeed company’s current CEO and MD Abidali Neemuchwala, who will relinquish his position as CEO and MD on June 1, 2020.
• Till then company’s Chairman Rishad Premji will oversee the day-to-day operations of the company until July 5.
• Mr. Delaporte will be based in Paris, and will report to Chairman Rishad Premji.

Aiman Ezzat Appointed as New CEO of Capegemini

• Aiman Ezzat has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the French technology major, Capgemini Group on 20 May 2020.
• He succeeds Paul Hermelin. However, Hermelin will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board.

Leo Puri to take over as new Chairman of JP Morgan’s South & Southeast Asia region, Replacing Kalpana Morparia

• Former chief executive at UTI Mutual Fund, Leo Puri, has been named as the next Chairman of JP Morgan for the South Asia and South East Asia region.
• He would succeed veteran banker Kalpana Morparia who would retire from the post by the end of the first quarter of 2021 after leading the US bank in India and the region for nearly 12 years.
• Meanwile, Murli Maiya, has been appointed as the CEO of JP Morgan for South and South East Asia.

Award

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South African Researcher Quarraisha Abdool Karim wins France’s Christophe Merieux Prize

• A South African based researcher, Quarraisha Abdool Karim has been awarded one of France’s top science prizes, Christophe Merieux Prize for the year 2020.
• The half a million-euro ($551,000) award is presented every year by the Institut de France to support research into infectious diseases in developing countries.
• The 60-year-old Karim has been awarded for her research work where she founded that a topical gel could stop many women catching the virus. She is the head at the Durban-based Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA).

Obituary

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Ajit Jogi, the First Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Passes Away at 74

• Ajit Jogi, who served as the first Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, has passed away. He was 74.
• Ajit Jogi had served as the first CM of the state from November 2000 to November 2003.
• He parted ways with the Congress in 2016 and went on to form the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J).
• Before taking over as the CM, Ajit Jogi served as a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) from Madhya Pradesh.

Important Days

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International Everest Day: 29 May

• International Everest Day is observed on 29 May every year.
• It was on this day in 1953 that Nepalese Tenzing Norgay and New Zealand’s Edmund Hillary had climbed the Mt. Everest, becoming the first humans to achieve the feat.
• The International Everest Day is held since 2008, when the legendary climber Hillary passed away.

geography syllabus for upsc

UPSC Syllabus Geography Optional Paper I:

1. Geomorphology: Factors controlling landform development; endogenetic and exogenetic forces; Origin and evolution of the earth's crust; Fundamentals of geomagnetism; Physical conditions of the earth's interior; Geosynclines; Continental drift; Isostasy; Plate tectonics; Recent views on mountain building; Vulcanicity; Earthquakes and Tsunamis; Concepts of geomorphic cycles and Landscape development ; Denudation chronology; Channel morphology; Erosion surfaces; Slope development ; Applied Geomorphology : Geohydrology, economic geology and environment.
2. Climatology: Temperature and pressure belts of the world; Heat budget of the earth; Atmospheric circulation; atmospheric stability and instability. Planetary and local winds; Monsoons and jet streams; Air masses and fronto genesis, Temperate and tropical cyclones; Types and distribution of precipitation; Weather and Climate; Koppen's, Thornthwaite's and Trewartha's classification of world climates; Hydrological cycle; Global climatic change and role and response of man in climatic changes, Applied climatology and Urban climate.
3. Oceanography: Bottom topography of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans; Temperature and salinity of the oceans; Heat and salt budgets, Ocean deposits; Waves, currents and tides; Marine resources: biotic, mineral and energy resources; Coral reefs, coral bleaching; sea level changes; law of the sea and marine pollution.
4. Biogeography: Genesis of soils; Classification and distribution of soils; Soil profile; Soil erosion, Degradation and conservation; Factors influencing world distribution of plants and animals; Problems of deforestation and conservation measures; Social forestry; agro-forestry; Wild life; Major gene pool centres.
5. Environmental Geography: Principle of ecology; Human ecological adaptations; Influence of man on ecology and environment; Global and regional ecological changes and imbalances; Ecosystem their management and conservation; Environmental degradation, management and conservation; Biodiversity and sustainable development; Environmental policy; Environmental hazards and remedial measures; Environmental education and legislation.

Human Geography

1. Perspectives in Human Geography: Areal differentiation; regional synthesis; Dichotomy and dualism; Environmentalism; Quantitative revolution and locational analysis; radical, behavioural, human and welfare approaches; Languages, religions and secularization; Cultural regions of the world; Human development index.
2. Economic Geography:World economic development: measurement and problems; World resources and their distribution; Energy crisis; the limits to growth; World agriculture: typology of agricultural regions; agricultural inputs and productivity; Food and nutrition problems; Food security; famine: causes, effects and remedies; World industries:locational patterns and problems; patterns of world trade.
3. Population and Settlement Geography: Growth and distribution of world population; demographic attributes; Causes and consequences of migration; concepts of over-under-and optimum population; Population theories, world population problems and policies, Social well-being and quality of life; Population as social capital. Types and patterns of rural settlements; Environmental issues in rural settlements; Hierarchy of urban settlements; Urban morphology: Concepts of primate city and rank-size rule; Functional classification of towns; Sphere of urban influence; Rural - urban fringe; Satellite towns; Problems and remedies of urbanization; Sustainable development of cities.
4. Regional Planning:Concept of a region; Types of regions and methods of regionalisation; Growth centres and growth poles; Regional imbalances; regional development strategies; environmental issues in regional planning; Planning for sustainable development.
5. Models, Theories and Laws in Human Geography: Systems analysis in Human geography; Malthusian, Marxian and demographic transition models; Central Place theories of Christaller and Losch;Perroux and Boudeville; Von Thunen's model of agricultural location; Weber's model of industrial location; Ostov's model of stages of growth.

PART II

Geography Of India


1. Physical Setting: Space relationship of India with neighboring countries; Structure and relief; Drainage system and watersheds; Physiographic regions; Mechanism of Indian monsoons and rainfall patterns, Tropical cyclones and western disturbances; Floods and droughts; Climatic regions; Natural vegetation; Soil types and their distributions.
2. Resources: Land, surface and ground water, energy, minerals, biotic and marine resources; Forest and wild life resources and their conservation; Energy crisis.
3. Agriculture: Infrastructure: irrigation, seeds, fertilizers, power; Institutional factors: land holdings, land tenure and land reforms; Cropping pattern, agricultural productivity, agricultural intensity, crop combination, land capability; Agro and social-forestry; Green revolution and its socio- economic and ecological implications; Significance of dry farming; Livestock resources and white revolution; aqua - culture; sericulture, apiculture and poultry; agricultural regionalisation; agro-climatic zones; agroecological regions.
4. Industry: Evolution of industries: Locational factors of cotton, jute, textile, iron and steel, aluminium, fertilizer, paper, chemical and pharmaceutical, automobile, cottage and agro-based industries; Industrial houses and complexes including public sector undertakings; Industrial regionali-sation; New industrial policies; Multinationals and liberalization; Special Economic Zones; Tourism including eco - tourism.
5. Transport, Communication and Trade: Road, railway, waterway, airway and pipeline networks and their complementary roles in regional development; Growing importance of ports on national and foreign trade; Trade balance; Trade Policy; Export processing zones; Developments in communication and information technology and their impacts on economy and society; Indian space programme.
6. Cultural Setting: Historical Perspective of Indian Society:Racial, linguistic and ethnic diversities; religious minorities; major tribes, tribal areas and their problems; cultural regions; Growth, distribution and density of population; Demographic attributes: sex-ratio, age structure, literacy rate, work-force, dependency ratio, longevity; migration (inter-regional, intra- regional and international) and associated problems; Population problems and policies; Health indicators.
7. Settlements:Types, patterns and morphology of rural settlements; Urban developments; Morphology of Indian cities; Functional classification of Indian cities; Conurbations and metropolitan regions; urban sprawl; Slums and associated problems; town planning; Problems of urbanization and remedies.
8. Regional Development and Planning:Experience of regional planning in India; Five Year Plans; Integrated rural development programmes; Panchayati Raj and decentralised planning; Command area development; Watershed management; Planning for backward area, desert, drought prone, hill, tribal area development; multi-level planning; Regional planning and development of island territories.
9. Political Aspects:Geographical basis of Indian federalism; State reorganisation; Emergence of new states; Regional consciousness and inter state issues; international boundary of India and related issues; Cross border terrorism; India's role in world affairs; Geopolitics of South Asia and Indian Ocean realm.
10. Contemporary Issues: Ecological issues: Environmental hazards: landslides, earthquakes, Tsunamis, floods and droughts, epidemics; Issues relating to environmental pollution; Changes in patterns of land use; Principles of environmental impact assessment and environmental management; Population explosion and food security; Environmental degradation; Deforestation, desertification and soil erosion; Problems of agrarian and industrial unrest; Regional disparities in economic development; Concept of sustainable growth and development; Environmental awareness; Linkage of rivers; Globalisation and Indian economy.

Daily Current Affairs 29 May 2020: We have collected the latest current affairs for 29 May 2020 that are important for all competitive exams like Bank, SSC, IBPS, SBI exams. The GK current affairs will help you score more in these competitive exams. Improve your general knowledge with our daily online current affairs.

Today Current Affairs - 29th May 2020

National News

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Centre Renames CIPET as Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology

• The government has recently renamed Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology (CIPET) as Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET).
• CIPET is a premier national institution under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Govt. of India.
• The new name has been registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act 1975 ( Tamil Nadu Act 27 of 1975).

NPCI Launches AI virtual assistant ‘PAi’ to create product awareness

• The National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) has launched an artificial intelligence (AI) based chatbot called PAi, to create awareness around its products like FASTag, RuPay, UPI, AePS on a real time basis.
• PAi is developed by Bengaluru based startup CoRover Private Limited.
• The AI virtual assistant, PAi will be available round the clock to provide accurate information on NPCI products.
• Customers can ask queries in English and Hindi, via text or voice on the websites of NPCI, RuPay, and UPI Chalega.

IIT Madras develops light-weight Magnesium Alloy to replace steel & aluminium in Automobile Industry

• A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM), along with the University of North Texas and US Army Research Laboratory, have developed a magnesium alloy with significantly improved properties, that can replace steel and aluminium in automotive and aerospace components to make vehicles more fuel efficient.
• This Magnesium alloy is lightweight, which helps lower the carbon footprint of vehicles. Lightweight vehicles need lesser fuel to run and are therefore more fuel-efficient.

Flipkart Tie-up with Karnataka Mango Board to help farmers sell produce online

• India’s leading E-commerce marketplace Flipkart has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Karnataka State Mango Department and Marketing Corporation, to enable mango farmers to sell their produce online through the Flipkart platform..
• The partnership will provide farmers with the much-needed market access to consumers and create a potential revenue stream.
• With this partnership, Flipkart is foraying into the Farmer Producer Organisation’s community further contributing to supporting the livelihood of mango growers and the farmer community in this difficult time of fighting with coronavirus.
• Consumers can place orders on Flipkart’s platform for several varieties of mangoes in batches of 3 kg.
• The varieties include Alphonso, Badami, Apoos, Banganpalli, Kesar, Neelam, Himam Pasand, Sendur and Mallika.
• Along with the Mango Board, Indian Post Offices would function as the last- mile delivery operation partners in this mango season.

Banking & Economy News

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ADB signs $177 million loan with India for state road improvements in Maharashtra

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India have signed USD 177 million loan to upgrade 450 kilometers (km) of state highways and major district roads in the state of Maharashtra.
• The project will improve connectivity between rural areas and urban centers in the state enabling rural communities to better access markets, employment opportunities and services.

S&P Predicts India’s GDP at -5% for FY21

• Leading rating agency S&P Global Ratings has forecast the Indian economy to contract 5 percent in the current fiscal 2020-21.
• This means the GDP growth of India for FY21 is estimated at -5%
• The downward revision is due to the lockdown imposed to contain COVID-19 pandemic, which has curtailed economic activity severely.

Appointment News

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BBB Selects SN Rajeswari as CMD of Oriental Insurance

• The Banks Board Bureau (BBB) has selected SN Rajeswari as the new Chairman and MD of the Delhi-based Oriental Insurance Company (OIC), after an online video interview process in the wake of the lockdown.
• She will succeed AV Girija Kumar, who is retiring on 30 May 2020 on reaching 60.
• Rajeswari, a chartered accountant, is currently the second senior most General Manager and CFO of the public sector general insurance industry, New India Assurance (NIA) and will retire in May 2022.

Brazil’s Marcos Prado Troyjo Named as new President of NDB to Replace KV Kamath

• The board of governors of the New Development Bank (NDB) has unanimously elected Marcos Prado Troyjo, former deputy economy minister of Brazil, as the new President of NDB.
• He will replace KV Kamath.
• Marcos is scheduled to take charge on July 7, 2020.
• The board of governors has also appointed India’s Anil Kishora as vice president of the NDB.
• Kishora has 38 years of experience at India’s largest bank, State Bank of India (SBI).
• The Board of Governors of the NDB held a Special Meeting in virtual format on May 27, 2020, in which finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman represented India.

Sports

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Sri Lanka Cricket Suspends Pace Bowler Shehan Madushanka from all forms of cricket after heroin arrest

• Sri Lanka’s cricket board has suspended pace bowler Shehan Madushanka from all forms of the game on 26 May 2020, for alleged possession of illegal drugs.
• The 25-year-old right-arm bowler has been suspended with immediate effect and he also cannot take part in any form of the game.

Important Days

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World Hunger Day: May 28

• Every year on May 28, The Hunger Project celebrates the World Hunger Day.
• The day was started in 2011 by The Hunger Project to raise awareness about the people living in chronic hunger worldwide and celebrate sustainable solutions to hunger and poverty and to inspire everyone to be a part of the solution!
• The Hunger Project is US based organization committed to the sustainable end of world hunger.

International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers: 29 May

• The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers is observed on May 29 annually to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations for their high level of professionalism, dedication, and courage and to honor the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.
• The day was designated by United Nations General Assembly on December 11, 2002 and first celebrated in 2003.
• The 2020 Theme: Women in Peacekeeping: A Key to Peace.

World Digestive Health Day : May 29

• Every year, the World Digestive Health Day (WDHD) is observed on 29 May.
• It is organised by the World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO) in collaboration with the WGO Foundation (WGOF).
• Each year the day focuses upon a particular digestive disease and/or disorder in order to increase general public awareness of prevention, prevalence, diagnosis, management and treatment of the disease and/or disorder.
• The theme of WDHD 2020 is Gut Microbiome – A Global Perspective

Daily Current Affairs 28 May 2020: We have collected the latest current affairs for 28 May 2020 that are important for all competitive exams like Bank, SSC, IBPS, SBI exams. The GK current affairs will help you score more in these competitive exams. Improve your general knowledge with our daily online current affairs.

Today Current Affairs - 28th May 2020

National News

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Android version of Aarogya Setu App Becomes Open Source

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has made the Android version of the Aarogya Setu app as an open source on 26 May 2020,.
• Opening the source to the developer community means that the developers and privacy & security experts will now be able to inspect the source code of the app and modify for changes.
• With this, Aarogya Setu becomes the first government product in the world to be made open source, as no other government product anywhere in the world has been open sourced at this scale.
• As per the Government data, 11.5 crore people have downloaded the app so far and 8 lakh people have done their self-assessment.
• The process of supporting the open-source development will be managed by National Informatics Centre (NIC).
• The source code of Aarogya Setu’s Android  app has been published on GitHub .
• All developers and researchers can visit the following link to participate in review and collaboration programme.

‘Hunar Haat’ to make a comeback in September 2020 after a gap of over -months due to COVID-19

• ‘Hunar Haat’, the flagship initiative by the Minority Affairs Ministry, will make a comeback in September 2020 with a ‘Local to Global’ theme.
• The skill fare will resume to operate after an over five-month gap due to the coronavirus pandemic. The last Hunar Haat was held in end of February to March 8 in Ranchi. It is organised in various different cities of the country.
• ‘Hunar Haat’ is a platform to provide market, employment and employment opportunities to artisans, craftspeople, culinary experts from remote areas of the country to showcase their rare exquisite indigenous handmade products
• So far more than five lakh Indian have been benefited in the last five years.
• The Hunar Haat in Sept 2020 will also have a special ‘jaan bhi, jahaan bhi’ pavilion to create health awareness among the people with the theme of “Say no to panic, yes to precautions“.
• Also, this time, people will be able to buy ‘Hunar Haat’ products online too.

International News

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WFIRST Telescope of NASA renamed after ‘Mother of Hubble’ Nancy Grace Roman

• US Space agency NASA has announced to name its next-generation space telescop, the Wide Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST), currently under development, in honor of Nancy Grace Roman, NASA’s first chief astronomer, who paved the way for space telescopes focused on the broader universe.
• The WFIRST Telescope will now be called Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (or Roman Space Telescope, for short). It is set to be launched in the mid-2020s.
• Dr. Nancy Roman is considered as the Mother of NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, which was launched 30 years ago. It was because of Nancy Grace Roman’s leadership and vision that NASA became a pioneer in astrophysics and launched Hubble, the world’s most powerful and productive space telescope
• The Roman Space Telescope will investigate long-standing astronomical mysteries, such as the force behind the universe’s expansion, and search for distant planets beyond our solar system.
• It will be the successor to NASA’s Hubble and Webb Telescopes.

Business & Agreements

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Facebook Launches its Audio-only Calling App ‘CatchUp’

• The internal R&D group of Facebook, the NPE (New Product Experimentation) Team, has come up with a calling application called Catch-Up.
• This audio-only unique app has been developed to coordinate call timings with friends and family members and enables to set up group calls with up to 8 people.
• CatchUp won’t need a Facebook account to use the service and the app works with your phone’s contacts list.
• Through this app, user will get to know who all in their contact list are free to talk, and which contact is offline.
• The CatchUp app has currently been launched in the United States for testing purpose.

Power Finance Corporation inks MoU with NBPCL to fund projects worth Rs 22,000 crore for 225 MW hydro-electric projects & Multipurpose projects in Madhya Pradesh

• The Power Finance Corporation (PFC), a central PSU under Ministry of Power and India’s leading NBFC has entered into an agreement with Narmada Basin Projects Company Ltd. (NBPCL), a wholly-owned company of Govt. of Madhya Pradesh, to fund projects worth Rs.22,000 crore for 225 MW hydro-electric projects & multipurpose projects in Madhya Pradesh.
• The funds will be used for setting up hydroelectric projects of 225 MW and power components of 12 major multipurpose projects in the state.
• Some of the major multipurpose projects to be financed under the MoU are Basaniya Multipurpose Project Dindori, Chinki Boras Multipurpose Project Narsinghpur Raisen Hoshangabad, Sakkar Pench Link Narsinghpur Chhindwara, Dudhi Project Chhindwara Hoshangabad, etc.

REC Limited ties up with TajSATS to provide nutritious meals to frontline healthcare workers

• REC Limited, a central PSU under Ministry of Power, has started a new mission to feed the medical staff in key government hospitals as well as poor daily wage labourers across the nation, through collaborative efforts.
• The REC Foundation, the CSR arm of REC Limited, has partnered with TajSATS to distribute specially-made nutritious meal packets for medical staff in Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi.
• Apart from this, REC in collaboration with various district authorities, NGOs and electricity distribution companies (DISCOMS) is already providing cooked meals and ration to the needy across the nation.
• REC Limited (formerly Rural Electrification Corporation Limited) is a Navratna NBFC focusing on Power Sector Financing and Development across India. It finances and promotes rural electrification projects across India.
• TajSATS is a joint venture of The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and SATS Limited. It is India’s undisputed leader in airline catering with over 42 years of experience.

Banking & Economy News

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Fitch Ratings Projects India’s GDP at -5% in FY21

• American credit rating agency Fitch ratings has drastically projects India’s economic growth forecast to contract 5 percent in the current fiscal year 2020-21 due to a prolonged lockdown.
• This means India’s GDP is estimated to be -5% in FY21.
• Earlier it had predicted the same at 0.8%

SBI Research Downgrades India’s GDP at -6.8% for FY21

• SBI Research has slashed India’s economic growth forecast in the current fiscal year 2020-21 to contract to 6.8 percent from earlier 4.7 percent.
• This means, as per SBI Research Report, India’s GDP is estimated at -6.8% in FY21.

Award

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Major Suman Gawani Becomes first Indian peacekeeper to be honoured with UN Military Gender Advocate award

• Major Suman Gawani, an Indian Army officer and woman peacekeeper who has served with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), has been selected for the prestigious United Nations Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award (2019).
• She is the first Indian peacekeeper to be given the UN Military Gender Advocate award, for her outstanding contribution to peacekeeping efforts in the UNMISS.
• Major Gawani, along with Brazilian Naval Officer Commander Carla Monteiro de Castro Araujo will receive the award by United Nations Secretary-General Guterres on May 29, the International Day of UN Peacekeepers.
• The UN Military Gender Advocate award was created in 2016 to honour the dedication and effort of individual military peacekeepers in promoting the UN principles on Women, Peace and Security in peace operations as nominated by Heads and Force Commanders of peace operations.

Books & Authors

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JK Rowling releases her new work ‘The Ickabog’ online for free for Children during COVID-19

• The “Harry Potter” author, J.K. Rowling has released her new children’s story “The Ickabog” which will be published online for free, for the children during this lockdown period.
• The Ickabog’ is a story about truth and the abuse of power.
• The first two chapters of “The Ickabog” was released on a new website on 26 May 2020. The author will post the chapters (two or three at a time) every weekend over the next seven weeks.
• Rowling has pledged to donate all royalties when the book is published to “groups who’ve been particularly impacted by the pandemic.”

Appointment

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Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen Takes Oath for Her Second Four-year Term

• Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has won the country’s 2020 Presidential election for the second straight year.
• The 63-year-old President Tsai took the oath for her second four-year term on 20 May 2020.
• She is from the Democratic Progressive Party.
• Tsai won the election with majority vote of 74.9%, the highest among nationwide elections since 2008 as well as the highest vote share won by a DPP candidate in presidential elections ever.

Obituary

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Noted Urdu Writer and Satirist Mujtaba Hussain passes away at 84

• Celebrated Urdu author, humorist and satirist Mujtaba Hussain has passed away after a prolonged illness. He was 84.
• He was awarded the Padma Shri, the country’s fourth-highest civilian award, in 2007.
• Hussain was described as the Mark Twain of Urdu.

Daily Current Affairs 27 May 2020: We have collected the latest current affairs for 27 May 2020 that are important for all competitive exams like Bank, SSC, IBPS, SBI exams. The GK current affairs will help you score more in these competitive exams. Improve your general knowledge with our daily online current affairs.

Today Current Affairs - 27th May 2020

National News

Nitin Gadkari inaugurates 440 metre-long tunnel in Chamba under Chardham Project

• Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the 440 metre-long tunnel, constructed below the busy town of Chamba, on Rishikesh-Dharasu road Highway(NH 94) as part of the Chardham Connectivity Project.
• The tunnel has been developed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
• It will significantly reduce the time taken by travellers on the Rishikesh-Dharasu and Gangotri stretch of the Chardham Highway and also avoid congestion in the city of Chamba and open up avenues of socio-economic development in the region.
• The Rs 12,000 crore Chardham Project includes construction of National Highway with approximate length of 889 Km, to connect Gangotri, Kedarnath, Yamunotri and Badrinath.
• Of this BRO is constructing 250 Km of National Highways leading to holy shrine Gangotri and Badrinath.

United Nations Declares Manipur’s Khudol among the top 10 global initiatives to fight COVID-19

• The United Nations Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth has listed Manipur’s Khudol (gift) among the top 10 global initiatives, for an inclusive fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Khudol is a crowdfunded initiative of Imphal-based NGO ‘Ya_All’, ensuring food, health and hygiene of the LGBTQI+ community, people living with HIV, daily-wage earners, children and adolescents.

Indian start-up VAMS Global makes world’s first contactless visitor management software

• A Mumbai based startup, VAMS Global, has come up with the world’s first contactless Visitor Management Software, having various features such as temperature scanner and mask detection, without coming in contact.
• The software, called VAMS SafeGuard, follows no touch no queue visitors entry and can scan body temperature, detect mask on faces among other things, while following social distancing on the premises.
• It uses AI to allow entry of only those visitor who are complying to all the COVID protection measures.
• It reads, scans and record one person at a time from a distance of 18 inch in less than 3-5 seconds.

International News

United States leaves Open Skies Surveillance Treaty for a period of 6 months

• The United States has announced that the country is leaving the Open Skies treaty for a period of six months,  effective from 23 May 2020.
• US President Donald Trump took this decision, due to the non-compliance of Russia with the treaty.
• US has submitted a notice of its decision to withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies to the Treaty Depositaries (Governments of Canada and Hungary) and to all other states party to the Treaty.
• US would, however, reconsider its withdrawal if Russia returns to full compliance with the Treaty.

Banking & Economy

India’s GDP for FY21 to contract 5%: Crisil

• The research and rating agency CRISIL has revised its forecast downwards again and expects Indian economy to contract 5 percent in fiscal 2020-21. This was 1.8 percent in last prediction.
• This means India’s GDP growth for FY21 has been estimated to be -5%
• Extension in lockdown, higher economic costs and an economic package are the three basic reasons for the downward revision.
• It also said that the pre-Covid-19 gross domestic product (GDP) rate in India will not be possible for the next three fiscals.

Airtel group ties up with Mastercard for customized products for farmers, SMEs

• Airtel Payments Bank (APBL) has partnered with Mastercard to develop customized products for the underbanked spectrum including farmers, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and retail customers.
• The collaboration aims at building a digital platform which provides farmers with knowledge about advanced farming techniques and connection to marketplaces, while simultaneously enabling them to receive payments directly in their Airtel Payments Bank account.
• The tie-up will bring together Mastercard’s global and local experience in developing advanced financial solutions and Airtel Payments Bank’s strong distribution network to reach the last mile and its large customer base.

Award

Indian-American IBM scientist Rajiv Joshi wins Inventor of the Year Award 2020 for improving AI capabilities

• An Indian-American inventor Dr. Rajiv Joshi has bagged the prestigious Inventor of the Year award for the year 2020 for his pioneering work in advancing the electronic industry and improving artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.
• Dr Joshi works at the IBM Thomson Watson Research Center in New York.
• The  $5,000.00 award is presented every year by the New York Intellectual Property Law Association (NYIPLA) in recognition of the contribution that the invention has and/or will make towards society as a whole.

Obituary

Former Inter Milan coach Gigi Simoni passes away at 81

• Former coach of the Italian professional football club ‘Inter Milan’ Gigi Simoni has passed away at the age of 81.
• As a player, Simoni played as an attacking midfielder for Mantova, Napoli, Torino, Juventus, Brescia and Genoa from 1959-1974.
• In 1998, he received the Panchina d’Oro as the best Italian coach.