22nd August 2019 Current Affairs
Chidambaram formally arrested by CBI, to be produced in court tomorrow
- Ex-Finance Minister P Chidambaram has been formally arrested by CBI in the INX Media case and will be produced before a CBI court tomorrow.
- This comes after CBI took him in custody from his residence in Delhi’s Jor Bagh. Chidambaram, who was missing for 24 hours, addressed media earlier today, saying he’s not accused of any offence in the case.
Note:
About CBI
Headquarters: New Delhi
Founded: 1963
Railways to ban single-use plastics on trains, stations from Oct 2
- The Ministry of Railways has directed all railway units to ban single-use plastic materials with less than 50 microns thickness from October 2.
- Railway Board has asked IRCTC to ensure that pantry staff collect empty drinking water bottles for their safe disposal.
Note:
About Ministry of Railways
Founded: 16 April 1853
Officeholders: Piyush Goyal (Minister), Rajen Gohain (Minister of State)
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina & Tennis Legend Sania Mirza will co-chair WEF’s India Economic Summit 2019 to be held in New Delhi
- The World Economic Forum (WEF) in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) will organize 2-day India Economic Summit 2019 scheduled to be held in New Delhi from October 3 – 4, 2019 with the aim of promoting strong collaboration between South Asia and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations ) nations.
- The theme of the event will be ‘Innovating for India: Strengthening South Asia, Impacting the World’.
Note:
About WEF:
Formation: January 1971
Headquarters: Cologny, Geneva, Switzerland
Sri Lanka secures 160 million USD loan from ADB to modernize railway system
- The Sri Lankan government has secured a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) amounting to 160 million U.S. dollars to modernize local railway operations and improve the efficiency of services provided by Sri Lanka Railways.
- The total cost of the railway modernization project amounted to 192 million U.S. dollars and the government contribution towards the project is 32 million U.S. dollars.
Note:
About ADB
Headquarters: Mandaluyong, Philippines
President: Takehiko Nakao
Founded: 19 December 1966
Paytm retains BCCI title sponsorship rights till 2023 for Rs 326.8 crore
- The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that mobile payments and e-commerce company One 97 Communications Pvt. Ltd, which operates under the Paytm brand, has retained the title sponsorship rights for all cricket matches, domestic and international, played in India for five years.
- Paytm has signed the deal for ₹326.80 crores which it will pay BCCI over a period ranging between 2019 and 2023.
Note:
About BCCI
CEO: Rahul Johri
Headquarters: Mumbai
Presidents: Vinod Rai (interim), C.K. Khanna
Standard Chartered partners with SAP Ariba for financial supply chain solutions
- Standard Chartered(StanChart) has partnered with business commerce network SAP Ariba in order to increase the Bank’s financial supply chain solutions reach across the Asia Pacific through the Ariba Network.
- The collaboration aims to propel the digitalization of the supply chain and enhance accuracy for buyers and suppliers.
Note:
About SAP Ariba
Founded: 1996
Headquarters: Palo Alto, California, United States
RBI allows e-mandates on cards for recurring transactions
- RBI permitted processing of e-mandate on credit & debit cards for recurring transactions (merchant payments) with a cap of Rs 2,000.
- It is applicable for transactions performed using all types of cards – debit, credit & PPIs, including wallets.
Note:
About RBI
Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata
Governor: Shaktikanta Das
Conservationist Vivek Menon wins Clark Bavin Award
- Conservationist Vivek Menon, head of Delhi-based conservation non-profit, Wildlife Trust of India awarded the prestigious Clark R Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award for the year 2019.
- He co-founded TRAFFIC India with his mentor the late Ashok Kumar.
Note:
About Geneva
Country: Switzerland
Canton: Geneva
Ajay Kumar new Defence Secretary, Rajiv Gauba made Cabinet Secretary
- Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved, Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba as Cabinet Secretary for two years.
- Ajay Kumar as Secretary, Defence who will replace Sanjay Mitra.
- Brij Kumar Agarwal has been appointed Secretary, Lokpal.
Note:
About Defence Secretary
Term length: 2 years
Salary: ₹225,000 (US$3,300) monthly
Nalin Kumar Kateel appointed as new Karnataka BJP President
- The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has chosen Nalin Kumar Kateel as the new Karnataka state President of the party.
- He has replaced BS Yediyurappa who was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Karnataka for the fourth time on July 26.
Note:
About Karnataka
Chief minister: B. S. Yediyurappa
Capital: Bengaluru
World Senior Citizen Day observed on August 21, 2019
- The World Senior Citizen Day was observed on August 21, 2019 across the world.
- The day is recognized to create awareness of the condition of elder people and support them through senescence.
US startup Cerebras Systems unveils World’s largest processor with 1.2 trillion transistors called Cerebras Wafer Scale Engine
- New artificial intelligence (AI) company Cerebras Systems based in United States(US) has unveiled the world’s largest single silicon-based processor, the Cerebras Wafer Scale Engine (WSE) with 1.2 trillion transistors, the basic on-off electronic switches that are the building blocks of silicon chips.
- The rectangular shape chip measures around 8 inches by 9 inches, comes with 400,000 AI (Artificial Intelligence) cores and 18 gigabytes of on-chip memory.
Note:
About Cerebras Systems:
Formation:2016
Headquarters: Los Altos, California, USA
CEO, Co-Founder: Andrew Feldman
DRDO hands over MMR design to the Indian army
- Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) handed over the design of Mobile Metallic Ramp (MMR) to the Indian Army at an event held at DRDO Bhawan.
- DRDO Chairman G Satheesh Reddy handed over the design of MMR to Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Devraj Anbu.
Note:
About DRDO
Headquarters: New Delhi
Founded: 1958
Israel, South Korea conclude talks on Free Trade Agreement
- Israel & South Korea concluded three years of negotiations on a free trade agreement.
- It will provide a competitive advantage & ease activity for Israeli exporters in the South Korean market, thus strengthening Israeli exports & increasing economic growth.
Note:
About Israel
Currency: Israeli new shekel
Capital: Jerusalem
Try out the quiz ?
1. Standard Chartered has partnered with which business commerce network in order to increase the financial supply chain solutions?
Standard Chartered(StanChart) has partnered with business commerce network SAP Ariba in order to increase the Bank’s financial supply chain solutions reach across the Asia Pacific through the Ariba Network.
2. Which country has secured a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) amounting to 160 million U.S. dollars to modernize local railway system?
The Sri Lankan government has secured a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) amounting to 160 million U.S. dollars to modernize local railway operations and improve the efficiency of services provided by Sri Lanka Railways.
3. Who has retained the title sponsorship rights from BCCI for all cricket matches, domestic and international, played in India for five years?
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that mobile payments and e-commerce company One 97 Communications Pvt. Ltd, which operates under the Paytm brand, has retained the title sponsorship rights for all cricket matches, domestic and international, played in India for five years.
4. India Economic Summit 2019 scheduled to be held in which city?
The World Economic Forum (WEF) in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) will organize 2-day India Economic Summit 2019 scheduled to be held in New Delhi from October 3 – 4, 2019 with the aim of promoting strong collaboration between South Asia and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations ) nations.
5. Who has got the prestigious Clark R Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award -2019?
Conservationist Vivek Menon, head of Delhi-based conservation non-profit, Wildlife Trust of India awarded the prestigious Clark R Bavin Wildlife Law Enforcement Award for the year 2019.
6. Who is the new Defence Secretary of India?
Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved, Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba as Cabinet Secretary for two years. Ajay Kumar as Secretary, Defence who will replace Sanjay Mitra.
7. World Senior Citizen Day has observed on..........
The World Senior Citizen Day was observed on August 21, 2019 across the world.
8. A startup company Cerebras Systems has unveiled the world’s largest single silicon-based processor. This startup is based in which country?
New artificial intelligence (AI) company Cerebras Systems based in United States(US) has unveiled the world’s largest single silicon-based processor, the Cerebras Wafer Scale Engine (WSE) with 1.2 trillion transistors, the basic on-off electronic switches that are the building blocks of silicon chips.
9. Mobile Metallic Ramp (MMR) for Indian Army has been designed by..........
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) handed over the design of Mobile Metallic Ramp (MMR) to the Indian Army at an event held at DRDO Bhawan here.
10. P Chidambaram has been formally arrested by CBI. He was the former.......... Minister.
Ex-Finance Minister P Chidambaram has been formally arrested by CBI in the INX Media case and will be produced before a CBI court tomorrow.
11. Railways to be ban single-use plastics in trains and stations from which date.....
The Ministry of Railways has directed all railway units to ban single-use plastic materials with less than 50 microns thickness from 2 October 2019.
12. RBI has permitted processing of e-mandate on credit & debit cards for recurring transactions. Where is the head headquarters of RBI?
RBI (headquarters - Mumbai) permitted processing of e-mandate on credit & debit cards for recurring transactions (merchant payments) with a cap of Rs 2,000.
13. Who has been appointed as new BJP President of Karnataka?
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has chosen Nalin Kumar Kateel as the new Karnataka state President of the party.
14. Which of the two countries have concluded three years of negotiations on a free trade agreement?
Israel & South Korea concluded three years of negotiations on a free trade agreement.
