Current Affairs August 13 2019

We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs August 13 2019, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2019 from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

Our complete Current Affairs August 2019 PDF will help you to get more marks in Banking, Insurance, SSC, Railways, UPSC, CLAT and all State Government Exams. Also try our Latest Current Affairs Quiz and Current Affairs PDF which will be a pedestrian to crack your exams.

Useful Links:

• Current Affairs
  
• Current Affairs 2019
  
• Current Affairs August 2019
• Current Affairs July 2019
• Current Affairs June 2019
• Current Affairs May 2019

Click here for Current Affairs August 12 2019

INDIAN AFFAIRS

Govt. Makes headgear compulsory for children aged above 4 years
The govt. has made a significant move on safety measures by making it mandatory for children above 4 years of age to wear a headgear of prescribed standards.
i.This safety measures for the children has been included in the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) act 2019 which was passed by the government recently.
ii. Turban wearing Sikhs are exempted from section 129……………….Click here to Read more

33% of India’s skilled youth are jobless: PLFS 2017-18
An analysis of the unit-level data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2017-18, conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), found that 33% of India’s skilled youth are jobless. 4 out of 10 youth who received vocational training are out of the labour force. Nearly a third of trained young men and more than a third of trained young women were unemployed.
i. In 2017-18, only 1.8% of the population (15-29 years) reported receiving formal vocational/technical training. 42% of the youth who received formal technical training were not part of the labour force……………………..Click here to Read more

Swachh Survekshan 2020 launched by MoS for housing Shri Hardeep Puri
The Minister of State (Independent charge) for housing and urban affairs Shri Hardeep SinghPuri launched the fifth edition of annual cleanliness survey, Swachh Survekshan 2020 (SS 2020) which is to be conducted from January 2020.Swachh Survekshan 2020 Toolkit, SBM(Swachh Bharat Mission) Water PLUS Protocol and Toolkit, Swachh Nagar- an integrated waste management app and AI( Artificial intelligence) enabled mSBM app was launched.
A special song based on the Swachh Survekshan theme was released. It features Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut, singers Kailash Kher and Monali Thakur……………….Click here to Read more

President Ram Nath Kovind approves UAPA Bill, 2019
On August 8, 2019, President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind approved the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment (UAPA) Bill, 2019 under which individuals can be declared as terrorists, their properties can be seized and travel ban can be imposed once they are declared as terrorists. Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar are likely to be the first 2 individuals to be designated as terrorists.

Indian Army launches ‘Mission Reach Out’ post Article 370 revocation in Jammu
On August 10, 2019, The Indian Army has launched a “Mission Reach Out” post revocation of Article 370 in Jammu Division to ensure basic necessities and essential services are available in the region.
Key points:
i. Mission Reach Out: Under this mission, Army has undertaken many initiatives which includes, providing water in locations where supply is disrupted and mobile medical care units with essential medicines, giving essentials including rations, assistance in transportation of patients to hospitals, facilitating people to speak to their near and dear ones through Army exchange and creating a safe environment for ATMs, banks and hospitals to function.
ii. A high-level conference, “Mission Reach Out”, chaired by White Knight Corps Commander Lt Gen Paramjit Singh, to review the prevalent situation in the region was held in the Nagrota Military Station. It was attended by Jammu Divisional Commissioner Sanjeev Verma, members of civil administration, representatives of Jammu and Kashmir(J&K) Police, CRPF(Central Reserve Police Force i), BSF(Border Security Force)and intelligence agencies.
iii. Paramjit Singh was appreciative of the cooperation between the Army, Civil Administration & other security forces in maintaining peace, harmony and favorable environment in the Jammu region.
About Indian Army:
♦ Motto: “Service Before Self”
♦ Founded: 1 April 1895
♦ Headquarters: New Delhi
♦ Chief of the Army Staff: Bipin Rawat
About J&K:
♦ Capital: Srinagar (summer) Jammu (winter)
♦ Governor: Satya Pal Malik
♦ National Park s: City Forest (Salim Ali) National Park, Dachigam National Park, Hemis National Park, Kishtwar National Park.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal lead a delegation to Vladivostok, Russia
i. Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr Piyush Goyal led a high-power delegation to explore the opportunities for enhancing trade and investment from India to the Far East region of Russia at Vladivostok, Russia from August 11-13, 2019. His visit is a precursor to the upcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the 5^th edition of the Eastern Economic Forum in September, 2019 where PM will be the guest of honour.
ii. Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Yuri Trutnev and Commerce Minister of India Piyush Goyal underlined the need to diversify and deepen trade links in priority sectors, in order to meet the trade target of $30 billion by 2025. In 2018-19, the bilateral trade between the countries stood at $8.3 billion……………………Click here to Read more

Kajin Sara lake in Nepal is likely to set a new record of being the world’s highest
A newly discovered Kajin Sara lake in Manang district of  Nepal is all set to record the world’s highest lake. It will replace the Tilicho lake, which is the current world’s highest lake situated at an altitude of 4,919 metres in Nepal(also in Manang) measures 4 km long, 1.2 km wide and around 200 metres deep. Kajin Sara lake:
i. The lake called Singar locally, located at an altitude of  5,200 metres. But this measurement is yet to be officially verified. It is estimated to be 1,500-metre-long and 600-meter-wide.
ii. Once its altitude of over 5,200 metres, it will be the world’s highest lake & will help promote tourism in the district.
iii. A team of mountaineers discovered this lake about a few months ago at Singarkharka area of Chame rural municipality in Nepal.
iv. The lake said to have formed out of the water melted from the Himalayas &it has Mt Manaslu to the east, Mt Damodar to the west, Mt Annapurna and Mt Lamjung to the south, and Mt Peri in the Tibet to the north.
About Nepal:
♦ Capital: Kathmandu
♦ Currency: Nepalese rupee
♦ President: Bidhya Devi Bhandari
♦ Prime Minister :Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli
♦ Rivers: Koshi River, Gandaki River, Sharda River, Trishuli River.

BANKING & FINANCE

After State Bank of India, BoB goes the same way to link home loan product to RBI’s repo rate
On August 11, 2019, Indian multinational, public sector bank, Bank of Baroda (BoB) has linked its home loan product to RBI’s (Reserve Bank of India (RBI)repo rate after State Bank of India (SBI). With this, home loans at BOB will be available at repo rate linked interest rate starting at 8.35%, thus passing on the further benefit of 10 basis points to the present MCLR (Marginal Cost of Funds based Lending Rate) rated pricing.
Key points:
i. Presently, the MCLR linked home loan product is available starting at 8.45%, which had come into effect on 7^th August 2019 after the MCLR was reduced by 15 basis points (bps).
ii. This decision is following RBI reducing the key interest rate (repo) by 35 basis points to a nine-year low of 5.40%.
iii. SBI’s reduction: After RBI cut its key repo rate, State Bank of India (SBI), reduced home loan rates by 15 bps effect from August 10, 2019. The revised one-year MCLR stands at 8.25% per annum down from 8.40% earlier.
iv. Many other state-run banks, including Union Bank of India, Allahabad Bank, Bank of India and Syndicate Bank, have also expressed their intention to launch loan products linked to an external benchmark, in most cases, it has been the repo rate.
About BOB:
♦ Founded: 20 July 1908
♦ Headquarters: Vadodara, Gujarat
♦ MD & CEO: P. S. Jayakumar
♦ Tagline: India’s International Bank
About SBI:
♦ Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
♦ Chairman: Rajnish Kumar
♦ Tagline: With you all the way, Pure Banking Nothing Else, The Nation’s banks on us.

OYO Hotels partners with ACKO General Insurance will launch complimentary insurance cover up to Rs.10 lakh for guests
On August 12, 2019, Budget hotel chain Oyo Hotels and Homes have partnered with ACKO General Insurance to provide a complimentary insurance cover as part of the booking price for guests at its hotels across India. The visitors will get insurance protection against accidental death, baggage damage, accidental medical expenses amongst other benefits like OPD (Outpatient Department)treatment, etc during their stay.
Key points:
i. The package offers OYO guests insurance coverage up to Rs 10 lakh.
The various insurance coverage include,

ii. The complementary insurance cover will be applicable on OYO app, website, mobile website, direct bookings as well as booking done through walk-in.
iii. The partnership will help create the hassle-free and comfortable experience of OYO guests.
About OYO:
♦ Founded: 2013
♦ Headquarters: Gurgaon, Haryana
♦ CEO: Aditya Ghosh
About ACKO General Insurance
♦ Founded: 2016
♦ Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
♦ CEO and founder: Varun Dua

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Indresh Tripathi, a MIG police station in-charge in Indore will be conferred with the National Award
Indresh Tripathi, a MIG police station in-charge in Indore (Madhya Pradesh) will be conferred with the National Award on January 26, 2020, in New Delhi by the central Government for his excellent services at the national level.
i. Tripathi already praised by the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath for finding a girl who went missing from her home.

Priyam Chatterjee becomes first Indian chef to be awarded the ”Chevalier de l”Ordre du Merite Agricoleto” by the govt of France
On August 13, 2019, The government of France conferred the Indian Chef Priyam Chatterjee (30) with ‘Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mrite Agricoleto’ (Order of Agricultural Merit) in New Delhi. With this distinction, Chatterjee becomes the 1^st Indian from Kolkata (West Bengal) to receive this honour, in recognition of his great contribution towards reinventing the gastronomic scene in India.Key points:
i. French Ambassador to India Alexandre Ziegler conferred Indian chef Chatterjee, who is currently the head chef at Jaan Restaurant Yacht in France, before that he was the head chef of Rooh, and Qla, in Mehrauli(France).
ii. Started the first professional career at Park Hyatt in Hyderabad, Chatterjee is popularly known for traditional dishes of West Bengal and giving it a French twist.
About Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mrite Agricoleto’:
The award was instituted in 1883, is a distinction bestowed by the French Republic for outstanding contributions, among others, to agriculture, agro-food industry, and gastronomy.
About France:
♦ Capital: Paris
♦ Currencies: Euro, CFP franc
♦ President: Emmanuel Macron

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNS

Alejandro Giammattei is elected as the new president of Guatemala
On August 11, 2019, Conservative Alejandro Eduardo Giammattei Falla was elected as Guatemala’s 51st President from Vamos party defeating Sandra Torres, Former first lady(spouse of Alvaro Colom- 47th Guatemala president) by gaining more than 58% of the votes. Key points
i. Giammattei succeeds outgoing corruption-tainted President Jimmy Morales (50th president of Guatemala). Morales will be leaving office in 2020 in the month of January.
ii. Giammattei, a 63-year-old doctor and former prison chief were defeated in three previous presidential elections.
iii. People from Mexico migrate to the United States(US) through Guatemala which recently created high political tensions and reflected in the presidential elections where Giammattei strongly opposes US president Trump’s immigration deal.
About Guatemala
♦ It is a central American country, south of Mexico and is home to volcanoes, rainforests and ancient Mayan sites.
♦ Capital- Guatemala city.
♦ Currency- Guatemalan quetzal.

Former SC judge Madan Lokur sworn in as Fiji’s SC judge
On August 12, 2019, the President of Fiji Major.General(Retd) Jioji Konrote has appointed Justice Madan Lokur from India as the new Supreme Court (SC) judge of Fiji.i. He will serve as the judge of the non-resident panel of the Supreme Court of Fiji.
Key points
i. The swearing-in ceremony was conducted and the oath was administered by the president of Fiji in presence of Chief Justice Kamal Kumar and others.
ii. This is the first time ever an Indian has been appointed to the Supreme Court of another country.
iii. Mr. Madan Lokur who retired as justice of  India’s SC in December 2018, will go to Fiji twice a year to handle civil, criminal, constitutional, commercial matters etc. The SC of Fiji has two sessions in a year split across four weeks.
iv. He will join the office from August 15, 2019.
v. He was appointed as the SC judge of India on June 4, 2012.
About Fiji
♦ Capital- Suva.
♦ Currency- Fijian dollar.
♦ Continent- Oceania.
♦ President- Jioji Konrote
♦ Prime minister- Frank Bainimarama.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

5th fast patrol vehicle- Kanaklata Barua, for Indian Coast Guard launched by GRSE Kolkata
On August 10, 2019, the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) which is a premier warship builder based at Kolkata, launched the fifth Fast Patrol Vessel (FPV) for the Indian Coast Guard(ICG).
i. The ship is the last series of the five FPVs built by GRSE.
ii. It is to be Commissioned as Kanaklata Barua, named after a freedom fighter from Assam.
iii. The first ship of FPV class is ICGS (Indian Coast Guard Ship) Priyadarshini that was commissioned on March 27, 2019…………………..Click here to Read more

[better-ads type=’banner’ banner=’124397′ ]

SPORTS

Three new sports including Women’s T20 cricket included in the CWG 2022
i. The Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022 which is to be held in Birmingham, England will be the first major multi-sport event to give additional spot to women’s medal thus making more Women’s medal than men’s medal.
ii. The medal classification are- 135 medals for women and 133 medals for men
iii. The three newly added sports are

• Women’s T20 (twenty-twenty) cricket.
• beach volleyball and
• Para-table tennis………………………….Click here to Read more

Aishwarya Pissay creates history by becoming the first Indian woman to win FIM Bajas World Cup 2019
23-year-old Indian motorsport rider, Aishwarya Pissay from Bengaluru became the first woman from India as well as the first Indian to win the FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) Bajas World cup 2019 with a tally of 65 points. The final round of the championship was held at Varpalota, Hungary. Key points
i. Aishwarya Pissay also finished second in the FIM junior category with 46 points.
ii. She was the only one to compete for all the four rounds over her rivals and represented TVS (Thirukkurungudi vengaram Sundaram) motors.
iii. She finished 4th in the final level of the 2019 Bajas world cup to win the championship-leading with four points.
iv. A total of 5 participants competed in the 2019 FIM Bajas World cup with Portugal’s Rita Vieira (61 points) finishing in the second spot.

India’s U-19 cricket team wins U-19 Tri-series 2019 by beating Bangladesh
India’s U-19 cricket team defeated Bangladesh in finals by 6 wickets at the County Ground, Hove in the United Kingdom (UK) and clinched the Under-19 Tri-Series 2019 Title. Tri-nation series between India, Bangladesh and England was held from July 21-August 11, 2019 in England.
Key Points:
i. Bangladesh had scored 261 runs, all out in 50 overs and India reached the target and scored 264 runs for 4 wickets in 48.4 overs.
ii. The captain of Indian U-19 team was Priyam Garg and of U-19 Bangladesh team was Akbar Ali.
iii. In the tournament, India U-19 team finished in second place with 8 points, behind Bangladesh U-19, who secured 11 points. England U-19 secured 5 points.
About ICC (International Cricket Council):
♦ Motto: Cricket for good
♦ Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
♦ Chairman: Shashank Manohar
♦ CEO: Manu Sawhney

Vinesh Phogat settled for silver in final of Medved event 2019
On August 11, 2019, Indian woman wrestler Vinesh Phogat (53kg), aged 24, settled for silver in the final of the Medved event 2019 in Minsk, Belarus. She suffered a 0-10 (technical superiority) defeat against N Malisheva of Russia. She had won 3 consecutive gold medals at the Grand Prix of Spain, Yasar Dogu International and Poland Open in 2019.

BWF World Senior Badminton Championship 2019: Ajith Haridas and Vijay Lancy won men’s doubles 40-plus title
In the 2019 Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Senior Championships, officially YONEX BWF World Senior Badminton Championships Katowice 2019, Ajith Haridas and Vijay Lancy of India won the men’s doubles 40-plus title by defeating Danish pair of Esben Kaempegaard and Morten Rasmussen by 19-21, 21-17, 21-19. The 9^th Edition of BWF World Senior Badminton Championship 2019 was held from August 4-11, 2019 at Spodek, Katowice, Poland. The duo is members of the Madras Cricket Club, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.About BWF:
♦ Formation: 1934
♦ Headquarters: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
♦ President: Poul-Erik Høyer

Serbian tennis player, Novak Djokovic remain at top of ATP rankings
According to the recently released ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) rankings as of August 12, 2019, Serbian professional tennis player, Novak Djokovic remains at the top position by collecting 12,325 points in the list, a huge lead over the 2^nd placed Rafael Nadal on 7,945 points.i. Ranked on 2^nd, though the  Rafael Nadal secured his 35th Master’s title after beating Russian Daniil Medvedev with (6-3, 6-0) scores in Montreal, Canada.
ii. Daniil Medvedev, Russia with  3,230 points was rewarded for his appearance in a one-place jump to 8^th.
The top five players in the latest ATP rankings:

About ATP:
i. The ATP is the governing body of the men’s professional tennis circuits
ii. Chairman: Chris Kermode

Netherlands most capped footballer Wesley Sneijder announces retirement
On August 13, 2019, Former Real Madrid professional footballer, Wesley Sneijder (35) of Netherlands has announced his retirement from football after arranging a business deal with Dutch football club FC Utrecht.Key points:
i. Since he left Al-Gharafa in Qatar (18-month deal) in July 2019, Sneijder has been without a club. He has signed a contract with Utrecht’s business arm and he will be able to watch the team play from a private box in the upcoming season.
ii. He had started his career in 2002 with football club Ajax and played 134 times from 2003 to 2018 for the Netherlands.
iii. In 2007 he moved to Real Madrid, followed by Internazionale, Galatasaray and OGC Nice. With the Real Madrid club, he was able to win the La Liga title in the 2007-08 season & at Inter, he won Serie A, the UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) Champions League, the FIFA(Federation Internationale de Football Association) World Cup 2010(where he won the Silver Ball as the tournament’s second-best player),and two Coppa Italia.

OBITUARY

Dorothy Olsen, a pioneering pilot in World War II, passed away in University Place, Washington, US
On July 23, 2019, A member of a group of civilian volunteers who flew planes during World War II, Dorothy Eleanor Olsen, aged 103, passed away in University Place, Washington, United States. Born on July 10, 1916 in Woodburn, Oregon, US, she flew about 60 missions as part of the 6th Ferry Group of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP).i. She was the recipient of Congressional Gold Medal in 2010.

Former ASG Amarendra Sharan passed away
On August 12, 2019, former Additional Solicitor General (ASG) and senior advocate Amarendra Sharan passed away at the age of 69 due to a heart attack in Rishikesh, Uttarakhand.
Key points
i. He is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son.
ii. Sharan served as ASG in the supreme court during UPA-I (United Progressive Alliance) regime from 2004-2009. He also served as special counsel for CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) in coal block allocation scam case.
iii. He was appointed as an amicus curiae (an impartial adviser to a court of law in a particular case) by the apex court that heard a petition seeking fresh investigation of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination.
iv. He enrolled as a lawyer in 1975 after doing his LLB (law degree, Legum Baccalaureus) from Patna University and started practising at Patna High court. He was later designated as a senior advocate after when he shifted to Delhi in 2000.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Penguin Random House India announces a book on the life of cinema legend Sridevi, titled “Sridevi: Girl Woman Superstar”
On August 13, 2019, Penguin Random House India has announced a book on the life of the actor, Sridevi titled “Sridevi: Girl Woman Superstar” on her 56^th birth anniversary. The book is written by author-screenwriter Satyarth Nayak.Key points:
i. The book recalled the life and times(in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada cinema) of the legendary actor Sridevi will be published under the Ebury Press imprint of Penguin Random House in October 2019.
ii. The book also talks about her innings after her big-screen comeback in 2012 with “English Vinglish” film.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World organ donation day observed on August 13
The organ donation day is observed every year on August 13 to create awareness about organ donation.Aim:
To motivate people to donate organs thus saving lives after their death.
Key points
i. Spain has the highest donor rate in the world at 46.9million people followed by Portugal at 34 million as of 2017.
Organs that can be donated
i. A donor can donate organs like the heart, liver, intestines, kidneys, lungs, pancreas, eyes after his/her death irrespective of age, caste, religion and community.
ii. Pledging to donate organs can be done above the age of 18. If someone younger than the age of 18 wants to donate organ then he or she must have an agreement of parents or guardian.

International Left-Handers Day observed on 13th August 2019
International Left-Handers Day was observed on August 13, 2019. The objective of this day is to promote awareness of the inconveniences faced by left-handers in a predominantly right-handed world. Key points:
i. 13 August was designated as the International Lefthanders Day by The Left-Handers Club & it was first observed on the 13th of August, in 1976. It was started by Dean R. Campbell, founder of the Lefthanders International, Inc.
ii. Only 10% of the world’s population is left-handed and this has remained roughly the case for thousands of years. Men are also more likely to be left-handed.
iii. Historically left-handed people were considered inferior, with the use of the left hand being associated with witchcraft.
iv. The word sinister comes from the Latin word “sinestra” which originally meant “left” but took on meanings or “evil” or “unlucky.”
v.The events like left-handed tea parties, left-v-right sports matches, pubs using left-handed corkscrews as well as pub games with the left hand were performed on this day.

STATE NEWS

Karnataka government launches E-Step, a programme for student entrepreneurs
The Department of Information Technology (IT), Biotechnology (BT) and Science & Technology (ST) of Karnataka government launched E-Step, an initiative to empower student start-ups. The programme is a part of Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS).
Key Points:
i. The programme is specially designed for students/ startups/entrepreneurs to understand the basics of entrepreneurship from experienced trainers.
ii. The first phase of E-Step is to organize a day long boot camps across all New Age Incubation Networks (NAIN) in Karnataka and the boot camps will be held at 30 colleges between August 12 and September 14, 2019.
iii. It will present an overview of the current start-up system.
About Karnataka:
♦ Capital: Bengaluru
♦ Chief minister: BS Yediyurappa
♦ Governor: Vajubhai Vala
♦ Festivals: Ganesha Chaturthi, Hampi Festival, Gowri Festival, Pattadakal Dance Festival, Mahamastakabhisheka (Shravanabelagola), Kambala Festival
♦ Major Rivers: Krishna River, Cauvery, Pennar, Netravati, Kalinadi, Palar, Sharavati

Support us by register your valuable ratings