Today’s Current Affairs 11th & 12th – August- 2018 – MyProgressCard

International News

1. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe: World’s first mission to touch the Sun lifts off

• NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, the world’s first mission to touch the Sun, was launched from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, in United States.
• The Parker Solar Probe was carried by a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket.
• The Parker Solar Probe has been sent on a – year long mission to study the Sun’s outer atmosphere and its effects on space weather.

2. Curtain Raiser: Exercise SCO Peace Mission 2018

• As part of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) initiatives, SCO Peace Mission Exercise is conducted biennially for SCO member states.
• The joint exercise for the year 2018 will be conducted by Central Military Commission of Russia from 22 August to 29 August 2018 at Chebarkul, Chelyabinsk, Russia.
• This will be a historic occasion due to the maiden participation of India post becoming a full member of the SCO in June 2017.

National News

3. Meeting of Senior Officials of BIMSTEC held

• A special meeting of Senior Officials of the Bay of Bengal Initiatives for Multi-Sectoral, Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was held in Kathmandu on 11th Aug.
• Senior officers from all member states and Secretary General of BIMSTEC attended the meeting.
• The group was formed in 1997.

4. Israel opens visa centre in Kolkata

• In order to encourage more Indian travellers to visit Israel, the Middle East nation has opened a Visa Application Centre in Kolkata to cater to West Bengal and seven north-eastern states.
• Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura would come under the purview of the centre, which can also accept visa applications in jurisdiction under the New Delhi centre.

Static/Current Implications:

• Capital of West Bengal – Kolkata
• Chief Minister – Mamata Banerjee
• Governor – Keshari Nath Tripathi

5. Jammu and Kashmir gets first woman Chief Justice

• Justice Gita Mittal took oath as the first woman Chief Justice of Jammu And Kashmir High Court.
• The ceremony was administered by Governor Narinder Nath Vohra at Srinagar.
• Mittal had been previously appointed as the Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court on April 14, 2017, after the retirement of Chief Justice Gorla Rohini.

6. Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani appointed as the Chief Justice of Madras High Court

• Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani was appointed the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court.
• Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Prohit will administer the oath of office.
• She replaced Justice Indira Banerjee who has been appointed as Supreme Court judge.
• She obtained her law degree and became an advocate with the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa in July 1982.

7. Nirmala Sitharaman & Yogi Adityanath launch defence industrial corridor in Aligarh

• Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the first phase of UP Deference Corridor in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh.
• 6 nodal points have been identified for the corridor: Agra, Aligarh, Lucknow, Kanpur, Chitrakoot and Jhansi.

8. Justice M R Shah of Gujarat HC sworn in as Chief Justice of Patna HC

• Justice M R Shah has been appointed as Chief Justice of Patna High Court.
• He was a judge of the Gujarat High Court.
• Justice Shah enrolled as an advocate of the Gujarat High Court in 1982.
• He became a judge of the Gujarat High Court on March 7, 2004 and was confirmed as permanent judge on June 22, 2005.

9. Parliament passes Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2018

• Parliament has passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2018 with the Rajya Sabha’s approval.
• Home buyers will get due representation in the Committee of Creditors and make them an important part of decision making process.
• Setting up of a special dispensation for small sector enterprises has also been made.
• It allows the withdrawal of a resolution application submitted to the National Company Law Tribunal under the Code with the approval of 90 per cent of the committee of creditors.

10. ‘Digital North East Vision 2022’ released by Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad

• Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology   Ravi Shankar Prasad released ‘Digital North East Vision 2022’ in Guwahati.
• A cloud hub for North East will be created in Guwahati and capacity building for 50,000 government staff will be taken up.
• This will be done using digital technologies, including Goods and Services Tax and payment platforms.

11. PRATIBANDHIT SAHITYA MEIN SWATANTRATA SANGRAM inaugurated by Dr. Mahesh Sharma

• The Minister of State for Culture (Independent Charge) and Minister of State for Environment Forest and Climate Change, Dr. Mahesh Sharma inaugurated an exhibition entitled ‘Prathibandhit Sahitya mein Swatantrata Sangram’ (Freedom Movement through Proscribed Literature) in the premises of National Archives of India, in New Delhi.
• The Exhibition is based on the unique collection of proscribed literature in its possession.

Banking News

12. HDFC Bank Deputy MD Paresh Sukthankar resigns

• Private sector HDFC Bank’s Deputy Managing Director Paresh Sukthankar has resigned amid speculation that he may be joining as the chief of another lender.
• Sukthankar was widely perceived as a potential successor to HDFC Bank’s CEO and Managing Director Aditya Puri, who is likely to retire by October 2020.

Static/Current Implications:

• Headquarters of HDFC Bank – Mumbai

Important Days

13. 18th International Youth Day

• August 12 is annually celebrated as International Youth Day. It is an awareness day designated by the United Nations to draw attention to cultural and legal issues surrounding youth.
• Theme for 2018: “Safe spaces for Youth”.

14. 6th World Elephant Day international annual event dedicated to the preservation and protection of the world’s elephants.

• To celebrate this day in India, the Coochbehar Mountaineers Club (CMC) have started awareness programmes and campaigns at Jaldapara National Park, West Bengal.

Awards/Honours

15. Indian-American among 3 women honoured at 19th IACCGH gala in Houston

• Indian-American Aruna Vishwanathan was one of the 3 women honoured with ‘Women in Business: Making a Difference Award’ at the 19th annual Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) gala, in Houston, United States.
• The 3 women honoured with ‘Women in Business: Making a Difference Award’ are:

1. Aruna Vishwanathan (Indian)
2. Carlecia Wright (American)
3. Jewel Smith (American)

• They were honoured for their remarkable contributions in entrepreneurship, economic development, innovation and community service.          

Obituaries  

16. Anant Bajaj of Bajaj Electricals passes away at 41

• Anant Bajaj, business magnate and the only son of Bajaj Electricals Chairman Shekhar Bajaj passed away.
• According to reports, Bajaj, who was 41 years of age, suffered a cardiac arrest around in Mumbai.
• Bajaj was the managing director of Bajaj Electricals and was appointed on the post two months ago.

17. Nobel prize-winning author V S Naipaul Passed away

• ndian-origin British author VS Naipaul died at his residence in London at 85.
• He was born as Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul on 17th August 1932 in Trinidad.
• He received the Booker Prize in 1971 and Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001.
• He also received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth in 1989.

Expected GK Questions

1. Name the world’s first mission to touch the Sun that was launched by NASA from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, in United States?

A. Insider Solar Probe                                             C. Insight Solar Probe
B. Helio Solar Probe                                                D. Parker Solar Probe

2. Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Peace Mission Exercise for the year 2018 will be conducted by Central Military Commission of ____________.

A. India                                                                   C. China
B. Russia                                                               D. Nepal

3. Where is the 15th BIMSTEC Minesterial meeting held recently?

A. Dhaka                                                               C. Kathmandu
B. Beijing                                                               D. New Delhi

4. Israel opened a visa application centre in which Indian city of for tourists from West Bengal and north eastern states, on 12th August 2018?

A. Aizwal                                                            C. Shillong
B. Kolkata                                                          D. Guwahati

5. Who has been appointed the Chief Justice of Patna High Court?

A. Justice Manish Chaudhary                           C. Justice Savitha Rai
B. Justice Pihu Chawla                                       D. Justice M R Shah

6. Who was appointed the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, on 11th August 2018?

A. Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani
B. Justice Sumitra Ranga Rajan
C. Justice Thamarai Kannan
D. Justice Indu Kumari

7. Who has become the first-ever woman Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court?

A. Justice Preethi Reddy                                  C. Justice Kamila Jahan
B. Justice Gita Mittal                                       D. Justice Ramya Menon

8. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a defence industrial corridor in ______________.

A. Varanasi                                                       C. Lucknow
B. Aligarh                                                          D. Meerut

9. Name the bill that was passed in the Parliament on 12th August 2018 that seeks to clarify that allotters under a real estate project should be treated as financial creditors?

A. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Second Amendment) Bill, 2018
B. Recovery of Non-Performing Assets Bill, 2017
C. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (First Amendment) Bill, 2017
D. Recovery of Non-Performing Assets (Amendment) Bill, 2018

10.  Which Union Minister released ‘Digital North East Vision 2022’ in Guwahati, on 12th August 2018?

A. Manoj Sinha                                                 C. Mahesh Kumar
B. Rajnath Singh                                               D. Ravi Shankar Prasad

11. Name the ministry that has inaugurated an exhibition entitled ‘Prathibandhit Sahitya mein Swatantrata Sangram’ (Freedom Movement through Proscribed Literature) in New Delhi.

A. Ministry of Commerce and Industry
B. Ministry of Culture
C. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
D. Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs

12. Name the deputy managing director of HDFC Bank who resigned from his post on 11th August 2018?

A. Praveen Mathur                                     C. Kiran Kumar
B. Paresh Sukthankar                              D. Himanshu Singh

13. What was the theme of International Youth Day celebrated on 12th August 2018?

A. Sustainable Development of Youth
B. Safe spaces for Youth
C. Peaceful Future for Youth
D. Holistic Development for Youth

14. When was World Elephant Day 2018 celebrated?

A. August 11th
B. August 7th
C. August 12th
D. August 13th

15. Name the Indian-American who is one of the 3 women honoured with ‘Women in Business: Making a Difference Award’ at the 19th annual Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) gala, in Houston, United States?

A. Deepa Karmakar
B. Aruna Vishwanathan
C. Susheela Jayapal
D. Ananthi Krishnakumar

16. Anant Bajaj, passed away following a heart attack, on 10th August 2018. What was his profession?

A. Politician
B. Businessman
C. Doctor
D. Scientist

17. Indian-origin British national VS Naipaul died at his residence in London, on 11th August 2018. He was a/an ____?

A. Musician
B. Film Maker
C. Author
D. Geologist