Today’s Current Affairs 6th – August- 2018 – MyProgressCard

Banking News

1. PM Modi to launch India Post Payments Bank on Aug 21

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch long-awaited India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) on August 21.
• IPPBs will have at least one branch in every district and aims to focus on financial services in rural areas.
• IPPB will get hold of 1.55 lakh post office branches to provide banking and financial service to people in rural area.
• IPPB CEO Suresh Sethi said that IPPB will go live with 650 branches in addition to 3,250 access points co-located at post offices and around 11,000 postmen both in rural and urban areas will provide doorstep banking services.

2. 122 New Research Project proposals at a cost of Rs.112 Crore selected for funding under IMPRINT-2

• For advancing research in the high education institutions, the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved 122 new research projects at a cost of Rs.112 crore under IMPRINT-2 covering Energy, Security, Healthcare, Advanced Materials, ICT and Security/Defence domains.
• “Out of 2145 proposals, 122 best proposals were selected for funding under IMPRINT-II, advancing cutting edge level technology,” Union HRD Minister PrakashJavadekar said in a statement.
• “Of the 122 new IMPRINT projects sanctioned, 81 are sponsored by industry.

3. Startup India launched the Startup Academia Alliance programme

• Startup India has launched the “Startup Academia Alliance programme”, which acts a special mentorship opportunity between academic scholars and startups working in similar domains.
• It aims to minimize the gap between scientific research and its industrial applications to enhance the impact of these technologies.
• This programme implements the Industry Academia Partnerships and Incubation, which is the third pillar on which the Startup India action plan is based.

4. GST council announced Cashback for Digital Transactions

• In the recently held GST Council meeting in New Delhi, Finance Minister Piyush Goyal, laid the focus on the concerns and suggestions of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
• Briefing media after the 29th council meeting, Finance Minister Piyush Goyal announced a 20% Cashback up to Rs.100 for the Digital Transactions done via BHIM, Rupay or USSD mode.

International News

5. U.K. to have new organ donation law

• The U.K. government announced new plans to change the law for organ and tissue donation to address the urgent need for organs within the Indian-origin community in the country.
• The proposed new system of consent for organ and tissue donation is expected to come into effect in England in 2020 as part of a drive to help Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people.

Sports News

6. Badminton World Championships: Carolina Marin Beats PV Sindhu in Final

• Carolina Marin has beaten PV Sindhu 21-19, 21-10 in the women’s singles final at the Badminton World Championships 2018 held in Nanjing.
• Marin is the first women’s player to win three World Championship golds.
• This is Sindhu’s second silver medal in two years after she lost the final in 2017 as well.

7. Gaganjeet Bhullar claims his first European Tour title

• Gaganjeet Bhullar, a golfer from India, won his maiden Fiji International title, his first win in the European Tour.
• Bhullar became the most successful Indian player on Asian Tour and the first Indian to win on Australasia Tour.
• This was his 9th Asian Tour and 10th international title.

8. Netherlands won women’s hockey world cup

• The Netherlands has been crowned the world champions in Women’s hockey world cup for a record eighth time.
• Spain won the third-place match by beating Australia to claim its first ever World Cup medal.
• India finished eighth in the tournament.

9. Kento Momota, Carolina Marin capture world badminton titles

• Kento Momota has become the first man from Japan to win the Badminton World Championships.
• He defeated Shi Yuqi of China in the men’s final at the Badminton World Championships.
• Momota has won nine of 13 tournaments he has participated after returning from a 15-month gambling-related suspension.

Important Days

10. 73rd Hiroshima day

• August 6, 2018, marks the 73rd anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima.
• On this day, in 1945, the US bomber Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb nicknamed ‘Little Boy’ that was ever used in military combat on Hiroshima.
• The Atomic Bomb Dome was located almost directly underneath the explosion.
• This site was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1996.

Expected Questions from the above Current Affairs

1. Who won the gold in BWF World Championships 2018 in Nanjing?

A. P V Sindhu                                                          C. Tai Tzu-ying
B. Saina Nehwal                                                     D. Carolina Marlin

2. Which Indian golf player has won his first European Tour title at the Fiji International, at Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course, in Fiji?

A. Ajeetesh Sandhu                                              C. Navjeet Siddhu
B. Gaganjeet Bhullar                                            D. Pranesh Mathur

3. Which country won the Women’s Hockey World Cup 2018 that concluded in London on 5th August 2018, becoming world champions in Women’s hockey for a record 8th time?

A. Iran                                                                    C. Ireland
B. Netherlands                                                     D. South Korea

4. Who has become the first Japanese man to win the badminton World Championships?

A. Kento Momota                                             C. Naomi Sakoi
B. Jijing Hanoi                                                   D. Namita Sikoa

5. When will the India Post Payments Bank be launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a focus on rural areas?

A. August 21, 2018                                       C. March 2, 2019
B. January 1, 2019                                         D. April 3, 2019

6. On 5th August 2018, the government approved 122 new research projects at a cost of _____ under IMPRINT-2 initiative?

A. Rs.456 crore                                              C. Rs.200 crore
B. Rs.112 crore                                             D. Rs.888 crore

7. _____ has launched the “Startup Academia Alliance programme”, which is a special mentorship opportunity between academic scholars and startups working in similar domains?

A. Skill India                                                C. Innovate India
B. Shine India                                              D. Startup India

8. Finance ministry has recently launched cashback of how much percent for the Digital Transactions done via BHIM, Rupay or USSD mode?

A. 10%                                                           C. 15%
B. 20%                                                           D. 25%

9. When was 73rd Hiroshima day observed?

A. August 5                                                 C. August 4
B. August 3                                                 D. August 6

10. Which of the following countries proposed a new organ donation law?

A. U.S.A                                                      C. Russia
B. China                                                      D. U.K.