21st August 2023 Daily Current Affairs
National & International Appointments
1. BPCL announced Rahul Dravid as brand ambassador
- Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), the second-largest Indian oil marketing company (OMC), announced Rahul Dravid, cricket legend and the current Head Coach of the Indian cricket team, as its latest brand ambassador
- He will represent BPCL’s Pure for Sure initiative and its range of MAK lubricants.
- BPCL operates three refineries in Bina, Kochi and Mumbai.
- It was ranked 309th on the 2020 Fortune list of the world’s biggest Public sector undertakings in India
Banking & Finance
2. YES BANK launches ‘iris’ to offer digital banking solutions in India
- YES BANK has introduced its mobile banking app, iris by YES BANK, which aims to reform India’s digital banking landscape.
- The app allows flexibility and personalization, enabling customers to access over 100 features on a single platform.
- It also ensures the utmost safety of the customers’ financial data by incorporating safety features like Biometric Authentication, Sim-Binding, and a 2-factor Verification.
- Managing Director & CEO of YES BANK is Prashant Kumar.
Sports
3. India’s Anahat Singh clinches gold in Asian Junior Squash
- India’s Anahat Singh bagged the gold medal defeating Hong Kong’s Ena Kwong in the U-17 category in the Asian Junior Squash Individual Championships 2023 held in China.
- She also has a bronze medal win, at Macau in the U-13 category in 2019.
- She won the U-11 title during the British Junior Open Squash and by winning the U-13 title in the Dutch Junior Open Squash 2019
- In 2021, she also reached the quarterfinals of the Indian Open held at Noida
National & International Organizations
4. WHO launches a new global Initiative on digital health
- The World Health Organization (WHO) and the G20 India presidency announced a new Global Initiative on Digital Health (GIDH) at the Health Minister’s Meeting of the G20 Summit
- The new GIDH initiative will operate as a WHO-managed network and platform to support the implementation of the Global Strategy on Digital Health 2020–2025.
- WHO is committed to working with countries to strengthen their capacities and to improve access to quality-assured digital solutions.
Banking & Finance
5. Indian Bank becomes the first PSB to extend on-line Locker Agreement
- Indian Bank became the First Public Sector Bank to extend facility of execution of on-line locker agreement through Digital Document Execution(DDE) Platform of National E-Governance Services Limited (NeSL).
- On-line locker agreement, which is available round the clock will enhance customer convenience and will reduce the turn-around
- time of the agreement execution.
- DDE is a fully automated contract execution platform with paperless e-stamp and e-Sign facility.
Banking & Finance
6. HDFC Group launches life insurance, asset management services
- HDFC Group launched new life insurance and asset management services at International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) in Gujarat.
- Aim: To offer services to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and the global Indian diaspora.
- HDFC Life unveils HDFC International Life and Re, and HDFC AMC International (IFSC) Ltd to cater to the financial needs of the worldwide Indian community to make world-class foreign currency denominated insurance solutions available for NRIs
Sports
7. Spain beat England and won first FIFA Women’s World Cup
- Spain secured their first FIFA Women’s World Cup title 2023 by defeating England at the Accor Stadium in Sydney
- Spain and Germany are now the only two nations to win both the men’s and women’s tournaments.
- The victory made La Roja the first team to hold the under-17, under-20 and senior world titles at the same time – and the fifth winner in nine editions of the Women’s World Cup.
- Spanish captain Olga Carmona’s first-half goal proved to be the difference maker
State Affairs
8. In Ladakh, construction for world’s new highest motorable road begins
- The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has embarked on a groundbreaking project to construct the ‘Likaru-Mig La-Fukche’ road in Ladakh.
- Goal: To establish the world’s highest motorable road, spanning an altitude of approximately 19,400 feet, surpassing the previous record held by Umling La Pass.
- The proposed road between Likaru-Migla-Fukche would provide an axis connecting Hanle to CDFD road at Fukche.
Agreement
9. AICTE Collaborates with Jio Institute for faculty development programme
- The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) partnered with the Jio Institute for a Faculty Development Programme on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Data Science.
- Aim: To empower academic leaders and senior Faculty members with a deep understanding of AI and Data Science while also emphasizing on the ethical considerations of utilizing AI tools for immersive learning.
- This is being initiated under AICTE’s ATAL (AICTE Training and Learning) programme
National Affairs
10. Chintan Shivir of Finance Ministry to officially inaugurated at Kevadiya
- The finance ministry will organise a two-day Chintan Shivir in Gujarat starting from August 20 2023 held at the Statue of Unity at Kevadia.
- Aim: To discuss various issues including the roadmap for India to become a developed nation by 2047.
- Objective: To review the work of the Ministry and to evolve an action plan to implement Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s “Vision 2047”
- FinMin Nirmala Sitaraman reviewed the progress of the G 20 Finance track.
20th August 2023 Daily Current Affairs