Daily Current Affairs for Banking, SSC- 2nd September 2016
1. Guinness World Records declare Majuli as the largest river island
1. The Guinness World Records declared Assam's Majuli as the largest river island in the world.
2. The island is located in the Brahmaputra River.
As per the Guinness World Records, the island lost around one-third of its area in the last 30-40 years due to frequent flooding of the river.
2. Veteran trade union leader Sharad Rao passes away
1. Veteran trade union leader Sharad Rao passed away on 1 September 2016 in Mumbai. He was 78.
2. Rao is acknowledged for his role in mobilising the work force in both the organised and unorganised sectors.
3. SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket destroyed in explosion
1. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket exploded on its Cape Canaveral launch pad during a test .
The explosion destroyed a commercial satellite that Facebook had planned to use to extend Internet access in Africa.
2. It was the second time in just over a year that SpaceX has lost a Falcon 9 rocket, which is slated to launch NASA astronauts for the first time in 2017.
4. LG Electronics Inc ties up with Amazon.com on smart-home services
1. South Korea's LG Electronics Inc on 2 September 2016 tied-up with Amazon.com Inc on smart-home services.
2. This tie-up will help enabling the services of Amazon such as the Alexa virtual assistant on some of the electronics maker's devices.
3. Highlights of the Partnership
• Alexa will work with its SmartThinkQ Hub, an LG device used to connect with home appliances over the internet.
• It will allow users to control the South Korean firm's home appliances via voice-recognition technology.
• It would add Amazon.com's Dash feature on its SmartThinQ Sensors, which enabled smart features on appliances to allow users to quickly order household items such as laundry detergent or drinks.
5. India, Egypt sign agreement in area of Maritime Transport
1. India and Egypt signed an agreement on Maritime Transport. The agreemnt would help the two nations to step-up co-operation on the seas not only in terms of maritime commerce but also in transit of naval vessels.
2. The agreement was signed after delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in New Delhi. President Sisi is on a three-day visit (1-3 September 2016) to India at an invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee.
6. India ranks 35th in World Bank’s 2016 Logistics Performance Index
1. India has been placed at the 35th rank in the World Bank’s 2016 Logistics Performance Index (LPI) among 160 countries. The index was recently released by World Bank in its report titled ‘Connecting to Complete 2016’. India has leapfrogged by 19 spots to 35th rank compared with 54th rank in 2014 LPI.
2. LPI is released by World Bank as part of its report every two years based on a world-wide survey of stakeholders. It is based on the ground providing feedback on the logistics friendliness of the countries in which they operate and those with which they trade. The index measures countries across six components— Customs, infrastructure, international shipments, logistics quality and competence, tracking and tracing, and timeliness.
7. Union Government notifies National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme
1. The Union Government has notified National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) for providing apprenticeship training to over 50 lakh youngsters in order to create more jobs. The Scheme has an outlay of 10,000 crore rupees with a target of 50 Lakh apprentices to be trained by 2019-20. It is first of its kind scheme notified to offer financial incentives to employers.
2. NAPS will be implemented by Director General of Training (DGT) under the aegis of Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). Under it, Central Government for the first time will provide financial incentives to the employers to engage apprentices. Central Government will also directly share 25% of the total stipend (maximum of 1,500 rupees per month per apprentice) payable to an apprentice with employers. In addition, it will support basic training which is considered an essential component of apprenticeship training.
8. Solung festival begins in Arunachal Pradesh
1. The annual socio-religious Solung festival of Adi tribe has started in Arunachal Pradesh. Solung is 5-day long agro-based festival is celebrated every year by the Adi tribe in the first week of September.
2. The Solung festival reflects the socio-religious features of the Adi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. Adi or ‘Bangni-Boker lhoba ’people are the major collective tribes living in the himalayan hills of ‘Nyingchi’ prefecture in Arunachal Pradesh. To mark the celebrations, people perform various rituals and make offerings to gods and goddesses during the celebration and pray for a bumper harvest.
Daily Current Affairs for Banking, SSC- 2nd September 2016
1. Guinness World Records declare Majuli as the largest river island
1. The Guinness World Records declared Assam's Majuli as the largest river island in the world.
2. The island is located in the Brahmaputra River.
As per the Guinness World Records, the island lost around one-third of its area in the last 30-40 years due to frequent flooding of the river.
2. Veteran trade union leader Sharad Rao passes away
1. Veteran trade union leader Sharad Rao passed away on 1 September 2016 in Mumbai. He was 78.
2. Rao is acknowledged for his role in mobilising the work force in both the organised and unorganised sectors.
3. SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket destroyed in explosion
1. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket exploded on its Cape Canaveral launch pad during a test .
The explosion destroyed a commercial satellite that Facebook had planned to use to extend Internet access in Africa.
2. It was the second time in just over a year that SpaceX has lost a Falcon 9 rocket, which is slated to launch NASA astronauts for the first time in 2017.
4. LG Electronics Inc ties up with Amazon.com on smart-home services
1. South Korea's LG Electronics Inc on 2 September 2016 tied-up with Amazon.com Inc on smart-home services.
2. This tie-up will help enabling the services of Amazon such as the Alexa virtual assistant on some of the electronics maker's devices.
3. Highlights of the Partnership
• Alexa will work with its SmartThinkQ Hub, an LG device used to connect with home appliances over the internet.
• It will allow users to control the South Korean firm's home appliances via voice-recognition technology.
• It would add Amazon.com's Dash feature on its SmartThinQ Sensors, which enabled smart features on appliances to allow users to quickly order household items such as laundry detergent or drinks.
5. India, Egypt sign agreement in area of Maritime Transport
1. India and Egypt signed an agreement on Maritime Transport. The agreemnt would help the two nations to step-up co-operation on the seas not only in terms of maritime commerce but also in transit of naval vessels.
2. The agreement was signed after delegation level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in New Delhi. President Sisi is on a three-day visit (1-3 September 2016) to India at an invitation of President Pranab Mukherjee.
6. India ranks 35th in World Bank’s 2016 Logistics Performance Index
1. India has been placed at the 35th rank in the World Bank’s 2016 Logistics Performance Index (LPI) among 160 countries. The index was recently released by World Bank in its report titled ‘Connecting to Complete 2016’. India has leapfrogged by 19 spots to 35th rank compared with 54th rank in 2014 LPI.
2. LPI is released by World Bank as part of its report every two years based on a world-wide survey of stakeholders. It is based on the ground providing feedback on the logistics friendliness of the countries in which they operate and those with which they trade. The index measures countries across six components— Customs, infrastructure, international shipments, logistics quality and competence, tracking and tracing, and timeliness.
7. Union Government notifies National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme
1. The Union Government has notified National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) for providing apprenticeship training to over 50 lakh youngsters in order to create more jobs. The Scheme has an outlay of 10,000 crore rupees with a target of 50 Lakh apprentices to be trained by 2019-20. It is first of its kind scheme notified to offer financial incentives to employers.
2. NAPS will be implemented by Director General of Training (DGT) under the aegis of Union Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). Under it, Central Government for the first time will provide financial incentives to the employers to engage apprentices. Central Government will also directly share 25% of the total stipend (maximum of 1,500 rupees per month per apprentice) payable to an apprentice with employers. In addition, it will support basic training which is considered an essential component of apprenticeship training.
8. Solung festival begins in Arunachal Pradesh
1. The annual socio-religious Solung festival of Adi tribe has started in Arunachal Pradesh. Solung is 5-day long agro-based festival is celebrated every year by the Adi tribe in the first week of September.
2. The Solung festival reflects the socio-religious features of the Adi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. Adi or ‘Bangni-Boker lhoba ’people are the major collective tribes living in the himalayan hills of ‘Nyingchi’ prefecture in Arunachal Pradesh. To mark the celebrations, people perform various rituals and make offerings to gods and goddesses during the celebration and pray for a bumper harvest.