National News
1. 28th
Meeting of GST Council Held in New Delhi
Piyush Goyal |
i.
The 28th meeting of the GST Council chaired by interim finance minister Piyush
Goyal was held in New Delhi. The Council was deliberated
upon a number of key issues on its agenda which includes rate revision
on a number of items, amendments to the GST law, simplification of return, and
the setting up of a National Appellate Tribunal in Delhi.
ii. The
GST Council has exempted sanitary napkins from Goods and Services Tax. Earlier,
there was a 12% levy of tax on sanitary napkins. It has also recommended
reduction in the GST slab for lithium-ion batteries used in electronic items
from the current 28% to 18% along with a slew of reductions in other items like
bamboo flooring, ice making machines, vending machines, water coolers
etc.
2. Andhra
Pradesh Launches e-Pragati Core Platform
i.
Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh N. Chandrababu Naidu launched ‘e-Pragati
core platform’ at Undavalli. e-Pragati, a forward-looking digital
initiative, is aimed at connecting the citizen to 34 departments, 336
autonomous organisations and 745-plus services.
ii. Through
this project, the State government intends to realise the vision of ‘Sunrise
AP 2022’. The e-Pragati authority will achieve the goals of the
project by supporting the seven development missions launched in the areas of
e-Governance, Social Empowerment, Skill Development, Urban Development,
Infrastructure, Industrial Development and the Services sector.
Static/Current
Takeaways Important for SBI PO/Clerk Exam 2018-
·
Banwarilal Purohit is the present Governor of
Tamil Nadu.
·
ESL Narasimhan is the present Governor of Andhra Pradesh.
3. Government Launched MicroDot Technology To
Check Vehicle Thefts
i. The
Indian Government has announced the launch of a new MicroDot Technology that
would help check on vehicle thefts. Under this, thousands of small
dots laser etched will be sprayed with a vehicle identification number on all
over the vehicle’s body including its engine.
ii. This technology is yet to be finalized by the highest
automobile technical standard making body Central Motor Vehicles Rules
-Technical Standing Committee (CMVR-TSC).
International News
4.
8th BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting Held At Durban
i. The 8th BRICS Health Ministers’ Meeting was held at
Durban, South Africa. Indian deligation was led by Mr J P Nadda, Union
Minister of Health and Family Welfare. He stated that India is committed to
eliminating TB by 2025.
ii. Highlighting the accomplishments of India in the health sector, he stated India's achievement in reducing the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) by 77%, from 556 per 1,00,000 live births in 1990 to 130 per 1,00,000 live births in 2016, was commended by the Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO).
ii. Highlighting the accomplishments of India in the health sector, he stated India's achievement in reducing the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) by 77%, from 556 per 1,00,000 live births in 1990 to 130 per 1,00,000 live births in 2016, was commended by the Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO).
Static/Current
Takeaways Important for SBI PO/Clerk Exam 2018-
·
BRICS is made up of China, Brazil, Russia, India and
South Africa.
·
In December 2010, China, as the Chair, invited South
Africa to join BRIC and attend the Summit in Sanya, China.
·
The 1st BRIC Summit was held in June 2009 in
Yekaterinburg, Russia.
5. 4th BIMSTEC Summit To Be Held In Kathmandu
i.
The 4th BIMSTEC Summit will be held in Kathmandu, Nepal. The announcement in
this regard was made by Nepal’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar
Gyawali.
ii. The
main focus of the summit will be to increase connectivity between the
BIMSTEC nations including roads, airways and transmission lines.
Static/Current
Takeaways Important for BOB PO Exam 2018-
·
BIMSTEC stands for Bay of Bengal Initiatives for
Multi-Sectoral, Technical and Economic Cooperation.
·
The group was formed in 1997 and it
brings together Bangladesh, Bhutan India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and
Thailand.
·
Nepal is the current chair of BIMSTEC.
6. Facebook To Launch Satellite 'Athena' In 2019
i.
Facebook has confirmed it is working on a new satellite
project, named Athena, that will provide broadband internet
connections to rural and underserved areas.
ii. The company aims to launch satellite in early 2019. In 2016, Facebook's internet satellite for Africa was lost when SpaceX's rocket exploded.
ii. The company aims to launch satellite in early 2019. In 2016, Facebook's internet satellite for Africa was lost when SpaceX's rocket exploded.
Business News
7.
Flipkart And Hotstar Join Hands For Ad Platform
i.
India’s largest online retailer Flipkart has forged an alliance with video
streaming service Hotstar and launched a video advertisement platform.
It is part of a broader strategy to generate more revenue from the booming
video advertising business.
ii. The
new platform, Shopper Audience Network, will allow
brands to target consumers through personalized video ads on Hotstar.
Sports News
8.
Alisson Becker Becomes World's Most Expensive Goalkeeper
i.
Alisson Becker of Brazil has become the World's most expensive
goalkeeper while transferring clubs from Italy's Roma to
England's Liverpool for a world record £56 million. The 25-year-old
Brazilian has beaten Ederson Moraes (£34.7 million, Benfica to Manchester
City).
ii. The
deal could rise to as much as £65 million, with a further £10 million in
add-ons, which are dependent on Liverpool's qualification for the UEFA
Champions League and wins in various competitions in the future.
9. Shubhankar Sharma Becomes Youngest Indian To Make Cut in A Major
i. Shubhankar Sharma became
the youngest Indian golfer to make the cut in any Major after
he capped a wonderful back nine to achieve the feat at the 147th Open
Championships at Carnoustie, Scotland.
ii. Zach Johnson of the USA, the 2007 Masters and 2015 Open champion, rose to the top of the leaderboard.
ii. Zach Johnson of the USA, the 2007 Masters and 2015 Open champion, rose to the top of the leaderboard.
Obituaries
10. Former
Chhattisgarh Finance Minister Ramchandra Singhdeo Passes Away
i.
Ramchandra Singhdeo, former and first Finance Minister of Chhattisgarh, passed
away in Raipur.
ii. He was the Finance Minister in the cabinet of the then Chief Minister Ajit Jogi.
ii. He was the Finance Minister in the cabinet of the then Chief Minister Ajit Jogi.
Static/Current
Takeaways Important for SBI PO/Clerk Exam 2018-
·
Chhattisgarh CM- Raman
Das, Governor- Balramji Dass Tandon.