Dear Readers, Daily Current Affairs News Updates about the National and International events were listed here. Read Current Affairs Today here and stay updated with current news. Candidates those who are preparing for IBPS/SBI/PO/Clerk exam and all other competitive exams can use this and try Current Affairs Quiz to test your knowledge level.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
Health ministry notified eight medical equipment as ‘drugs’
- To regulate medical and diagnostic devices in India,The health ministry has notified eight medical equipments including all implantable devices, as “drugs” under Section 3 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, with effect from April 1, 2020.
- The medical equipment include all implantable medical devices, CT scan, MRI equipment, defibrillators, dialysis machine, PET equipment, X-ray machine and bone marrow cell separator
USEFUL INFO |
Health and Family Welfare Minister |
Jagat Prakash Nadda |
Constituency |
Himachal Pradesh, Rajya Sabha |
CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE
Himalayan Cloud Observatory set up in Tehri district to monitor cloud activities
- A Himalayan Cloud Observatory has been set up in Tehri district to receive forecast and monitor cloud burst incidents in the Himalayan region and help minimise the damage.
- The Observatory has been established in the SRT campus and is currently in the testing period.
- This is the second observatory in the country to monitor cloud activities by the Indian Science and Technology Department and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur that can function in high-altitudes.
USEFUL INFO |
Uttarakhand Capital |
Dehradun |
UttarakhandChief Minister |
Trivendra Singh Rawat |
UttarakhandGovernor |
Baby Rani Maurya |
Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur laid foundation stone of Mega Food Park in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
- Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal laid foundation stone of a Mega Food Park in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
- The Mega Food Park is being set up in over 57 acre of land at a cost of around 121 crore rupees. The Centre has also approved a financial assistance of 50 crore rupees to the project.
- The Park will provide direct and indirect employment to five thousand persons and benefit about 25,000 farmers.
USEFUL INFO |
Food Processing Industries Minister |
Harsimrat Kaur Badal |
Constituency |
Bathinda, Punjab |
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE
RBI doubles the limit of ‘bulk deposit’ from Rs. 1crore to Rs. 2 crore
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) decided to raise the criteria for ‘bulk deposits’ for banks to Rs. 2 crore from the current Rs. 1 crore, to provide more operational freedom to lenders to raise funds.
- Interest rates on bulk deposits are marginally higher than on smaller-amount fixed deposits for similar maturity period.
- The instructions regarding bulk deposits were last reviewed in January 2013 and defined as single rupee deposits of Rs 1 crore and above.
- The proposal was suggested by the National Federation of Urban Cooperative Banks and Credit Societies Ltd. (NAFCUB).
- RBI also proposed that banks would maintain their bulk deposit interest rate cards in the core banking system for supervisory review.
USEFUL INFO |
RBI Headquarters |
Mumbai |
RBI Governor |
Shaktikant Das |
RBI Deputy Governor |
BP Kanungo, N S Vishwanathan, Viral Acharya and Mahesh Kumar Jain |
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS
Facebook acquired GrokStyle virtual search start-up to boost AI capabilities
- Facebook acquired US-based virtual search startup GrokStyle, to enable users shop better using artificial intelligence capabilities, for an undisclosed amount.
- San Francisco Based GrokStyle was founded in 2015
USEFUL INFO |
Headquarters |
California, United States |
CEO |
Mark Zuckerberg |
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATION
Egypt’s President El-Sissi elected as new chairman of African Union
- Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has been elected chairman of the African Union at the continental body’s summit in Ethiopia
- The African Union (AU) is a continental union consisting of 55 countries of the continent of Africa.
- El-Sisi’s election brought to an end the one-year chairmanship of Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame.
USEFUL INFO |
African Union Headquarters |
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
African Union Chairman |
Abdel Fattah al-Sisi |
Ricky Ponting appointed as Australia assistant cricket coach for World Cup
- Former captain Ricky Ponting has been appointed as an assistant coach of Australia’s men’s team for the 50-over World Cup 2019
- Ponting was appointed after David Saker’s resignation from the post
- Current batting coach is Graeme Hick
- The main coach for the Australian Cricket team is Justin Langer
CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS
BAFTA Awards 2019
- 72nd edition of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awardswere presented
- Legendary British actress Joanna Lumley hosted the show in London’s Royal Albert Hall.
- “The Favourite” took the most awards with seven, including both actress categories for Rachel Weisz and Olivia Colman and best original screenplay, though “Roma” nabbed the top prize for best film
- The leading actor prize went to Rami Malek for “Bohemian Rhapsody” while favoriteMahershala Ali was lauded for “Green Book.”
Category |
Winner |
Best film |
Roma |
Best Outstanding British film |
The Favourite |
Best Actress |
Olivia Colman (The Favourite) |
Best Actor |
Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody) |
Best Director |
Alfonso Cuaron (Roma) |
Best Costume Design |
Sandy Powell (The Favourite) |
Best Film Not in the English Language |
Roma |
Best Special Visual Effects |
Black Panther |
Best Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director or Producer |
Beast |
Best Cinematography |
Alfonso Cuaron (Roma) |
Best Supporting Actor |
Mahershala Ali (Green Book) |
Best Original Screenplay |
The Favourite (Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara) |
Best Original Music |
A Star is Born |
Best Adapted Screenplay |
BlackKklansman (Spike Lee, David Rabinowitz, Charlie Wachtel, Kevin Willmott) |
Best Rising Star |
Letitia Wright |
Best Supporting Actress |
Rachel Weisz (The Favourite) |
Best Makeup and Hair |
Nadia Stacey (The Favourite) |
Best Editing |
Hank Corwin (Vice) |
Best Sound |
Bohemian Rhapsody |
Best British Short Film |
73 Cows |
Best Production Design |
The Favourite |
Best Animated Film |
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse |
Best British Short Animation |
Roughhouse |
Best Special Visual Effects |
Black Panther |
EE Rising Star Award |
Letitia Wright |
Best Documentary |
Free Solo |
BAFTA Fellowship |
Thelma Schoonmaker |
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE
Five-day multinational maritime exercise ‘AMAN-19’ begins in Pakistan
- A five-day multinational exercise’AMAN-19′ has kicked off near the southern port city of Karachi, Pakistan
- The multinational maritime exercise as part of efforts to enhance cooperation in combating pirates, terrorists and smugglers.
- Representatives from the navies of 45 nations, including the United States, Britain and Japan, are participating in the exercise
- The Pakistan Navy’s ships, submarines, boats, marines and special forces will all take part in the exercise, along with the Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Army and Pakistan Rangers
- The exercise is conducted every two years since it was initiated in 2007.
USEFUL INFO |
Pakistan Capital |
Islamabad |
PakistanCurrency |
Rupee |
PakistanPrime Minister |
Imran Khan |
INS Trikand participated in multinational training exercise “Cutclass Express 2019”
- INS Trikand, a front-line warship of the Indian Navy, participated in a multinational training exercise ‘CUTCLASS EXPRESS – 19’
- The aim of the exercise was to improve law enforcement capacity, promote regional security and progress inter-operability between the armed forces of the participating nations for the purpose of interdicting illegal maritime activity in the Western Indian Ocean
- Naval Coast Guard and Marine Police personnel from a number of East African countries were jointly trained by mentors from USA, India, and Netherlands, with support of international organisations like the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Combined Maritime Force (CMF) and European Naval Forces (EUNAVFOR)
- The exercise was conducted in two phases. The first, called the Command Post Exercise (CPX) was conducted from Jan 27 to Feb 2.
- The second phase called the Final Training Exercise (FTX) was conducted from Feb 3-5. The closing ceremony of the event was held at the Djibouti Naval Base
Indigenously developed “Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)” missile system was successfully flight tested in Odisha
- The second indigenously developed ‘Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR)’ propulsion-based missile system was successfully flight tested in Odisha by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
- Unlike conventional rockets that carry propellant and oxidizer, Ramjet uses the air as an oxidizer just like a jet engine. Therefore the weight of the fuel required is eliminated
- The first flight of SFDR, developed under a joint Indo-Russian R&D project, was tested in 2018. It had achieved the speed of Mach 3.
USEFUL INFO |
Defence Minister |
Nirmala Sitharaman |
Constituency |
Rajya Sabha Karnataka |
DRDO Chairman |
G Satheesh Reddy |
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS
Corentin Moutet clinched Chennai Open ATP Challenger title
- France’s Corentin Moutet has clinched the Chennai Open ATP Challenger tournament title after beating Andrew Harris of Australia 6-3, 6-3 in the singles final.
- It was the second Challenger title for Moutet, who received $7,200 and 80 ATP points.
RSPB lift Senior National Men’s Hockey title
- Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) lifted the 9th Senior National Men’s Hockey Championship crown at Gwalior
- RSPB beat defending champion Punjab 3-2 and claim the gold medal
- Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) beat Punjab & Sind Bank 4-1 to clinch the bronze medal.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARIES
Bollywood actor Mahesh Anand passed away
- Popular Bollywood actor and ’90s villain Mahesh Anand passed away
- He has worked in many hit Bollywood movies including Coolie No 1, Swarg, Kurukshetra, Shahenshah and many more.
- Anand’s last film was Govinda’sRangeela Raja, which released this year in January.