Current affairs : August 26, 2016
Sugamya Pustakalaya- an online library for persons with visual disabilities launched
Sugamya Pustakalaya was launched by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Minister for Law & Justice and Electronics & Information Technology at a function organized by Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment.
- “Sugamaya Pustakalaya” is an online platform that makes accessible content available to print-disabled people.
Sakshi Malik announced brand ambassador of
Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign
India’s Olympic Bronze medalist Sakshi Malik was announced as the
new brand ambassador of Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign recently.
- Sakshi became the first Indian woman wrestler to clinch a medal at the recently concluded Olympics. She won bronze medal in wrestling in the 58 kg category.
South India’s first Children’s Court in
Hyderabad
South India’s first Children’s Court was recently inaugurated in
Hyderabad. After Goa and Delhi, Telangana has become the third state to have a child friendly court and sixth in the
country with features like separate waiting rooms for children and a video
camera trial for the accused, mandated under the Protection of Children from
Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act-2012.
Provide loans to women SHGs at 7 per cent: RBI to banks
The Reserve Bank has asked banks to provide loans to women self-help groups (SHGs) at 7% per annum, as per the government’s revised guidelines for 2016-17. All women SHGs are eligible for interest subvention on credit up to Rs 3 lakh at 7% per annum under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission.
Five Indian companies ranked among world's 100 most innovative
Five Indian companies ranked among world's 100 most innovative, including Asian Paints(18), Hindustan Unilever(31), Tata Consultancy Services(66), Sun Pharma(73) and Larsen & Toubro(89) have been ranked among Forbes’s list of ‘The World’s Most Innovative Companies’.
Banks to issue Masala bonds, RBI opens
currency markets
The Reserve Bank of India has announced a slew of debt market reforms to simplify participation and enhance liquidity, besides allowing the
use of newly-introduced instruments such as Masala Bonds. The measures accept
many of the recommendations made by HR Khan Committee.
NHRC registering more cases, says there is
more awareness
NHRC data have revealed that cases registered by the National Human Rights Commission have gone up over the past three years.
- The cases where relief was recommended fell 26% from 2013-2014 to 2015-2016. For the same time period, the number of cases registered by the Commission rose 20%.
Rail passengers to get insurance cover worth
Rs 10 lacs at a premium of only 92 paise
A
travel insurance cover of up to Rs10 lakh can be availed while booking a train
ticket online by paying 92paise from 31 August.
- The scheme offers travellers/nominees/legal heirs a compensation of Rs10 lakh in the event of death or total disability, Rs7.5 lakh for partial disability, upto Rs2 lakh for hospitalisation expenses and Rs10,000 for transportation of mortal remains from the place of a train accident or where an untoward incident, including terrorist attack, dacoity, rioting, shootout or arson, occurs.
- The scheme is being implemented by IRCTC in partnership with ICICI Lombard General Insurance, Royal Sundaram General Insurance and Shriram General Insurance selected through a bidding process.
The list published by Forbes magazine considers earnings from June 2015, and featured Shah Rukh Khan and Akshay Kumar as the top two highest paid actors on 8th and 10th rank. The list also includes Salman Khan on 14th rank, which is followed by legend Amitabh Bachchan on 18th position.
- The list was topped by former WWE wrestler and present actor, Dwayne Johnson, who filled his pocket with as much as 64.5 million dollars through movies such as Central Intelligence and Fast & Furious 8.
1st BRICS film festival from Sept. 2 – 6 in
New Delhi
India will be hosting the first BRICS film festival which will
begin from Sept. 2 to 6 New Delhi.
- The Film Festival being organized would act as a platform for people of the film industry of member countries to explore areas of cooperation in the domain of “cinema, culture and cuisine”.
- The Opening film for the festival would be the world premiere of the Malayalam movie, Veeram directed by Shri Jayaraj Rajasekharan Nair and starring Kunal Kapoor.
- The Closing film would be the Chinese movie, Skiptrace, starring Jackie Chan directed by Renny Harlin.
Abhinav Bindra to Head NRAI Review Committee
on Rio Debacle
Olympic gold-medallist Abhinav Bindra was named Chairman of a 5
member review committee to probe the shooters' Rio Games debacle but has
recused himself from questioning them as he was himself a part of the
team.
- The committee is also mandated to recommend concrete steps that NRAI must immediately undertake to ensure that this is not repeated in future Olympics.
Ronaldo wins UEFA Best Player in Europe award
Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has won the UEFA Best Player
in Europe award for the second time.
- Ronaldo, 31, claimed the prize ahead of his club team-mate Gareth Bale and Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann.
Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award will
be conferred with the Jharkhand Dungdung
Former Olympian Silvanus Dungdung Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime
Achievement Award will be rewarded.
- Dhyan Chand was an Indian field hockey player, who is considered as one the greatest field hockey player of all time.
Jeff Williams:
Jeff Williams, a
veteran of four spaceflights — including his current expedition aboard the International
Space Station, surpassed fellow
U.S. astronaut Scott Kelly's record of 520 days, 10
hours and 30 minutes just before 5:00 a.m. EDT (0900 GMT) on Wednesday (Aug.
24).
- When he returns to Earth next month, Williams will have logged a career total of more than 534 days off the planet.
